After a busy end to 2020, tendering activity at the start of a new year is generally slow as government staff return from leave sporadically throughout the school holiday period. Its a good chance for businesses to regroup and plan their tendering strategy for the year. Although only a handful of new opportunities were issued this week, a large number of Approaches To Market remain open from December so its worth doing a full review to ensure you haven’t missed an opportunity.
With the next Federal Election due in just over a year, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has commenced its preparations and this week we take a look at their latest Request For Tender (RFT) seeking the development and delivery of Election Activity Simulation Training. As the Commonwealth agency responsible for conducting federal Electoral Events and maintaining the Commonwealth electoral roll, the AEC is seeking the development of immersive, interactive and media-rich solutions that will allow key AEC staff, about 200 people involved in operational management, to practice election activities in a virtual environment. Staff will play various roles and be presented with different scenarios in which they need to apply their knowledge.
Eventually, it is envisaged that all of these activities and scenes may be part of a larger narrative arc that takes learners from when the election is announced to when the results are declared. Some parts of this training and/or their underlying digital assets may also be used for the education of the general public in the future. In previous election cycles, similar simulations were conducted face-to-face at a dedicated facility which was set up to resemble election spaces such as polling places and Out-Posted Centres, however due to COVID-19 restrictions and other organisational drivers this training now needs to be delivered digitally.
The AEC is seeking solutions that are accessible through the browser, ideally without need for additional plugins. The use of technologies such as 3D animation and 360-degree interactive tours to create an immersive experience is encouraged. The tenderer’s approach and understanding of the services required will take the highest weighting in the evaluation. It is anticipated that the Contract will commence late February with the first project deliverables due 1 June 21 and project completion expected by 24 Dec 21. The Closing Date for this RFT is 2nd February 2021.
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