INVITATION TO APPLY FOR FUNDING NATIONAL RESPITE FOR CARERS PROGRAM (NRCP)

2012 – 2014 FUNDING ROUND

Instructions for Submitting Applications for Funding Applications close at 2pm Canberra Time on 14 December 2012 (Closing Time)

You must submit your Application by courier or hand delivery to:

NRCP 2012 – 2014 Funding Round Department of Health and AgeingTender Box – ITA - DoHA / 055/1213 Sirius Building, Foyer, Ground Floor, 23 Furzer StreetWODEN ACT 2606

NOTE: The Tender Box is accessible for deliveries between the hours of 8:30am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday (public holidays excepted). Do not hand deliver to the security guard, Applications MUST be lodged in the tender box by the Applicant or authorised representative.

You must provide two (2) unbound (i.e. unstapled) copies (Microsoft Word® format, single sided) of your Application AND an electronic copy of the ITA form and the Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet on a USB flash drive.

Late Applications

The Department will only accept late Applications if they are late as a direct result of mishandling by the Department. In all other circumstances, in the interests of fairness, the Department reserves the right not to accept late Applications.

Contact OfficerAll enquiries relating to this Invitation to Apply for Funding should be directed in writing to the Contact Officer: nrcp.funding@health.gov.au. All enquiries by potential Applicants for information or clarification should be e-mailed to this email address. The Department will not answer enquiries over the telephone.

STRUCTURE OF THIS INVITATION TO APPLYPART A GENERAL INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

PART B ASSESSMENT OF APPLICATIONS

PART C HOW TO APPLY FOR FUNDING

PART D APPLICATION FORM

PART E FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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PART A - GENERAL INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

1 Background 1.1 The Australian Government is expanding funding for the National Respite for Carers

Program (NRCP). The expansion, which commences in the 2012-13 financial year, will deliver flexible and responsive respite for carers of frail aged Australians including people with dementia, and people with dementia and challenging behaviours. Funding will provide more respite services to primary carers, particularly those living in areas of identified need through funding new or extended respite services.

1.2 Funding of $12.1 million (GST inclusive) will be provided over 1.5 years (2013-14).

2 Policy Context2.1 The National Respite for Carers Program is an Australian Government program that

provides respite and other support to carers. It funds over 500 community based respite services across Australia, as well as 54 Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres which provide information about community services, and emergency/short term respite for carers. 2012-13 funding allocated to the NRCP totals approximately $214 million.

2.2 The Australian Government funds a range of community care programs through the Department that support older people to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible. These support services aim to assist not only those in need of care, but just as importantly, the carers who look after them in their homes.

2.3 An overview of respite care in Australia, including the mix of respite options for older people funded through the Department, is provided in the National Respite for Carers Program Manual at

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-carers-nrcp.htm-copy2

3 Funding Objectives3.1 On 20 April 2012, the Prime Minister, the Hon. Julia Gillard and the Hon. Mark Butler

MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, announced a comprehensive 10 year package to reshape aged care as part of the Living Longer Living Better aged care reform package. As part of the announcement, the Australian Government committed to expand the NRCP for planned respite.

3.2 Funding of $32 million over five years was made available in the 2012-13 Budget with $7 million per year (part year effect of $4 million in 2012-13) distributed under the NRCP. This funding round is aiming to allocate a total of $12.1 million (GST inclusive) until 30 June 2014 with the option of extension under the national respite program, a part of the Home Support Program.

3.3 This expansion round is targeted at providing NRCP services in geographical areas where no or limited existing NRCP services are currently being delivered.

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3.4 The carer is the focus of NRCP funded services, however, the provision of respite must be responsive to the assessed needs of the care recipient.

4 What Will Be Funded?

4.1 Funding will be broadly targeted toward supporting and expanding respite for primary carers of frail older Australians (65 years or over, or 50 and over if Indigenous), including people with dementia, and people with dementia and challenging behaviours who are living at home. Applicants will need to clearly identify how the proposed respite services cater for the frail aged.

4.2 A number of respite models are in operation around the country that may be tailored to the needs and preferences of carers and care recipients. These consist of any one or a combination of:

centre-based day respite – where several care recipients with similar care needs are cared for in a building leased or owned by the service;

in-home respite, day or overnight, where the care recipient is cared for in their own home;

host family respite, day or overnight, where the care recipient is cared for in the home of the respite care provider;

overnight community respite, where the care recipient is cared for, usually in a respite cottage;

residential day respite – where the care recipient receives day respite in a residential aged care facility;

community access, group or individual where the care recipient takes part in a community outing; and/or

mobile respite – respite delivered from a mobile setting.

This ITA seeks to expand access to respite for carers of frail older Australians. Through this funding process, new and existing respite service providers are invited to apply for funding to provide planned respite services under the NRCP.

4.3 Funding can cover establishment costs in 2012-13, as well as the operational costs associated with providing respite services over the life of the project.

4.4 Funding is not intended to be the sole funding stream for the provision of respite services. Applicants are required to identify additional funding that they will bring to the project, including, but not limited to, user contributions, interest and assistance in kind (buildings, vehicles, volunteers) funded through auspice agencies.

