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To assist you in applying for the Independent Assessor Panel, we have prepared some responses to frequently asked questions.
You can register for notifications on the Aboriginal Independent Assessor tender on the NSW eTendering website. To apply to be on the Independent Assessor Panel, you will need to complete an application form during one of the three application periods.
All information about the tender is available on NSW eTendering.
All pre-approved assessors are paid a competitive hourly rate for their services. Current hourly rates are located in the panel deed.
Independent Assessors are paid on a fee for service basis and at a maximum hourly rate. The rates or fee schedule are in Schedule 2 of the Independent Assessor Panel Deed. You can download a copy of the panel deed on the NSW eTendering website.
The tender opened 24 January 2023 and will remain open until 2 November 2023. The tender will occur over three submission periods:
Batch 1 (B1) 24/1/2023 – 24/04/2023
Batch 2 (B2) 1/5/2023 – 1/8/2023
Batch 3 (B3) 2/8/2023 – 2/11/2023
To participate in this opportunity click on the following link: https://dcj.smartygrants.com.au/AIA-OpenTender.
Applicants are expected to be notified via email immediately after evaluation of each batch of applicants. This is to allow unsuccessful applicants to re-apply for the next round. You must ensure your contact details on SmartyGrants are up to date.
Yes. You can still make changes to already submitted application provided that the tender is still open. Please contact the IA Project Team via IndependentAssessorsProject@facs.nsw.gov.au and discuss with them your intention to revise or change your already submitted application.
You can apply to be a pre-approved Independent Assessor while you are working for DCJ; however, if you are accepted to the panel, you are unable to work as an Independent Assessor for DCJ while employed by DCJ. This is due to Conflict of Interest rules.
No. Employees from DCJ funded PSP service providers are excluded from applying to be independent assessors due to conflict of interests. PSP service providers must take reasonable steps to prevent and mitigate conflict of interests and notify DCJ as required. This requirement is outlined in PSP service provider contracts with DCJ.
Any employee of a PSP service provider who is considering applying as an Independent Assessor should disclose their intention to their employer and discuss it with them prior to applying.
No. NGOs are not required to apply for this tender to use the DCJ Aboriginal Independent Assessors Panel. The panel can be accessed by NGOs who want to engage DCJ approved Aboriginal Independent Assessor.
There is no restriction placed on where you are located to apply. However, you will be required to conduct face to face interviews as part of your work as an assessor.
Any experience working in child protection or out-of-home care is viewed positively. Direct experience in writing permanency assessments for children and young people in OOHC will assist you in the application process and is desirable.
Yes. If an applicant is successful and placed on the Panel, they can be allocated referrals for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal families.
No. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Independent Assessors will be contracted under one Panel Deed.
DCJ is undertaking a separate tender for Aboriginal Independent Assessors to increase the number of pre-qualified Aboriginal Independent Assessors for the inclusion on the Panel. The separate tender is in line with the NSW Government Aboriginal Procurement Policy.
Yes. To apply for the Aboriginal Independent Assessor Panel you must be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.
Yes. Independent Assessors can choose the number of referrals they accept. Meeting times and dates are set with consideration for all stakeholders involved.
There is no guaranteed volume of work. Independent Assessors receive referrals from DCJ Caseworkers. This is based on the demand for permanency assessments of children and young people in out of home care.
Yes. Applicants with experience in working with Aboriginal communities and in particular working with groups or communities to resolve complex issues/conflicts within a child and family context will be taken into account.
No. Your lived experience, relevant trainings and other qualifications are considered in assessing your Aboriginal Independent Assessor application.
Information regarding any training available will be released at a later date.
Yes. This can occur from time to time and depends on the types of assessments you agree to write.
Professional Indemnity and Public Liability certificates of currency do not have to be provided at submission of tender. However they will be requested by DCJ in order to satisfy the tender requirements (should your application progress to this stage). You can therefore wait for a request from DCJ before arranging for insurances.
Certificates of Currency must be provided to DCJ prior to signing the Panel Deed (contract) and appointment on the DCJ Panel of Independent Assessors.
The tender is available to individual applicants. Each person interested in becoming an approved Independent Assessor will need to complete an application. Successful applicants can choose to operate as a sole trader or under and organisation, noting that this arrangement needs to be approved by the department first.
Yes; however, DCJ will require further information in order to firstly ensure compliance with the panel deed. If you would like to nominate additional personnel from your organisation to deliver Independent Assessor services they would need to be formally assessed and agreed to by DCJ.
Yes. If you are applying as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisation (ACCO), you must meet all criteria below:
Please refer to Clause 44 of National Agreement on Closing the Gap for further information on definition of an ACCO.
We acknowledge that not everyone will have experience in applying for tenders. DCJ is happy for you to seek support from your peers on the application process. However, to assess your suitability for the role, the answers to the tender questions must be written or spoken by you.
We have provided some on line information which provides you with:
This information is available on NSW eTendering along with all the tender information.
Word or time limits are strictly applied to select responses in the tender application. DCJ has considered what is an appropriate word or time limit to capture a response. Responses will only be evaluated up to the word or time limit; any excess will not be assessed.
Yes. You can send tender new queries no later than five working days of tender closing date. DCJ will not respond to any new questions past this deadline.
No. Deadlines for submission of tender applications strictly apply.
No. You must only attach required documents; these are a copy of your CV/Resume and/or a report writing example.
Yes. You must ensure that this report is redacted or de-identified and that you don’t breach client confidentiality.
You can submit any report that you’ve written. This can be a report you completed at work or for a course/training/qualification. Your example should demonstrate your ability to write a report including your skills in analysing issues based on evidence.
In submitting a report writing example, make sure that you don’t breach client confidentiality and that you have the authority or consent to use the report for this tender.
Yes. The report writing example must be:
For privacy reasons, DCJ will not accept any submission that contains names, addresses, dates of birth, photos, and other details that identify a client or an organisation that you’ve worked with. Please clearly state in your response that you have edited your report writing example for this tender submission.
You will need to register with at buy.nsw.gov.au to supply services to the NSW Government.
DCJ recommends that you consult with a tax accountant to clarify if you should register for GST.
No. There are no caps or limits to the number of contracts issued to sole traders or organisations in each region.
No. Organisations are not given preference over Sole Traders.
Yes. As a sole trader you have obligations regarding taxes and insurances.
It is recommended that you consult a qualified tax accountant in relation to tax obligations and an insurance agency regarding suitable insurance cover.
20 Jul 2023