Invitation For Expression of Interest: AISI Technology-Based Supplier Development Programme

by | Apr 29, 2024 | Aerospace and Defence, Invitation to participate | 0 comments

CALL OPEN

EoI No: 001/29/04/2024

The Aerospace Industry Support Initiative (AISI) is a programme hosted and managed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, established with the specific aim of industrial development. The AISI is a fully government-funded mechanism to support the local South African aeronautics, defence, space and other sector-wide industries including marine.

The AISI hereby invites interested companies to respond to the call for Expression of Interest (EoI) for Aerospace and Defence Industry Development and Technology Support. The EoI is aimed at identifying advanced manufacturing aerospace and defence small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and Non-SMMEs (Integrators or Sub-Systems Suppliers) to participate in the AISI Technology-Based Supplier Development Programme. The AISI’s technology-based supplier development interventions provide enabling mechanisms to assist the industry in improving its competitiveness, productivity and quality management systems. This will help the industry to optimise its operations and procedures to ensure South African industry integration into global supply chains.

The AISI selected four supplier development interventions to assist aerospace SMMEs and non-SMME companies and contribute to the global aerospace manufacturing industry. The AISI will provide support for these interventions to be undertaken at SMMEs and non-SMMEs alike.

The interventions are:

  • Technology Enhancement
  • Technology Roadmapping
  • Standards and Accreditation
  • Supply Chain Optimisation

NB: All SMME or non-SMME companies applying for assistance must be involved in aerospace or defence advanced manufacturing. Only SMMEs can apply for support in more than one area of intervention. Non-SMME companies can only apply for technology enhancement.

All technology validation and transfer projects must fall within one of the thematic areas to be approved for support. The thematic areas selected are at the discretion of the AISI and are seen as the most relevant for technological advancement in the South African Aerospace sector. These are:

  • Aerostructures including advanced manufacturing and processing (digital manufacturing, unmanned aerial vehicles, surface treatment technologies, additive manufacturing, etc.);
  • Space;
  • Avionics;
  • Propulsion; and
  • Surveillance and Sensor Systems
  • Land Systems.

All projects supported through the technology enhancement intervention must be at a TRL value of 4 or higher at the start of the project. Preference will be given to higher TRL projects. Evidence of this will need to be provided with the application. Refer to Annexure A for the TRL definitions.

Please download the application documents as follows:

EoI Terms of Reference (TORs)

Proposal Templates for either SMMEs or non-SMMEs can be downloaded from the TORs document (Page 21). The TORs must be downloaded and opened from your desktop for the links to work.

Closing Date and Time: 28 March 2025, at 16:30

Potential beneficiaries can submit applications anytime between 25 April 2024 and 28 March 2025

Please direct all queries to:

Livison Mashoko

Email: LMashoko@csir.co.za