The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator released the Decision Advantage Request for Proposal (RFP), approved by the Chief Defence Scientist (CDS), in November 2024.
The call to market sought cutting-edge and innovative proposals that apply to one or more of the technology areas outlined in the Opportunity Statements approved by the CDS.
These areas are:
- Automated Data Integration and Interpretation
- Machine Reasoning
- Multi-Modal Data Fusion
- Augmented Human-Machine Reasoning
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Agents
- AI Multi-Modal Foundation Model
- AI Orchestration.
Milestones
The following 14 Australian organisations were successful with contracts signed to strengthen Decision Advantage capability effect across Defence domains, including air, land, space, maritime and cyber.
| Organisation | State | Contract value (including GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Australian National University | ACT | $1,023,209.85 |
| Australian Systems Research Pty Ltd | VIC | $1,836,389.50 |
| Cortisonic Pty Ltd | QLD | $3,232,494.10 |
| Curtin University | WA | $3,165,877.87 |
| Evolving Machine Intelligence Pty Ltd | QLD | $3,241,106.00 |
| Macquarie University and Western Sydney University | NSW | $3,286,010.20 |
| Space Machines Company Pty Ltd | NSW | $2,930,854.30 |
| Swordfish Computing Pty Ltd | SA | $3,092,317.48 |
| TKMS Sonartech Atlas Pty Ltd | NSW | $2,114,924.90 |
| University of New South Wales | NSW | $3,220,633.56 |
| University of Queensland | QLD | $3,059,090.10 |
| University of Technology Sydney | NSW | $3,257,745.15 |
| Visionary Machines Pty Ltd | NSW | $2,934,406.20 |
| Western Sydney University | NSW | $3,164,305.10 |
Background
The RFP opened on 11 November 2025 through AusTender – Decision Advantage and closed on 24 January 2025.
Emerging and Disruptive Technologies is designed to test basic ideas and concepts, as well as investing in deeper long-term partnerships for nurturing critical research and development capability shaped by Defence’s future requirements.