Tender opens for early intervention services under the NDIS - notice to community

Tender opens for early intervention services under the NDIS

The tender documentation is available  at:  AusTender: Current ATM View - RFT011

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has called for tenders for school-based early intervention services for ACT children with a disability or developmental delay, Minister for Disability Joy Burch said.

The Request for Tender seeks providers of early intervention services to replace those currently delivered by the Education and Training Directorate for children who are not yet attending school. Mainstream school services remain unchanged and Therapy ACT services will continue until 2016.

"I am pleased that the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has opened this tender process to call for providers for these services," Ms Burch said.

"With the ACT transitioning from government to non-government provision of early intervention services for the 2015 school year, I know families are eager to know what kinds of community-based services and supports will be available to them.

"The ACT Government has been working with KPMG to do market soundings to encourage new providers to move to the ACT, and has provided more than $1.2 million in sector development funding to local organisations and providers to help them get ready for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

"This request for tender by the NDIA is the next stage in the process. With the NDIA aiming to finalise this in early October, we will be in a position to tell parents in Term Four this year what services will be available for their children next school year.

"It will also give service providers support and certainty of funding for a period of time.

"I would also encourage families to attend the Early Intervention and Therapy Expo on Saturday, 13 September, where they can see the range of services that will be available in the ACT now the NDIS is up and running and the NDIA continues to grow its presence in town.

"The NDIS is all about giving people with disability and their families control and choice over their lives. But it is a major change, and any major change can bring uncertainty.

"We made a commitment to give parents as much certainty as we can going into next year, and the Expo will allow families to connect with services that will help them get the best outcomes possible for their individual situations."