National Disability Insurance Scheme Transition
Programme
Disability Employment Assistance – Australian
Disability Enterprises
Funding Round Summary
April 2015
Restricted Funding Round Summary
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Transition Programme
The NDIS Transition programme component supports the market, sector and workforce
transitioning to the NDIS environment by funding eligible organisations including those that
provide Australian Disability Enterprises (ADE) assisting supported employees.
Nationally 189 organisations provide employment assistance to some 19,500 people with
disability as at 31 December 2014.
Selection type
This is a restricted competitive process, where an approach is made directly to select service
providers.
Eligibility
The following entity types meet the eligibility requirements to be invited to apply for a grant
for the Activity:
a. Incorporated Associations (incorporated under state/territory legislation, commonly
have 'Association' or 'Incorporated' or 'Inc.' in their legal name)
b. Incorporated Cooperatives (also incorporated under state/territory legislation,
commonly have ‘Cooperative' in their legal name)
c. Companies (incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 – may be a proprietary
company (limited by shares or by guarantee) or public companies)
d. Aboriginal Corporations (incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006)
e. Organisations established through a specific piece of Commonwealth or
state/territory legislation (public benevolent institutions, churches, universities, unions
etc.
f. Partnerships,
g. Trustees on behalf of a Trust, and
h. Existing Australian Disability Enterprises with a current grant agreement with the
Department of Social Services to deliver Disability Employment Assistance.
How much?
Funding is available to support nine supported employment places for the period from 1 July
2015 to 30 June 2018.
Funding is determined by the number of places filled and the level of support provided. The
core fees for 2014-2015 are provided below:
Restricted Funding Round Summary
Table 1: 2014-2015 Case Based Funding Core Fees
Core Fee – 2014-2015
Intake Fee
Employment Assistance Fee (or Pre-DMI Fee)
(per month, for up to 12 months)
Employment Maintenance Fee:
Amount
$599
$599
(up to a maximum of $7,188)
Amount
Amount
Per Month
Per Annum
$352
$4,224

Level 1

Level 2
$599
$7,188

Level 3
$897
$10,764

Level 4
$1,191
$14,292
The 2015-2016 Case Based Funding price has not yet been determined, but will be based
on the 2014-2015 prices.
Funding will be provided in the context of the NDIS environment. Funding will be offered on
a transitional basis, incorporating a step down of funding as supported employees become
NDIS participants. When a supported employee becomes an NDIS participant, they will be
exited from Disability Employment Assistance funding. The cost of support will then need to
be claimed on a fee-for-service basis from the National Disability Insurance Agency
Closing Date and Time
Applications must be submitted by 2:00pm AEST, Thursday 21 May 2015.
Who to contact?
Please email your enquires to: [email protected]
Grant objectives
Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs) are commercial businesses that receive funding
from the Australian Government. ADEs provide supported employment assistance to people
with moderate to severe disability who face barriers to working in the open labour market,
but who are able to work for at least eight hours per week in a supported environment.
People with disability working in ADEs receive employment support based on their assessed
need, receive fair wages and receive quality services (with the quality of the services
provided assessed via an independent external mechanism).
The longer term objectives are that people with disability enjoy improved standards of living
and social inclusion by genuine employment in disability supported employment services
and achieve increased levels of self-esteem and well-being associated with employment.
Statement of Requirement
The Department of Social Services (DSS) is seeking applications from eligible organisations
to provide supported employment services for up to nine people with disability in the Local
Government Area of Wyong (A) – Central Coast Region of New South Wales. The funding
offered relates only to the support costs for the nine supported employment places. Funding
is not available for start-up costs or capital.
Restricted Funding Round Summary
The current provider has decided that the provision of supported employment services is no
longer a priority for its organisation and will be ceasing its involvement in the current ADE at
the end of the current financial year. A restricted selection process is therefore being
undertaken to ensure continued employment opportunities for supported employees working
at the Central Coast (Wyong) based ADE.
There are eight existing supported employees who will be transitioning to the new service
provider. One place are currently vacant.
Funding under this Activity is a grant of financial assistance under subsection 12AD(1) of the
Disability Services Act 1986. Organisations that receive funding under this Activity must
comply with the Disability Services Act 1986 (Cth) at all times during the Activity period.
They must meet all applicable standards under the National Standards for Disability Services
2014 and hold and display Current Certificate(s) of Compliance stating they meet all
applicable Standards.
Funded organisations must also achieve the following goals/objectives:


