Ventia has today announced that it has secured a contract with the SKAO (SKA Observatory).
With sites located in the traditional lands of the Wajarri Yamaji in Western Australia and in South Africa's Karoo region, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is an international effort to build the world's largest radio telescopes, led by the SKAO. As one of the largest scientific endeavours in history and supported by 16 countries from across the globe, the SKAO will be tasked with observing both the nearby and distant universe.
The contract is valued at approximately $200 million to Ventia over three years and will commence this month.
Ventia's scope includes the provision of power and fibre networks, and the design and commission of a Central Processing Facility (CPF) and Remote Processing Facilities (RPF) at the Australian site.
Ventia's Group Executive - Telecommunications, Mark Ralston said the company's track record of delivering projects of national significance, technical expertise and a commitment to supporting regional and indigenous employment were key elements of Ventia's offering.
'We are thrilled to be partnering with the SKAO on this exciting and world-leading endeavour. To support the delivery of this project, we plan to create nearly 100 roles for the Wajarri people and locals in the mid-west region of Western Australia.
"As Australia and New Zealand's leading telecommunications infrastructure service provider, our strategy is to redefine service excellence by being client-focused, innovative and sustainable."
The SKAO's Director-General, Philip Diamond, said Ventia's submission was client-focused and showcased strong design and collaborative solutions.
Ventia submitted an innovative proposal, offering superior technical capability and best value for money for the project. The Ventia team were personable, professional and demonstrated proactive collaborative behaviours and ideas sharing that aligned with SKAO's objectives and project vision.
Image: Composite images of the SKA-Low telescope in Western Australia. The image blends a real photo (on the left) of the SKA-Low prototype station AAVS2.0 which is already on-site, with an artist's impression of the future SKA-Low stations as they will look when constructed. These dipole antennas, which will number in their hundreds of thousands, will survey the radio sky in frequencies as low at 50Mhz. Credit: ICRAR, SKAO.
About the SKAO
The SKAO, formally known as the SKA Observatory, is an intergovernmental organisation composed of Member States from five continents and headquartered in the UK. Its mission is to build and operate cutting-edge radio telescopes to transform our understanding of the Universe, and deliver benefits to society through global collaboration and innovation. Its two telescopes, each composed of hundreds of dishes and thousands of antennas, will be constructed in South Africa and Australia and be the two most advanced radio telescopes on Earth. A later expansion is envisioned in both countries and other African partner countries. Together with other state-of-the-art research facilities, the SKAO's telescopes will explore the unknown frontiers of science and deepen our understanding of key processes, including the formation and evolution of galaxies, fundamental physics in extreme environments and the origins of life. Through the development of innovative technologies and its contribution to addressing societal challenges, the SKAO will play its part to address the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and deliver significant benefits across its membership and beyond.
The SKAO acknowledges and recognises the Indigenous peoples and cultures that have traditionally lived on the lands on which its facilities are located. In Australia, the SKAO acknowledges the Wajarri Yamaji as the Traditional Owners and native title holders of Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory.