UNSW Solar Industrial Research Facility (SIRF) goal is to increase the value of UNSW's research to manufacturers. It adds value by enabling research on industrial scale equipment and processes. This shortens the learning feedback loop for applying research to manufacturing and demonstrating the technology.

Partnerships with companies (Roth & Rau, Suntech, CSUN, REC, BT Imaging, LG, Sunrise) and government (ARENA) allowed the installation of the initial pilot manufacturing capabilities in 2014. Since then some equipment has been added.

The "Torch Innovation Precinct" (Torch) initiative intends to set up a collaboration precinct by 2020. It will bring together the research community, industry, entrepreneurs, government and investors. The aim is to foster innovation and speed up commercialisation of new technologies.

Starting in 2016, a "prototype incubator" of the Torch Precinct will be set up on UNSW campus. The SIRF is planned to be part of this prototype, since it is designed for industrially relevant R&D, and is currently up and running.

There are a number of tools that need to be installed to increase its value as part of the prototype incubator. In particular, industry partners and SME entrepreneurs need to be able to complete their experimental work in the SIRF lab.

Respondents are invited from select suitably qualified Contractors for the provision for the Expression of Interest (EOI) in becoming prequalified to be on a Panel of Specialists to be able to receive and respond to Request for Tenders (RFT) for specialist works for the SIRF Torch project on the following capabilities: design, construction, design and construction, maintenance and peer review. The works will be on the upgrade of the SIRF facility comprising a number of additional process tools that will add capability to the SIRF facility in the areas of Advanced Hydrogenation, PERC and PERL processing and increasing the throughput and reliability of the line.

This work will be completed in packages, with the exact timing and make-up of each package depending on tool availability (some of which are still under development), research priorities and the staged release of funds. The works are described in the attached EOI documentation. A Panel of Specialists will be created for each capability.