Further the Objects of the Disability Services Act 1986 (Cth) made under Section 3 of
that Act; and
Further the Principles and Objectives of the Disability Services Act 1986 (Cth) made
under Section 5 of that Act.
The Activity must be delivered in accordance with the Disability Employment Assistance
Operational Guidelines.
Service area
Funding is available in the in the Local Government Area of Wyong (A) to replace a Service
Provider currently operating one ADE outlet.
Selection Criteria
The equally weighted selection criteria are:
1) Describe how the implementation of your proposal will achieve the Activity objectives
for people with disability, their families and carers, including value for money within
the Grant funding.
2) Demonstrate your organisation’s capacity and your staff capability (experience and
qualifications) to deliver the Activity objectives in the Local Government Area of
Wyong (A).
Restricted Funding Round Summary
Multicultural Access and Equity policy
Australia’s Multicultural Access and Equity Policy: Respecting diversity. Improving
responsiveness obliges Australian Government agencies to ensure that cultural and
linguistic diversity is not a barrier for people engaging with government and accessing
services to which they are entitled, for example, by providing access to language services
where appropriate. Grant applicants should consider whether services, projects, activities or
events may require the use of professional translating or interpreting services in order to
communicate with non-English speakers. Costs for translating and interpreting services are
included in the funding model used for this Activity. For further information on the
Multicultural Access and Equity Policy please refer to the DSS website.
Assessment
The Assessment Team may be comprised of DSS officers from each state/territory and
national offices. Teams will undertake training to ensure consistent assessment for all
applications received. The Assessment Team will be bound by the APS Code of Conduct
and the Department’s Chief Executive Instructions.
Probity
The selection of funding recipients for the Activity must be fair, open and demonstrate the
highest level of integrity, consistent with the public interest.
The following probity principles will be applied through all stages of the selection process.
(a) fairness and impartiality
(b) consistency, accountability and transparency of process
(c) security and confidentiality of information
(d) identification and resolution of conflicts of interest, and
(e) compliance with legislative obligations and government policy.
These principles are intended to achieve an equitable, justifiable and sound process.
Adherence to the probity principles means that everyone involved with the selection process
will act:
(f) impartially, and
(g) with integrity, including avoiding actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
A Probity Advisor may be appointed for the Activity. The role of the Probity Adviser is to
assist DSS meet its probity obligations in relation to the Activity by ensuring that the
selection processes are defensible and will withstand external and internal scrutiny.
The role of the Probity Adviser is to independently monitor procedural aspects of the
selection process to ensure compliance with the published relevant Programme Guidelines
Overview and to advise DSS in relation to such matters. The Probity Adviser plays no part in
the assessment of applications.
Restricted Funding Round Summary
Programme Guidelines Overview
The Programme Guidelines Overview provide the key starting point for parties considering
whether to participate in the activity and form the basis for the business relationship between
the Department and the funding recipient. Applicants are strongly advised to read the
Programme Guidelines Overview prior to completing an Application Form. The Programme
Guidelines suite comprises of the following documents:
 Programme Guidelines Overview
 Funding Round Summary
 Application Form
 DSS Grant Agreement Terms and Conditions
How to Apply
Applications must be lodged by emailing your completed application to:
[email protected]
Grant Agreement Information
The terms and conditions will be those that apply under your current grant agreement with
the Department of Social Services. They are available via the Department's website on the
Disability Employment Assistance page.
The grant agreement is a performance based legally enforceable agreement between the
Commonwealth (represented by the Department of Social Services) and the successful
applicant that sets out the terms and conditions governing the funding to be provided.
Your executed grant agreement represents the Department’s and your entire agreement in
relation to each grant provided within it and the relevant Activity and supersedes all prior
representations, communications, agreements, statements and understandings, whether
oral or in writing.
Restricted Funding Round Summary
Attachment A
Guidance on addressing selection criteria
A good grant application addresses the selection criteria in the specific Application Form,
and meets the objectives of the funding round stated in the Funding Round Summary.
The following tips are provided for grant applicants regarding those matters that would
improve your chance of success when addressing the specific selection criteria.
Criterion 1
Describe how the implementation of your proposal will achieve the Activity objectives
for people with disability, their families and carers, including value for money within
the Grant funding.
Your proposal should be in accordance with the NDIS Transition Programme Guidelines
Overview and documents within the Application Pack. It should:

demonstrate a clear understanding of the Activity objectives and be supported by
evidence-based statements.

provide a clear description and evidence of how the proposal will achieve value for
money (of the proposed outcomes, projected deliverables, location, community
benefit and the amount of funding sought).

identify strategies with key elements such as the efficient and effective use of the
funding that will demonstrate how the proposal will meet the Activity objectives in
particular how your organisation will immediately establish a business site that will:
o provide the same work opportunities, rights and obligations to all employees;
o generate the majority of its income through the commercial activity of the
business; and
o have any modifications required for supported employees with disability built
into the design of the workplace.

set out how the proposal will complement, add to and work with existing services and
resources within that community.
Proposals that include paying workers at either full award wages or productivity based
pro-rata pay rates using the Supported Wage System will be viewed favourably.
Criterion 2
Demonstrate your organisation’s capacity and your staff capability (experience and
qualifications) to deliver the Activity objectives in the Local Government Area of
Wyong (A).
Your proposal should demonstrate the relevant expertise, skill, qualifications and experience
of your executive, directors and those that are or will be involved in the management and
delivery of proposed services. It should:
Restricted Funding Round Summary

demonstrate the governance principles and processes applied in all aspects of the
organisation and how this is translated to service delivery and particularly the
communication and change management processes that will be put in place to
include existing people with disability, their families and carers as they transition to
your organisation, should your bid be successful.

describe the relevant expertise, skill, qualifications and experience of the
organisation; as well as business management, relevant expertise, and strong,
experienced leadership.

demonstrate how the relevant expertise, skill, qualifications and experience
contributes to:
o transition into the new National Disability Insurance Scheme environment
where government funding will be individually directed by consumer choice
and control; and
o a locational presence within the Local Government Area of Wyong (A).