4.5 Some groups have difficulty accessing respite care that is appropriate for their specific needs. The NRCP has identified those groups with specific needs as being carers of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, people who are financially disadvantaged, care leavers, and people living in rural and remote locations. Respite services established under this ITA should provide respite care that is appropriate to the respite care needs of people from these groups, and provide respite workers with appropriate cultural awareness training.

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5 What Will Not Be Funded?5.1 Funding is not available under the NRCP for major capital expenditure proposals such

as the purchase of buildings or land or building depreciation, except as outlined in the NRCP Program Manual July 2012.

5.2 The cost of police checks for NRCP staff is also excluded from NRCP funding.

5.3 Unless otherwise notified by the Department, service providers must not use operational funding to purchase assets. Please refer to the National Respite for Carers Program Manual at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-carers-nrcp.htm-copy2

for further information on assets.

6 Who Can Apply for the Funding?6.1 For legal and accountability reasons, only incorporated bodies are eligible to apply for

funding under this program. The types of organisations that may apply for funding include:

Non-profit/charitable organisations.

For profit organisations.

Non-government health care providers.

Government funded health care providers.

Aged care providers.

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisations.

Local community groups.

6.2 The Department encourages organisations to form partnerships to deliver projects. If more than one organisation will be involved in the project, one organisation must be identified as the lead organisation and an authorised representative of the lead organisation must sign the Application Form.

7 How Much Funding is Available?7.1 Funding is available nationally over one and a half years.

2012-13 2013-14

$4.0 million (GST exclusive) $7.0 million (GST exclusive)

7.2 Funding will be distributed through the NRCP on the basis of merit of Applications, with priority given to services in regions of identified need.

7.3 Current HACC regions are the basis for determining funding distributions across regions in the NRCP. A description of the current HACC regions can be found on the Department’s website:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/hacc-region.htm

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8 Timeframes8.1 The Department anticipates that it will have completed the assessment process by

early February 2013. Subject to Delegate approval, the Department will then contact the successful Applicants to negotiate and execute the Funding Agreement (see clause below).

8.2 The Department will not notify unsuccessful Applicants until it has executed Funding Agreements with the successful Applicants.

9 Funding Agreement9.1 The successful Applicants will be required to sign a Funding Agreement with the

Commonwealth, represented by the Department, before any funding is paid.

9.2 As part of a wider reform agenda to improve efficiencies in grants management, the Department introduced a new type of Funding Agreement from 1 July 2012 onwards. Over time, all aged care grant programs of the Department will use this style of Funding Agreement. The new funding arrangements simplify funding administration for funded Organisations who receive grant funding from a number of Departmental aged care programs.

9.3 There are two parts to the new Funding Agreement:

The Terms and Conditions for Aged Care Funding (Funding Agreement), and

Program Schedule for Aged Care Funding (Schedule).

9.4 This will allow for separate Schedules for each funded aged care program. Each Schedule forms an individual contract that needs to be signed and executed. Successful Applicants will have details of their projects (including a project outline, project name and the amount of funding awarded) posted on the Department's website as part of the Department’s legislative reporting obligations.

9.5 The Schedule attached to the Funding Agreement will provide a detailed description of the project based on the Application. The funding will be paid in instalments throughout the project.

9.6 Successful Applicants that receive funding for more than one project/service within a state or territory will be allowed to combine these under a single Schedule. There are some restrictions and requirements:

The combining of services can only be done within a single state or territory. Successful Applicants with NRCP services across different states or territories will need to have a separate Schedule for each state or territory.

When combining NRCP services under a Schedule, there will be a single overall budget for the NRCP services and a single payment. This will require a single bank account into which the payment is made. If Applicants require separate bank accounts for each NRCP service, they will need to have a separate Schedule for each.

Successful Applicants with multiple NRCP services under one Schedule will need to supply details on each individual NRCP service, such as service delivery types. Funding will need to be identified as a dollar amount and as a percentage allocated to each service.

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9.7 It is not compulsory to combine multiple NRCP services into a single Schedule and combining may not suit successful Applicants’ different business requirements.

10 Insurance 10.1 The Funding Agreement specifies that a funded Organisation must take out all

insurances that are necessary to ensure that the Organisation’s obligations under the Funding Agreement can be covered, including any obligations that may rightfully extend beyond the term of the Funding Agreement. Applicants are required to hold insurance policies that ensure that the participant has sufficient insurance to cover a number of maximum claims should that occur. Types of insurance include:

Public Liability

Worker‘s Compensation Insurance

Professional Indemnity

10.2 Funded Organisations must, on request, promptly provide to the Department any relevant insurance policies or certificates of currency for inspection. Common types of insurance that the Department may request proof of coverage are professional indemnity and public liability. The Commonwealth cannot provide advice on the type and level of insurance that funded Organisations should have, and funded Organisations should refer to their own insurance broker for advice on this.

The minimum level of Public Liability required by the Department is $10 million. Professional Indemnity insurance is required by the Department and must be an amount which is consistent with the outcomes of a risk assessment. The Organisation should perform a risk assessment for the purpose of identifying an appropriate amount of insurance. Insurance for building and contents and worker‘s compensation are required by the relevant state or territory legislation.

11 Impact of Social and Community Services equal remuneration decisions

11.1 On 11 March 2010, the Australian Services Union (ASU), in conjunction with four other unions, lodged a national pay equity application with FWA for certain workers in the social and community service (SACS) sector. The ASU’s application is the first such application to be considered under the Fair Work Act 2009. The application followed an equal remuneration decision by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) in May 2009 to grant pay increases of between 18 and 37 per cent to certain employees in the SACS sector, with the increases phased in over three years from 2009-10 to 2011-12.

11.2 On 16 May 2011, a Full Bench of FWA handed down a preliminary decision which found that there was not equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal or comparable value by comparison with workers in state and local government.

11.3 On 10 November 2011, the Prime Minister announced that the Government would help make equal pay a reality by making a joint submission with the ASU to FWA in the equal remuneration case. The Prime Minister also announced a funding commitment for the Commonwealth to meet its share of supplementation to support the Commonwealth’s proportion of costs in this sector arising from the suggested wage increases.

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11.4 On 1 February 2012, a Full Bench of FWA handed down a decision to grant an Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) to apply to certain workers in the SACS sector. On 22 June 2012, a Full Bench of FWA issued the ERO, providing wage increases ranging from about 23 to 45 per cent, to be phased-in over nine annual instalments from 1 December 2012 to 1 December 2020, including a 4 per cent loading, payable over the same phasing period, to remedy historical impediments to bargaining in the sector.

11.5 The ERO will provide for a percentage increase over the applicable modern award rate in December of each year from 2012 to 2020. Modern award rates will also increase as a result of annual national wage increases (in July each year), ensuring that the remedy for undervaluation due to gender maintains its value over time.

11.6 On 15 July 2012, the Prime Minister announced that the total Commonwealth commitment for its share of wage increases awarded as a result of the equal remuneration decisions would be around $3 billion over the nine year phase-in period (to 2020-21).

11.7 The equal remuneration order only applies to people employed on the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SACS Modern Award). Within the SACS Modern Award, the ERO only applies to employees described in:

Schedule B – Classification Definitions – Social and Community Services Employees

Schedule C – Classification Definition – Crisis Accommodation Employees.

SACS Modern Award, Clause 3 – Definitions and Interpretation

11.8 Social and community services sector means the provision of social and community services including social work, recreation work, welfare work, youth work or community development work, including organisations which primarily engage in policy, advocacy or representation on behalf of organisations carrying out such work and the provision of disability services including the provision of personal care and domestic and lifestyle support to a person with a disability in a community and/or residential setting including respite centre and day services.

11.9 Crisis assistance and supported housing sector means the provision of crisis assistance and supported housing services.

http://www.fwa.gov.au/documents/modern_awards/award/MA000100/default.htm

11.10 The ERO does not apply to people employed on the other two classifications of the SACS Modern Award:

Schedule D – Classification Definitions – Family Day Care Employees

Schedule E – Classification Definitions – Home Care Employees.

11.11 In order to identify whether applicant Organisations are eligible for SACS ERO increases, applicants are asked to complete the form/s relevant to their State/Territory at Section 5: ‘Service Provider Certification for Commonwealth SACS Equal Remuneration Funding Adjustment’ of this Invitation to Apply.

11.12 For applicants in Western Australia, providers must be a constitutional corporation to be eligible for supplementation.

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11.13 For applicants in Queensland, the workplace relations decision which impacts on them will determine whether they are eligible for supplementation, and whether the supplementation will be determined against the FWA ERO or QIRC wage increases. As a result, Queensland applicants have two forms, and are asked to complete the form which is relevant to their situation.

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PART B - ASSESSMENT OF APPLICATIONS

1 How Will the Applications for Funding Be Assessed?1.1 The Department will establish Application Assessment Committees (Committees) to

assess Applications against the Assessment Criteria and select the successful Applicants.

1.2 The Committees will undertake an initial screening of Applications received against the threshold criteria to ensure Applicants meet the minimum requirements.

1.3 The Committees will score the Applicants’ responses to the Selection Criteria and rate Applications.

2 Assessment Criteria2.1 Applications for funding will be assessed against the assessment criteria. Refer to Part

D for more details.

2.2 To be eligible to apply for a grant under the NRCP, applicants must meet the following threshold criterion:

Demonstrated experience in delivering a community respite service or demonstrated experience in supporting carers in the community.

Demonstrated demand for NRCP services in the proposed service delivery area as a result of significant gaps in current service delivery.

2.3 The measured assessment criteria are:

Organisation’s Capability – extent to which the Applicant demonstrates overall capability in the areas of experience, management approach and resource capacity required to provide respite services and deliver value for money.

Project Proposal – Extent to which the Applicant demonstrates an ability to provide flexible and responsive respite that is consistent with the objectives and requirements of this ITA and the NRCP Program Manual (at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-carers-nrcp.htm-copy2 ), including the scope of the Project, the Project Plan and any previous experience.

Fostering appropriate links with other services and aligning with and complementing other respite and support services in your community in order to assist carers to access the services they most need.

Value for Money – Assessment of the proposed budget, estimated client numbers and the rating score of the other criteria.

Applicants must also satisfy the Department that they are sound, financially viable organisations with the financial capacity to provide the required services as specified in this funding round, through the provision of audited Financial Documents for the previous three years.

2.4 It is mandatory that all criteria be addressed by applicants. The assessment criteria are not listed in a particular order and do not necessarily have the same importance.

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2.5 In assessing an Application against the assessment criteria, the Committees, in considering the Applicant's financial viability, may undertake a risk assessment.

2.6 In assessing an Application the Committees may use material included in response to one assessment criterion in the assessment of other criteria.

2.7 The Committees may also seek information about any Applicant from any other source, including from within the Commonwealth, whether or not the individuals or organisations contacted are nominated as referees by the Applicant.

2.8 The Department may also consider information about the Applicant that is available through the normal course of business of the Department including past performance against government contracts and their reporting requirements.

2.9 In accordance with transparency and fairness, the Department undertakes to advise the Applicant should any information, apart from that provided through the Application, impact on the success of the Application.

3 Decisions3.1 All grants under this funding round will be approved by the appropriate delegate in the

Department of Health and Ageing. The Department reserves the right to offer an amount of services and funding that differs from those contained in the application form.

3.2 Priority for funding is targeted at providing NRCP services in geographical areas where no or limited existing NRCP services are currently being delivered.

3.3 This funding round is an open and competitive process.

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PART C - HOW TO APPLY FOR FUNDING

1 Complete the Application Form1.1 You must submit your Application for funding in the Application form in Part D and the

Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet in full and enclose this on a USB with two hard copies of your application.

1.2 Applicants seeking funding to cover different non-adjacent regions must clearly articulate each region and must demonstrate/meet criteria for each region.

1.3 The Declaration in the Application form must be signed by a person authorised to act on behalf of the Organisation.

1.4 The Application form must be completed in English.

Non-government or Private Sector Organisations

1.5 If you are from a non-government or private sector organisation, you must include in your Application:

One (1) copy of the organisation's Certificate of Incorporation; and

One (1) copy of the organisation's previous three (3) financial years audited financial statements. The Department may ask for further information about the Applicant's financial viability.

Joint Applications

1.6 If you submit a joint Application for funding, your Application must include a letter of support from each additional organisation (apart from the lead Applicant) which will be involved in the project. Each letter of support must include:

An overview of how the organisation will work with the lead organisation and any other organisation(s) to support the successful completion of the project;

An outline of the relevant experience and/or expertise the organisation will bring to the project team;

The roles/responsibilities the organisation will undertake, and the resources it will contribute (if any);

Details of a nominated management level contact officer; and

Details of the lead organisation.

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2 Complete the Application Checklist2.1 Before you submit your Application, complete the following checklist to ensure that

your Application is complete.

Before You Begin[ ] Read this Invitation to Apply for Funding (including Part E - Frequently Asked

Questions).

[ ] Ensure that you understand the assessment criteria for the Program set out in Part D, Section 2.

[ ] Read the Invitation to Apply, Part A General Information for Applicants and Part B Assessment of Applications.

[ ] Read the Department of Health and Ageing's Funding Agreement available to be downloaded with this Invitation to Apply for Funding. When you submit an Application, you must confirm that, if your Application is successful, you will accept the terms of the Funding Agreement.

Completing Your Application[ ] Use the template Application Form in Part D and complete every Section.

[ ] Use the Microsoft Excel® template and complete every Section.

[ ] Complete the Application Form in English.

[ ] Indicate that the Applicant makes the acknowledgements in Part D, Section 3 of the Application Form by selecting 'YES.'

[ ] Complete and sign the Declaration in Part D, Section 4 of the Application Form (Note: The Declaration must be signed by an authorised officer of the Applicant).

Submitting Your Application[ ] Check that you have completed each Section of the Application Form.

For non-government Applicants:

[ ] Attach to the Application one (1) copy of the Applicant's Certificate of Incorporation.

[ ] Attach to the Application one (1) copy of the Applicant's previous three financial years’ audited financial statements.

For Applicants submitting a joint Application:

[ ] Ensure that the nominated lead organisation (the Applicant) is a legal entity (incorporated body) capable of entering into a Funding Agreement with the Commonwealth.

[ ] Attach to the Application a letter of support from each of the joint Applicant organisations. Ensure that each letter of support includes the information required by clause 1.6 of Part C of this document.

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3 Submit Your Application3.1 You must submit your Application for funding in accordance with the submission details

and methods on the cover page of the Invitation to Apply for Funding.

3.2 You are responsible for ensuring that your Application is completed accurately. You must submit both the completed application form in hard copy and the electronic component that contains a copy of the application form and the completed Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet.

3.3 You may not alter the substance of your Application following its submission. In the event of an error you should inform the Contact Officer immediately in writing.

3.4 The Department may seek information from you to clarify any aspect of your Application, but it is not required to do so.

3.5 The Department reserves the right to reject incomplete, emailed or faxed applications.

4 Retain a Copy of Your Application4.1 It is suggested that you retain a copy of your Application for your records.

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PART D - APPLICATION FORMPlease submit your Application in the following form.

SECTION 1 - APPLICANT DETAILS

Details of Applicant

DETAIL REQUIRED APPLICANT'S RESPONSE:

Applicant Organisational Type

[Indicate organisational type]

[ ] Non-profit/charitable organisation

[ ] For profit organisation

[ ] Non-government health care provider

[ ] Government funded health care provider

[ ] Aged care provider

[ ] Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation

[ ] Local community groups

[ ] Other (provide details:

.............................................................

Is the Applicant a non-government organisation?

NO Go to the next question.

