Defence

Our focus

Advising defence and defence industry has been a core and continuous area of practice for Jeremy Prentice since the early 1990s. As a former Legal Officer in the RAN where he predominantly advised on operational matters, procurement and matters. More recently he has advised on bespoke developments and commercial arrangements required for Air Force projects including MRO and facilities development requirements for the introduction into service with the RAAF and partner countries of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Melissa Prentice served as an officer in the RAN for 12 years from the late 1980s through the 1990s and developed her initial organisational behaviour and business transformation skills during this time.

The culture and characteristics of doing business in the defence sector are unique. Advising on defence matters requires a deep understanding of the cultures of each of the three services, an appreciation of the tri-service environment which may apply to some business and procurement processes and comfort with the procurement, contracting, business and organisational practices adopted by the Commonwealth Department of Defence.

Our advice on defence matters is now provided exclusively to the private sector to avoid any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

 

Notable clients and projects

 

Royal Australian Navy

  • Melissa Prentice (nee Wade) and Jeremy Prentice are both former serving naval officers and are graduates of the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Creswell. Both Melissa and Jeremy have served postings ashore and at sea in east and west coast ships and establishments.

  • Command Legal Officer advising the Flag Officer Naval Support Command on RAN procurement.

  • Advised on the refit and repair of numerous ship classes and on related supply and services contracts. 

  • Advised the RAN and (subsequently) contractors on a range of outsourced personnel training contracts, training equipment supply contracts and training support contracts.

  • Advised on port services contracts, ships provisioning, fuel supply and providores contracts.

  • Advising on the disposal of decommissioned military aircraft and vessels.

  • Project team member responsible for establishing behavioural and attitudinal change across the Navy. 

  • Helped implement the Navy’s “Good Working Relationships” Program that related to behaviour, equality, discrimination and harassment.   This involved design and facilitation of workshops and materials concentrating on a leadership curriculum as a means to effecting and accepting change. 

  • Co-ordinated and implemented the centralisation of the personnel services sector of the Commonwealth Public Service (Defence) throughout New South Wales, into a shared service centre using a bespoke HR system. Worked with the various HR business units in a consultative manner to redesign the HR structure in accordance with Corporate Services requirements and the corresponding processes.

 

Department of Defence

  • Program Coordinator for Department of Defence – Army Leadership Program.

  • Weapons system process design for Department of Defence

  • Gathered and documented the business requirements and processes for the outsourcing of the management of Defence accommodation and relocation services.

  • Advised on the explosive contract (Qld State Government) to sink ex-HMAS Brisbane as a recreational diving wreck on the Sunshine Coast.

 

Defence PPP Projects

  • Advised the Ministry of Defence on £3.3 bn Armoured Vehicles Training Service (AVTS) PFI (UK). 

  • Advised the Ministry of Defence on Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service PFI (Germany). 

  • Advised a bidding consortium on Defence Sixth Form College PFI (UK).  

 

TAE Aerospace (RAAF matters)

  • Advised TAE Aerospace on a Development Agreement, long term service agreement and associated documents with the Commonwealth to develop and operate a Turbine Engine Maintenance Facility and associated engine test cell to service F-135 Joint Strike Fighter engines, GE-414 Super Hornet and Growler engines. The facility also provides services for AGT-1500 engines for M1 Abrams main battle tanks.  Advised on the acquisition of a brown field site, specialist equipment purchases, intellectual property arrangements with the original equipment manufacturer and construction of the required facility and specialist engine test cell.   

  • Further examples are provided at the Aviation and Aerospace tab.