Cairns Port Authority

Owner and operator of Cairns Airport and Seaport

The Brief:

CPA was embarking on a major upgrade to both its International and Domestic airport terminals. CPA's business strategy is to embrace the concept of "Common Use Terminals", where all airline customers and stakeholders were provided equal access to systems and facilities.

All critical IT systems such as check-in, flight information display, security and CCTV, baggage handling, baggage and passenger screening, PA, telephony as well as building management are to be provided by the airport.

CPA is also anxious to generate revenue from their major investment in ICT systems.

CPA engaged Professional Outsource Solutions to assist them the formulation of an ICT strategy to meet these long term business objectives.

Professional Outsource Solutions was chosen because of its previous experience in airport environments (Sydney Airport) and its proficiency and experience in large scale ICT projects for many clients.

Challenges:

• Develop a coherent ICT strategy and secure support of senior management and customers for the concepts through an inclusive consultative process.
• Analysis of industry trends
• Review existing systems and network infrastructure to assess their suitability for long term use under the new business parameters.
• Develop sound budgetary models for each of the required projects

Solutions:

To underpin the "Common Use" strategy and ongoing system provision by CPA, it was clear that a major upgrade of its ICT infrastructure was necessary. Many of its systems are old and past their useful life and the existing network infrastructure was fragmented, proprietary in nature and lacked the capacity to support major expansion.

The plan includes the design and deployment of a large scale Campus Area Network (CAN) and Common Cabling System (CCS) throughout the airport campus. The CAN and CCS require high levels of resiliency and redundancy to maximize availability of critical operational and commercial systems. The CAN and CCS must also have the capacity and flexibility to support data, voice and video traffic and to cope with growth demands over an extended period. Extensive use of wireless technology will also be incorporated.

The provision and, importantly, the ongoing management and support of the major operational systems and network, are to be entrusted to a stable and proven supplier under a Managed Service Provider contractual agreement.

Results and Deliverables:

Working closely with CPA management and staff, Professional Outsource Solutions have delivered or assisted with:

• High level design of CAN and CCS
• Development of network, cabling and infrastructure and network security standards
• Procurement of CAN and CCS through a structured Expression of Interest and Tender process.
• Development of detailed scopes of work, deliverables, testing regimes for many necessary projects.
• Contractual negotiations with selected vendors for provision and ongoing management of both the CAN/CCS and critical systems. This included the development of appropriate service level agreements.

Future:

This project has now reached the implementation stages and Professional Outsource Solutions continues its relationship with CPA and is currently engaged in:

• Assisting with detailed network design and deployment issues, including integration and migration of existing systems and networks.
• The commercialisation and "productising" of ICT systems and networks to ensure maximum return on investment for CPA.
• Ensuring that selected vendors and sub contractors, engaged to design and build the terminals, adhere to the published ICT standards.
• Investigation of the feasibility of further voice application convergence.