YES The Applicant must attach to this Application:

one (1) copy of its Certificate of Incorporation; and

one (1) copy of the previous three financial years’ audited financial statements.

Applicant Legal Entity Type

[Indicate entity type]

[ ] Body Corporate created by legislation or other legislative authority

[ ] Company under Corporations Act 2001

[ ] Other entity type (provide details):

.............................................................

Applicant Name

[This must be the name of the legal entity submitting the Application. This will also be the name of the contracting party if the Application for funding is successful.]

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DETAIL REQUIRED APPLICANT'S RESPONSE:

Australian Business Number (ABN)

[If the Applicant is an entity registered on the Australian Business Register, then the ABN used by the Applicant must be given.]

Australian Company Number (ACN)

[If the Applicant is an Australian company then the ACN must be given unless the number also appears in the ABN given above.]

Registered Name

[If the Applicant uses a name registered under the business or trust name register kept under the law of a State or Territory of Australia, then that name should be given.]

Registered Address – must be street address

[This needs to be the official address in respect of the legal entity submitting the Application. If the Applicant is using a business name, it may be the address registered in respect of the business.]

Address for Notices

[This is the address the Applicant primarily wishes to be used for notices to be given under any contract (if different to the Registered Business Address).]

Name:

Postal Address:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Email address:

Name of Project

Proposed Street Address or Location of Service Outlet

[This is the street address or location where clients will go to receive NRCP services.]

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DETAIL REQUIRED APPLICANT'S RESPONSE:

Insurance

[Confirm current insurance levels are consistent with Part A, Clause 10]

OR

[Confirm willingness to obtain required levels of insurance if successful.]

Are you a current NRCP service provider?

Are you applying for more than one respite project?

Are you applying for funding in more than one state or territory?

Are you a current provider of the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program? If yes, please specify name of service/s.

Are you a current provider of a Community Aged Care Package service? If yes, please specify name of service/s.

Authorised Contacts

Preferred Contact Alternative Contact

Name:

Position/Title:

Postal Address:

Street Address:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Email:

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Joint Applications

DETAIL REQUIRED APPLICANT'S RESPONSE

Is this a joint Application with other organisation(s)?

[Indicate yes or no.]

NO Go to Section 2.

YES You must complete the rest of this Part.

If YES, list the other organisation(s) (include their ABN or ACN).

Confirm that you have attached to this Application a letter of support from each organisation.

YES, we have attached a letter of support from each organisation listed above.

SECTION 2 – ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

PROJECT SUMMARY

Name of Project and/or Organisation.

Project service provision address (please indicate the location from which service delivery will occur. If multiple locations, please list each address).

The geographic region and boundaries for this project’s service provision – a map indicating the service area can be attached.

Please list all Federal electorate(s) which the project will service (refer to www.aec.gov.au for Federal electorate areas).

Please list all HACC region(s) which the project will service (refer to http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/hacc-region.htm for HACC region

Local Government Area(s) (LGA) which the project will service (refer to http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/nrpmaps.nsf/NEW+GmapPages/national+regional+profile?opendocument for LGA areas).

Estimated number of carers to be assisted per year (carers must be counted only once, even if offering multiple occasions of assistance to individuals).

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Location and physical structure of the proposed respite service

Describe the physical location for the proposed respite/service.

o Whether the building is stand-alone or is integrated with other aged care services.

o The neighbourhood it will be situated in (for example: zoned residents).

What is the proximity of the respite service to emergency facilities and other support services, for example medical facilities?

Describe any modifications that are required to the proposed premises to ensure it meets the physical and safety needs of the client group and how these modifications will be funded.

(Maximum 300 words)

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THRESHOLD CRITERIA

Note: You must receive a Satisfactory rating or higher in the following Threshold Criteria in order for your application to be considered for funding. If you do not satisfy the Threshold Criteria your application will not proceed further to assessment.

Criterion One:

Demonstrated experience in delivering a community respite program

OR

Demonstrated experience in supporting carers in the community

Provide details of a project of similar scope undertaken or delivered by the organisation within the past two years, including:

A description of the relevant project and how it was funded;

The period over which the services were provided;

Benefits received by carers/care recipients;

Monitoring and evaluation of activities; and

Project performance and/or outcome.

(Maximum 300 words)

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Criterion Two:

Demonstrated demand for NRCP services in the proposed service delivery area as a result of significant gaps in current service delivery.

At a minimum you must include the following:

The type of NRCP services in the area, if any. Any gaps in current service delivery in the area.

Please support your response with data and/or other evidence.

(Maximum 300 words)

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MEASURED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Criterion Three:

Organisation’s capability

Extent to which the Applicant demonstrates overall capability in the areas of experience, management approach and resource capacity required to provide quality respite services.

Describe the project. At a minimum you must include the following:

How you will operate any NRCP funded service.

Your Organisation’s current infrastructure and capacity to deliver the project.

The expertise and experience of key personnel, including their role and the amount of time they will commit to the project.

The capacity of your Organisation to implement the project in the proposed timeframe, including the availability of your workforce to support service delivery.

How clients will be encouraged to use the service and estimated time before service is expected to be operating at full capacity.

How you have assessed the needs of any special client groups (especially indigenous and other cultural groups) and how your project will meet the needs of these special client groups.

(maximum 750 words)

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Criterion Four:

Project proposal and capacity to deliver quality services

Extent to which the Applicant demonstrates an ability to provide flexible and responsive respite that is consistent with the objectives and requirements of this ITA and the NRCP Program Manual (at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-carers-nrcp.htm-copy2).

Criterion Four A:

Project Objectives and Scope

The Project’s key objectives, scope, service delivery model and activities the Applicant willundertake to meet the objective and deliver the project, including:

Identification of clients;

Basic service inclusions;

Days of operation (e.g. weekends only or seven days per week) and operating periods throughout the year (are there times of the year when the service will not operate?);

Length of stay (if applicable);

Provision of personal care services;

Meal provision;

Other provisions;

Career planning and case review;

Intake and referral;

Networking, liaising and cooperative working arrangements with the broader aged and community care network, particularly the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre; and

How personal circumstances of individuals are catered for.

(maximum 500 words)

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Criterion Four B: A Project Plan that includes the following:

Key milestones and timeframes for establishing and operating the service;

List the top ten risks and the management strategies (you may include an attached risk management plan);

Staffing – for all staff funded under the project, please provide the following:

o Position/title

o Number of staff

o Hours per week

o Qualifications

o Tasks

(maximum 500 words)

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Criterion Five:

Fostering appropriate links with other services and aligning with and complementing other respite and support services in your community in order to assist carers to access the services they most need.

Describe how this project funding will connect with existing capital infrastructure to deliver a respite service.

Demonstrate how your organisation will foster appropriate links with other services that carers might benefit from in order to assist them to access services they most need.

Demonstrate the capacity of this respite project to form part of a flexible mix of respite options and align with other respite and support services in the region.

(maximum 300 words)

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 25

Criterion Six:

Value for Money – Assessment of the proposed budget, estimated client numbers and the rating score of the other criteria.

Applicants must supply a proposed budget in accordance with the template below for the initial six months and then for a single financial year. The single financial year budget proposal will then be used for the remaining years of funding under the Funding Agreement.

An eFAR User Guide describes each budget category and which expenses can be claimed as costs.  The eFAR User Guide can be found at:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-fin-account-report.htm

Please note the following:

All figures to be GST exclusive. All figures to be in whole dollar amounts. Do not include cents. Where there are no costs please enter zero e.g. $0 Do not add new categories to the budget table. Items can be added under the "Other

direct costs - please specify" and "Other support and administration costs - please specify" items. Additional rows can be added, if required, for these "other costs" items.

Do not include income from the organisation. The difference between proposed expenditure and income must be zero. Administrative costs should not be more than 30 per cent of the total budget, including

any management fee. Please note that the administration component will be considered in the Value for Money assessment.

Please note that some costs, such as police checks, cannot be claimed.

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Budget Template

1 April 2013 – 30 June 2013 Annual Budget

TOTAL 1.5 YEAR REQUESTED

BUDGET AMOUNT

(A) Income

Estimated NRCP funding $ $ $

Estimated interest on NRCP program funds $ $ $

User fees / charges $ $ $

Other revenue/additional funding generated from project activities (please specify)

$ $ $

TOTAL INCOME $ $ $

(B) Direct Service Delivery Operating Costs

Employee expenses (All employee costs associated with staff engaged to provide the services to clients)

$ $ $

Subcontracting (if applicable) $ $ $

Travel by staff $ $ $

Carer resources $ $ $

Other direct costs – please specify any other direct costs your Organisation may have

$ $ $

TOTAL DIRECT SERVICE DELIVERY OPERATING COSTS

$ $ $

(C) Administrative Costs

Employee expenses (All employee costs associated with staff providing support to the staff delivering services)

$ $ $

Training costs $ $ $

Asset costs $ $ $

Premises and accommodation $ $ $

Depreciation $ $ $

Promotion and advertising costs $ $ $

Management Fees $ $ $

Other support and administration costs – please specify any other support and administrative costs your Organisation may have

$ $ $

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 27

TOTAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS $ $ $

SUMMARY

Total income (A) $ $ $

Direct Service Delivery Operating Costs (B)

$ $ $

Administrative Costs (C) $ $ $

Balance (A- (B+C)) $ $ $

One-off set up costs

Additional funding may be available for successful applicants to assist with the set-up and establishment of new services. This funding will only be available in the 2012-13 financial year. Please provide details on any one-off establishment costs your project requires.

(E) One off set up costs 1 April 2013 – 30 June 2013

Set up costs – please specify $

Set up costs – please specify $

Set up costs – please specify $

Set up costs – please specify $

Set up costs – please specify $

TOTAL SET UP COSTS $

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 28

Criterion Six:

Value for money

Please indicate how your proposed service delivery model will represent value for money, using the proposed budget, estimated client numbers and estimated geographical coverage.

(maximum 300 words)

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 29

Criterion Seven:

Financial viability Applicants must satisfy the Department that they are sound, financially viable organisations with the financial capacity to provide the required quality services as specified in this funding round, through the provision of audited Financial Documents for the previous three years.

In the case of a company, Annual Returns and Annual Reports which are to include the company’s audited annual financial statements for the preceding three (3) years.

Where the company has an ultimate parent entity, provide the audited financial statements of that parent entity’s consolidated annual financial statements for the group for the preceding three (3) years.

