​​FIRETECH SERVICE PROVIDER PANEL (ROPS) REFRESH​​ · Report

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                      13 NOVEMBER 2023


The categories of services sought were:
   •   Category 01 – Bushfire Prediction
   •   Category 02 – Bushfire Detection
   •   Category 03 – Aerial Operations
   •   Category 04 – Uncrewed Firefighting Solutions Firetech Connect is a Noosa Council initiative
       to help speed up the adoption of innovative technology solutions for building bushfire
       resilience in regional communities.
Disaster management is a high risk sector where the protection of lives and property are at stake.
New technology solutions therefore face a significant burden of proof to establish that they are safe
and effective, before they can be widely adopted.
The efficacy of new solutions can best be assessed through deployments in real-world conditions.
However, most of the organisations responsible for building bushfire resilience lack the full
capabilities to conduct these trials: they may lack of access to tech solutions, have budget
constraints, or a lack of trial facilities. As a result, adoption of new innovation is often stifled.
To help overcome these barriers, Council’s Firetech Connect program has developed an innovation
platform that it will offer to Emergency Services, LGAs and Enterprises.
That platform consists of a global network of solution providers, a Living Lab in which solutions can
be deployed, and seed-funding via federal grant support and Council capabilities to operationalise
those solutions.
The intention of the establishment of this ROPS involves deploying solutions in and around the
Noosa Council local government area.
2. Invitation to Tender
In accordance with Part 3 of the Local Government Regulations and Council Procurement Policy,
Council invited written tenders as part of the refresh for the provision of firetech services across a
range of categories. The ITT was issued as a schedule of rates contract for al contract term of twelve
(12) months, plus the remaining (3) further terms of up to twelve (12) months each at Council’s sole
discretion, and subject to satisfactory performance.
Council invited written tenders via the Council VendorPanel e-portal on 5 July 2023 and advertised
the tender within the Noosa Today publication on 7 July 2023, with responses closing on 26 July
2023.
Over 60 suppliers read the ITT in VendorPanel. Three (3) responses were received within the
VendorPanel e-portal from the following suppliers in alphabetical order:
   •   TTF Ironbark Trust t/as Ag Spray Drones;
   •   BIA5 Pty Ltd; and
   •   Geoneon Pty Ltd
3. Tender Evaluation
The conforming tenderers were then evaluated against the following evaluation criteria: