Closed ATM View - PRN2024-296 Refresh
Tender Refresh - Panel of Outreach Program Counsellors for the Open Arms Program
Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart
Open Arms is a leading provider of military-aware and trauma-informed mental health and counselling services to Australia’s military community. Open Arms provides mental health counselling, relationship counselling, peer support services and group programs for people with Australian Defence Force (ADF) service (current and former serving members) and their immediate families. Anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF and their immediate family are eligible for Open Arms services.
Open Arms provides free and confidential counselling through a national network of multidisciplinary mental health professionals, both in dedicated Open Arms centres across the country and by outreach partnerships with private psychologists and social workers.
Open Arms can provide counselling, care coordination and peer support services to veterans and their families within an episode of care model, where clients engage with our services for goal directed interventions for a defined period.
Open Arms aims to provide timely access to appropriate services and care, based on a comprehensive holistic assessment and integrated care pathways to meet client needs and support recovery. This includes working in partnership with health systems, including primary health, as well as other community agencies to ensure comprehensive support for our clients.
In the first half of 2024, a panel was established under which Outreach Providers provide Open Arms services to clients. The Panel is the mechanism for Open Arms to engage with Outreach Providers to ensure the highest level of support can be delivered to clients.
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is undertaking a Panel Refresh via this RFT to add to the current panel of Outreach Program Counsellors.
Services that will be delivered through the Outreach Program Counsellor Panel include:
· Counselling: trauma-informed and military aware counselling and treatment to individuals, couples and families.
· Group facilitation: treatment groups that provide opportunities for veterans and their families to share their experiences and develop life skills and resilience, while receiving treatment in a supportive environment.
· Clinical Supervision: deliver supervision to centre-based Open Arms clinicians and agree supervision and professional development needs in consultation with the supervisee and their Open Arms manager.
Only organisations appointed to the Outreach Program Counsellors Panel can provide Open Arms Outreach Program Counselling Services.
Outreach Providers recently appointed to the current panel and are Panel Members, do not need to apply for the Panel Refresh.
There will be an industry briefing released to market (pre-recorded) and available for viewing from 1 October 2024. This pre-recording will provide a flexible approach for tenderers interested in learning more about the RFT Refresh at a time that is individually suited.
It is not mandatory for tenderers to view the briefing. It is expected that any questions arising from viewing this briefing will be accepted via email and closing time for tenderer questions is 5pm ACT Local Time on 8 October 2024.
The RFT Refresh will require Respondents to obtain and submit with their response the following:
· The required Statement(s) of Tax Record in compliance with the Shadow Economy Procurement-Connected Policy. Potential Respondents should consider obtaining the relevant Statement(s) of Tax Record from the Australian Taxation Office in advance. See https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Bus/Statement-of-tax-record/
· Copies of their current Mental Health Accreditation Certificate for each nominated personnel including subcontractors; AASW membership.
· Evidence of their current Working with Children or Vulnerable People registration as per State/Territory requirements for each nominated personnel including subcontractors.
At the Closing Time of this RFT, You and/or Your specified personnel and/or Your subcontractors must:
· Not, be employed within the Open Arms Division in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
(This applies to all ongoing or non-ongoing employees and labour hire contractor personnel of the Open Arms Division).
1. If the Tenderer is an individual, hold one of the following qualifications, or if the Tenderer is a legal entity, ensure its Psychologist or Accredited Mental Health Social Workers hold one of the following qualifications:
a. full, unconditional registration as a Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) (no conditions on registration); or
b. who holds membership with the with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) as an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker.
2. Must either in accordance with the Shadow Economy Procurement Connected Policy:
a. hold a Valid and Satisfactory Statement of Tax Record by the Tender Closing Time; or
b. have a receipt demonstrating that a Statement of Tax Record has been requested from the Australian Taxation Office by the Closing Time and hold a Valid and Satisfactory Statement of Tax Record no later than 4 business days after the Closing Time.
3. All providers must also:
a. have a current Australian Business Number (ABN); and
b. provide evidence of their current Working with Children or Vulnerable People registration as per State/Territory requirements; and
c. be registered for GST (Applicable to those working within the Outreach Program as an Outreach Program Counsellor. This requirement does not apply to Group Facilitation or Clinical Supervisors).
Initial term commencing December 2024 and expire 30 June 2027. There are two (2) further optional one (1) year extensions, to be enacted at the sole discretion of DVA.