Adelaide-based shipbuilder ASC still has not been told by the Abbott government whether it will be able to bid for work on Australia's new submarine fleet.

Facing a Senate inquiry in Canberra on Thursday, the government-owned firm's acting boss Stuart Whiley said it had not had any discussions with the government over the bidding process more than a week after the government announced a "competitive evaluation process".

Stuart Whiley, interim CEO of ASC. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The lack of clarity around how the process will work comes despite the fact Defence Minister Kevin Andrews visited ASC's premises in Adelaide to announce the competitive evaluation process.

Both Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Mr Andrews have vowed that Australian firms will be able to bid for work on the project – valued at between $20 billion and $40 billion – along with overseas firms but have not explained how the process will work, nor how it differs from a restricted tender.