The ADF will release a tender to provide airlift support to the Middle East pending the resolution of an investigation into how Adagold Aviation won the long term contract from incumbent Strategic Aviation.
In a brief release on September 22, the ADF said it “will use its standard processes for obtaining short term services, and a number of companies will be approached … to ensure a value for money outcome.”
Adagold has been accused of winning the most recent contract by obtaining inside knowledge of the requirements from former Strategic and SkyAirWorld executive, David Charlton, who reportedly consults for Adagold and resumed working with the ADF’s Joint Movements Group (JMG) following the collapse of SkyAirWorld last year.
Further, it has also been alleged that Charlton and another former JMG member, John Davies, had influenced the decision to award Strategic the original airlift support tender in 2005 while working at JMG before both left to work for Strategic.
The ADF has called in the Australian Federal Police to investigate the claims regarding the 2005 tender, while its own investigation into “allegations of irregularities” in the most recent tender award process is continuing.
