Questions and Answers

Commonwealth Home Support Programme

The following questions and answers are specific to this funding round. Please also refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page for general questions about applying for DSS grants

1. What are the service types to be delivered? Services types to be delivered include Personal Care, Meals, Domestic Assistance and Transport.

• Personal Care may include: Assistance with Self-Care and Assistance with Client Self- administration of Medicine

• Meals may include meals delivered and provided to the person’s home or at a centre or other setting

• Domestic Assistance may include: General House Cleaning, Unaccompanied Shopping (delivered to home) and Linen services

• Transport may include: Direct (driver is volunteer or worker) or Indirect (through vouchers or subsidies)

For further details refer to the Commonwealth Home Support Programme Manual Chapter 2.

2. Where can I find more information on the service types? Detailed information on the services types is provided in the Commonwealth Home Support Programme Manual, Commonwealth Home Support Guidelines and Living well at home: CHSP Practice Guide. These documents are available on the Department’s website at https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/ageing-and-aged-care/aged-care-reform/commonwealth- home-support-programme.

3. What funding is available for this grant? A total of $1,254,222 (GST exclusive) has been allocated for each of the financial years 2016-17 and 2017-2018 to deliver services to six discreet Communities on the Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands.

An additional one-off amount of $164,000 (GST exclusive) is available from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2016 to assist the successful applicant(s) to set up and transition to start delivering services as of 1 July 2016.

In addition, the existing APY Lands service provider receives funding under the National Jobs Creation Package (NJCP) to cover the wages of Aboriginal Home and Community Care workers. These funds are excluded from the above figures. NJCP provides funds to the existing service provider to employ Aboriginal staff in (Iwantja), Mimili, Fregon (), Amata and Pipalyatjara) to deliver aged care services. Separate negotiations around these funds may be undertaken with the successful applicant.

4. Where will services have to be delivered in the Flinders & Far North Region? Funding provided is for the delivery of Commonwealth Home Support Programme services to clients living on the APY Lands, primarily at: Indulkana (Iwantja), Mimili, Fregon (Kaltjiti), Ernabella (Pukatja), Amata and Pipalyatjara.

10 August 2015 5. If I submit an application for services in one community, will I be disadvantaged? The Department (DSS) expects that care for all clients receiving or requiring services will not be disrupted. DSS’s preference is for one provider to manage the Commonwealth Home Support Programme services across the APY Lands, however DSS will consider multi service providers submitting applications for one or more locations. Assessment of these applications will be based on service continuity and value for money.

6. Can a number of organisations submit a joint application? Yes. If the delivery of services involves more than one organisation, you can submit a joint application. However, in order to manage the funds appropriately, if a joint application is successful, DSS will enter into a Funding Agreement with the nominated lead organisation. Additionally, the joint application must include a letter of support from the multi service provider(s).

7. What will be included in the existing service provider’s ‘Transition Out’ Plan? The existing service provider is required to meet its current contract obligations to develop a Transition Out Plan to ensure continuity of care for their clients prior to their grant agreement expiring. Refer to the Commonwealth Home Support Programme Manual Sections 5.1.8 and 5.2.2 https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/ageing-and-aged-care/aged-care-reform/commonwealth- home-support-programme/commonwealth-home-support-programme-programme-manual-2015

8. What are the contract conditions for this grant agreement? A copy of DSS’s standard general grant conditions is available as part of the Application Pack for this selection process.

9. What is the closing time and date for submitting my application form? The closing time and date for applications is 2:00pm AEST, 30 September 2015.

10. Where there is a word limit specified in the questions on the application form do I need to provide enough information to reach the specified limit? Will I be disadvantaged during the application assessment phase if I do not reach the specified word or character limit? The word limit does not need to be reached in order for a response to be assessed as suitable. You will need to provide sufficient information to ensure that your application will be competitive when assessed against other applications, but please note that the assessors will focus on the quality of the information provided, subject to the word limits.

11. Can you let me know if my application is likely to be successful or provide guidance on how to complete the application? Due to probity reasons, it is not possible to provide guidance on the eligibility or likelihood of success of any application, or to offer assistance to complete your application.

Support for developing and submitting an application is available on the Department’s webpage https://www.dss.gov.au/grants/applying-for-grants/support-for-developing-and-submitting-an- application

12. Can I submit my application form after the closing date or get an extension? No. Late applications will not be accepted. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that an application is dispatched in sufficient time for it to be received by DSS by the closing time and date.

13. Will late applications be accepted?

10 August 2015 DSS may not accept any proposal lodged after the closing date. If a proposal is late, DSS may determine that there were exceptional circumstances beyond the respondent’s control that meant the deadline could not be met. The respondent will need to supply documentary evidence to support any exceptional circumstances.

DSS has no obligation to accept a late application. Any decision by DSS to accept or not accept a late application will be final.

14. Can I withdraw my application? Yes. Applications can be withdrawn at any time by the applicant’s authorised person. Written advice of withdrawal must be provided to DSS at [email protected].

15. Where should I go for further information? Please email your enquiries to: [email protected]

10 August 2015