Australia - Site Scoping Services

Description

This Approach to Market (ATM) is for the provision of goods and services to identify suitable sites for new Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) ground station infrastructure.

The Positioning Australia Program was established as part of the 2018 to 2019 Federal Budget commitment to improve the accuracy of positioning for Australia. Current positioning technologies, such as those in smartphones or cars, provide an accuracy of only 5–10 meters. Australia requires a greater accuracy for a range of fundamental functions such as flying in poor weather conditions and for emerging technologies, such as driverless vehicles.

To ensure that more accurate positioning information is widely available to the community, Geoscience Australia will establish the necessary ground infrastructure so that data from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) can be tracked, verified and optimised for precise positioning across Australia. A network of 200 GNSS ground stations is critical to realising national positioning capability and will allow all Australian’s to have access to reliable positioning and location data with a precision of 3 to 5 cm across areas with mobile coverage.

Over the next two years, Geoscience Australia will continue to upgrade all existing GNSS ground stations, and install approximately 60 new sites across Australia. This will improve the reliability, consistency and density of the network, enabling positioning data from GPS and other global networks of satellites to be collected, verified and corrected at over 200 ground stations.

New GNSS ground stations will be built in specific pre-determined locations throughout Australia. The locations/area have been strategically selected in order to densify the existing network and ensure a nationally consistent coverage at a nominal separation of 200 to 300km across Australia.

GNSS ground stations will have a footprint of approximately 40m by 40m and consist of a 1.5 m high concrete pillar upon which the antenna is mounted. The sites will incorporate field enclosures where all the equipment is stored and secured, trenching for cabling and earthing systems, solar panels to provide power where access to the grid is difficult or not available, a pole for mounting telecommunications, meteorological sensors and/or lightning protection and fencing to keep the equipment safe.

Scope:
Taking into account the background information provided, undertake desktop analysis, field reconnaissance and stakeholder engagement, to identify suitable sites for new GNSS ground station infrastructure in pre-determined areas across southern Queensland.

Opportunity closing date

17 January 2022

Value of contract

to be confirmed