If not a company, provide a set of the entity’s audited financial statements for the preceding three (3) years.

If the applicant is a State government or semi-government entity, a letter of support from the State government that outlines State government commitment to continued funding will be provided over the project period.

Provide details of any petition, claim, action, judgement or decision or guarantee agreement that is likely to adversely affect applicants’ capacity to perform the Required Services.

Any other factors the Applicant desires to describe to support its demonstration of financial capacity.

(maximum 300 words)

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 30

Referee Report Template1. Provide the details of two (2) referees who have partnered or funded a similar activity of your

Organisation.

Referee one

Name

Company/organisation

Position/title

Phone number

Email

Brief overview of the funded project that your Organisation was involved in.

Referee two

Name

Company/organisation

Position/title

Phone number

Email

Brief overview of the funded project that your Organisation was involved in.

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 31

SECTION 4 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

If this Application for funding is successful, the Applicant acknowledges and agrees:

That a description of the project, the amount of the funding and name of the Applicant's organisation may be:

included in the Department’s reporting on the internet in line with the Commonwealth Grant Guidelines and Senate Orders;

used by the Commonwealth in media releases and other publications (such as Annual Reports); and/or

used to compile a consolidated report.

That it will be required to provide proof that it has sufficient insurance cover to conduct the proposed activities specified in this Application Form (see Part A, Clause 10); and

That the funding will be provided in accordance with the terms of the Department of Health and Ageing's Standard Funding Agreement and the Applicant agrees to abide by the terms of that Agreement.

[Indicate whether the Applicant makes the above acknowledgements]

YES / NO

If NO, please explain why the Applicant has not made the above acknowledgements.

........................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 32

SECTION 5 – SERVICE PROVIDER CERTIFICATION FOR COMMONWEALTH SACS EQUAL REMUNERATION FUNDING ADJUSTMENT

Service Provider Certification for providers in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Queensland (FWA)

I (person of authority within organisation)

certify that (organisation name)

(please circle the option that is relevant to your organisation):

did / did not employ eligible SACS workers (that is, those covered by the SACS Modern Award and impacted by the SACS Equal Remuneration Order issued by Fair Work Australia) on 1 February 2012, and

agrees / does not agree to use the Commonwealth’s SACS ERO funding adjustment for the sole purpose of meeting the wage increases awarded through the SACS ERO, and

agrees / does not agree to the funding adjustment amount totalling [$XXX,XXX] from the [funding agency name] as detailed in the Letter of Notification and Conditional Offer received on ___/___/ 2012 (date received).

If you do not agree to the funding adjustment amount, as you consider the offer too high, please state a supplementation amount that you consider more appropriate $ .

I also understand that: if any of the above information is found to be incorrect, the sanctions/repayment clauses in our

relevant funding agreements with [Department name] will apply, and

if any of the circumstances underpinning the above conditions change, I will contact [Department name] to discuss any implications for Commonwealth SACS supplementation.

I declare that as (position of authorised person within organisation)

I have the authority to certify against these conditions for the Commonwealth SACS equal remuneration funding adjustment. I declare that the information I have given on this form is complete and correct. I understand that giving false or misleading information is a serious offence.

(signature of authorised person)

(name of authorised person)

(date signed)

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 33

No further action will be taken in regards to supplementation until this form has been completed and returned to the Department of Health and Ageing.

Service Provider Certification for providers in Western Australia

Service Provider Certification Conditions for Commonwealth SACS Equal Remuneration Funding Adjustment

I (person of authority within organisation)

certify that (organisation name)

(please circle the option that is relevant to your organisation):

did / did not employ eligible SACS workers (that is, those covered by the SACS Modern Award and impacted by the SACS Equal Remuneration Order issued by Fair Work Australia) on 1 February 2012, and

is / is not a constitutional corporation, and

agrees / does not agree to use the Commonwealth’s SACS ERO funding adjustment for the sole purpose of meeting the wage increases awarded through the SACS ERO, and

agrees / does not agree to the funding adjustment amount totalling [$XXX,XXX] from the [Department name] as detailed in the Letter of Notification and Conditional Offer received on ___/___/ 2012 (date received).

If you do not agree to the funding adjustment amount, as you consider the offer too high, please state a supplementation amount that you consider more appropriate $ .

I also understand that: if any of the above information is found to be incorrect, the sanctions/repayment clauses in our

relevant funding agreements with [Department name] will apply, and if any of the circumstances underpinning the above conditions change, I will contact

[Department name] to discuss any implications for Commonwealth SACS supplementation.

I declare that as (position of authorised person within organisation)

I have the authority to certify against these conditions for the Commonwealth SACS equal remuneration funding adjustment. I declare that the information I have given on this form is complete and correct. I understand that giving false or misleading information is a serious offence.

(signature of authorised person)

(name of authorised person)

(date signed)

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 34

No further action will be taken in regards to supplementation until this form has been completed and returned to the Department of Health and Ageing.

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 35

Service Provider Certification for providers in Queensland impacted by the QIRC decision

Service Provider Certification Conditions for Commonwealth SACS Equal Remuneration Funding Adjustment

I (person of authority within organisation)

certify that (organisation name)

(please circle the option that is relevant to your organisation):

did / did not employ eligible SACS workers impacted by the 2009 Queensland Industrial Relations Commission equal remuneration decision, and

agrees / does not agree to use the Commonwealth’s SACS equal remuneration funding adjustment for the sole purpose of meeting the wage increases awarded through the 2009 Queensland Industrial Relations Commission decision, and

agrees / does not agree to the funding adjustment amount totalling [$XXX,XXX] from the [Department name] as detailed in the Letter of Notification and Conditional Offer received on ___/___/ 2012 (date received).

If you do not agree to the funding adjustment amount, as you consider the offer too high, please state a supplementation amount that you consider more appropriate $ .

I also understand that:

if any of the above information is found to be incorrect, the sanctions/repayment clauses in our relevant funding agreements with [Department name] will apply, and

if any of the circumstances underpinning the above conditions change, I will contact [Department name] to discuss any implications for Commonwealth SACS supplementation.

I declare that as (position of authorised person within organisation)

I have the authority to certify against these conditions for the Commonwealth SACS equal remuneration funding adjustment. I declare that the information I have given on this form is complete and correct. I understand that giving false or misleading information is a serious offence.

(signature of authorised person)

(name of authorised person)

(date signed)

No further action will be taken in regards to supplementation until this form has been completed and returned to the Department of Health and Ageing.

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 36

SECTION 6 - DECLARATION

Guidance for completing this Declaration

This Declaration must be signed by an authorised representative of the Applicant (or, if this Application is a joint Application, an authorised representative of the Lead Organisation). The authorised representative should be a person who is legally empowered to enter into contracts and commitments on behalf of the Applicant / Lead Organisation.

An Application which does not provide all required information or which contains false or misleading information may be excluded from consideration.

I hereby apply for a grant under the National Respite for Carers Program of

$.......................................................................................................[insert GST inclusive amount]

for

...........................................................................................................................[insert Project title].

I certify that the information given in this Application is complete and correct.

I declare that the Applicant is not listed as a terrorist under section 15 of the Charter of the United Nations Act 1945.1

Signature:

Name (BLOCK LETTERS):

Position in Applicant:

Date:

1 A consolidated list of such persons, entities and associated assets is maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Charter of the United Nations (Dealing with Assets) Regulations 2008.

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 37

PART E - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSIn this Part we have included some sample answers to frequently asked questions.

Can my organisation apply for more than one grant under this funding round?

Yes. Organisations can apply for grants in different localities as long as they are not within the same region.

Applicants seeking funding to cover different non-adjacent regions must separately address the selection criteria for each region.

Will late Applications be accepted?

The Department will only accept late Applications if they are late as a direct result of mishandling by the Department.

In all other circumstances, in the interests of fairness, the Department reserves the right not to accept late Applications.

When will I find out if my Application has been successful?

The selection process may take some time to complete, but it is anticipated that Applicants will be notified of the outcome in early 2013.

Can a number of organisations submit a joint Application?

Yes. If the work or project benefits or 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, the Department will enter into a Funding Agreement with the nominated lead organisation. Additionally, the joint Application must include a letter of support in line with Part C, Clause 1.6 or their Invitation to Apply.

What is a lead organisation?

If you submit a joint Application with one or more other organisations, you must nominate a lead organisation for the Application. The lead organisation for the project will, if your Application is successful, sign the Funding Agreement, receive the funding and assume legal responsibility for performing the Funding Agreement.

A lead organisation must be an incorporated body which is able to enter into the Funding Agreement. The other partner organisations do not have to be incorporated.

Are there any GST or income tax-related issues involved in receiving funding?

Yes. Part 16 of the Terms and Conditions for Aged Care Funding outlines the taxes (including GST), duties and government charges for which successful funding Applicants will be responsible.

We recommend that you seek independent advice regarding the income tax implications of receiving funding.

When will my organisation receive the funding?

If your Application for funding is successful, an initial payment may be made after the Funding Agreement has been signed by your organisation and by the Department representing the Commonwealth. All other payments of the funding will be monthly in advance.

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 38

Who should I contact if I need more information?

If you have any other questions or you need more information, please send it via email to nrcp.funding@health.gov.au.

Please ensure that you allow sufficient time for the Contact Officer to answer your query and for your organisation to complete its Application before the closing date.

If questions are not received before 5pm on Tuesday, 11 December 2012, the Department cannot guarantee they will be answered prior to the Invitation to Apply closing time of 2pm on Friday, 14 December 2012.

Can State or Territory Government funded services apply for funding?

Yes, provided they met the requirements set out in clause 6.1 of this Invitation to Apply for Funding, eg only incorporated bodies are eligible to apply.

Can my organisation apply for funds to enhance an existing project or service?

Yes.

Will my organisation have to spend the funding by a particular date?

Yes. Funding is allocated annually and paid monthly. Unspent funds may be required to be repaid at the end of the financial year.

Can my organisation be allocated less funding than it asked for?

Yes. If insufficient evidence is provided for a high level of demand, or, if the Department assesses a higher priority for funding for other locations, the amount of funding offered may be less than asked.

Can assets be purchased with the funding?

Unless otherwise notified by the Department, service providers must not use operational funding to purchase assets. Please refer to the National Respite for Carers Program Manual at

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-carers-nrcp.htm-copy2

for further information on assets.

ITA DoHA / 055 / 1213 39