Overview

The Department of Community Services (DoCS) has announced that 67 of the 317 expressions of interest (Stage 1) received from organisations and consortia to deliver the Early Intervention Program (EIP) have proceeded to Stage 2. Following that announcement, the work of consolidating proposals, partnerships and financial arrangements is commencing, with Stage 2 EOIs due to be submitted by 24th February 2006.

NCOSS has received funding from the Department of Community Services to assist small to medium sized organisations that are partners, or being approached to be partners, in a Stage 2 EOI bid. NCOSS has agreed to assist in the following ways:

• provision of information about partnership arrangements
• tools to assist NGOs develop their partnership arrangements
• dissemination of DoCS information about partnerships and integration, and
• provision of advice to agencies about forming and maintaining partnerships.

This website has been developed with the special needs of small to medium sized organisations in mind. As well as information and tools to assist them, organisations can access a responsive Q&A section of the website that will connect them directly to an expert in matters relating to the formation of partnerships and consortia. This service will cover the full range of issues including the impacts of partnership arrangements on the service budget. Where matters raised are straightforward, questions may in the first instance be answered by a senior NCOSS staff member. This service will be available from mid-January until the closing date for EOIs (24th February).

Where serious concerns arise around partnerships that are being developed there may be some capacity to offer face to face assistance.

Please note that NCOSS cannot offer any assistance in the writing or reviewing of EOIs. This is the direct responsibility of the agencies involved. Nor can we offer legal advice. All agencies are advised to seek professional legal advice on all contractual matters.

The website is arranged in three parts:

• Tools and Resources
• Question and Answer
• Contacts and Links

If you have any difficulties in accessing these sections, please contact:

Linda Frow
phone: 9211 2599 Ext 111

Draft Service Specifications Early Intervention Program, and Good Practice Guidelines

At this stage the Good Practice Guidelines are separate documents but when the Service Specifications are finalised, they will be merged.

Please note that appendix A. EIP Service Provision Guidelines will be uploaded later this week.

• Ask a question
• Read other questions and answers

Information on the EIP EOI process is available on the DoCS website

• For an overview of information for community partners:
  www.community.nsw.gov.au/html/comm_partners/early_intervention.htm
• For EIP Information for funding applicants:
  www.community.nsw.gov.au/html/comm_partners/EIP_EOIs.htm

For more information on types of partnership and consortium arrangements please see:

• ACWA's resource Examples of Partnership Options that could be considered under the Early Intervention Program (produced June 2005):
  www.ncoss.org.au/hot/docs_eoi/EIPExamples.pdf
• DoCS has produced guidelines for non-government services on Integrated Service Delivery under the EIP (May 2005):
  www.community.nsw.gov.au/documents/EOI/int_service_delivery.pdf

From mid January, NCOSS will make available on a limited basis, personnel to work one to one and face to face with small to medium agencies that are joining or setting up partnerships. If your organisation is experiencing particular issues and would like to access this support, please contact the following and they will discuss your situation and if required, set up individual support:

• Linda Frow, NCOSS
  phone: 9211 2599 ext 111
  email: lindaf@ncoss.org.au
• Gary Moore, NCOSS
  phone: 9211 2599
  email: gary@ncoss.org.au

For children's services interested in becoming partners in EIP tenders you can obtain more information in the following ways:

• From the brochure produced by Community Childcare Co-op - you will have received a copy in the mail or can access it on the Community Childcare website: www.ccccnsw.org.au
• From 9th January till 3rd February 2006, a 1300 hotline will be available to answer questions from childcare services about ways childcare services can be involved in the program. This hotline number will be 1300 726 885.

For children's services any question about partnerships, can also be posted on the Q&A section of this NCOSS website from 12th January 2006.

Contact details for the key peaks for the EIP are: