Remote Air Services Subsidy (RASS) Scheme Air Operators

⁠⁠⁠The Commonwealth, as represented by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (the department), is seeking to undertake an Approach to Market (ATM) process to procure air services to remote and isolated areas of the Pilbara in Western Australia (Region 1), the Kimberley in Western Australia (Region 2), North of Tennant Creek in Northern Territory (Region 7) and the Tri-State Alice Springs, Warburton, Kalgoorlie in Western Australia (Region 9), under the Remote Air Services Subsidy (RASS) Scheme for an initial period of one (1) year, commencing on 1 September 2026 in Regions 1, 2 and 9, and 1 October 2026 in Region 7, with options to extend for up to a further three (3) periods of twelve (12) months each

Other Instructions:

The successful Tenderer(s) will be required to:

demonstrate against the evaluation criteria that it can provide and sustain the services tendered for; and

hold a current Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) with the required authorisations to conduct the Services in compliance with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) determined aviation safety requirements.

To meet this requirement, a Tenderer needs only demonstrate that the AOC indicates the relevant Type of Operation (i.e. Passengers and/or Cargo) for the Services tendered for, with the Aircraft Model (i.e. single engine, multi engine, etc) that covers Domestic Australian operation

Conditions for Participation:

The tender is not a joint tender; and

The Tenderer must hold at the time of lodgement of its tender an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) with the required authorisations to conduct the Services in compliance with CASA determined aviation safety requirements.

If the estimated value of any service pricing options provided with this tender submission are over $4 million (GST inclusive), the Shadow Economy Procurement Connected Policy will apply and the tenderer must include:

Timeframe for Delivery:

1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027, with three (3) additional twelve (12)-month option periods for Regions 1, 2 and 9; and

1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027, with three (3) additional twelve (12)-month option periods for Region 7.

Address for Lodgement:

Electronic lodgement only should be made by accessing the AusTender system at https://www.tenders.gov.au