COMPAC Guidelines Training

COMPAC Guidelines Training

Project Guidelines

Grant Project Process Flowchart

1.  Introduction

1.1.  Project Background

The Australian Government is providing funding of $907,000.00 (GST exclusive) plus $90,700.00 (GSTcomponent) over three years (2012-13 to 2014-15) for the COMPAC Guidelines Training project. The project will fund the development and delivery of training across Tasmania for health professionals and nonprofessionals on the implementation of the Guidelines for a Palliative Approach for Aged Care in the Community Setting (COMPAC Guidelines).

The project is one of the elements being funded under the Tasmanian Health Assistance Package which was announced on 15 June 2012 by the Minister for Health, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP. More information on the Tasmanian Health Assistance Package is available on the Department’s website at: www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr12-tp-tp053.htm.

A 2011 survey by Palliative Care Australia found that 76% of Australians would prefer to die in their homes. However, the most authoritative and recent statistics on palliative care contained in the Palliative Care Services in Australia 2012 report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicates that in 2009-10, the majority of Australians who died that year - namely some 51.8% of deaths - died within a hospital setting.

Palliative care service delivery occurs in a variety of settings ranging from specialist palliative care facilities though GP surgeries to community based services run by volunteers. Consequently, the level of expertise in palliative care service delivery is likely to be varied.

This project will assist those health professionals and non-professionals involved in the delivery of palliative care in the community by enhancing their skills and capabilities. It is anticipated that the training provided by the project will contribute to the improved delivery of appropriate palliative care services to people being cared for in the community in Tasmania.

The project is in line with Goal 5 of the National Palliative Care Strategy – Supporting Australians to Live Well at the End of Life (2010) which is: “to build and enhance the capacity and capability of all relevant sectors to provide quality palliative care.”

1.2.  Project Purpose, Scope, Objective and Outcomes

The purpose of the project is to develop and deliver face to face training across Tasmania through workshops, seminars and training sessions for health professionals and nonprofessionals based on the implementation of the COMPAC Guidelines.

The objectives of the project are to:

·  to enhance the palliative care support skills of health care professionals and non- professionals; and

·  to improve the delivery of appropriate palliative care services to people being cared for in their homes.

It is anticipated that the outcomes of the project will include:

·  better quality palliative care services for people living at home;

·  greater choice for palliative care patients in deciding where their care needs will be met; and

·  a reduction in the number of palliative care patients requiring admission to hospital or emergency treatments.

1.3. Roles and responsibilities

The Grant Project Process Flowchart on the page two outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party.

The Funding Approver for the project is the Assistant Secretary, Cancer and Palliative Care Branch, Population Health Division, Department of Health and Ageing (the Department).

Evaluation of compliant applications, that is those applications which meet the Conditions of Participation as set out below at 5.2.i, will be undertaken by an assessment panel established by the Department. The panel will comprise officers from the Department.

The assessment panel will advise the Funding Approver on the merits of each application against the Project Guidelines. The Funding Approver will approve the successful application.

1.4. Anticipated key dates

The following table outlines the anticipated timeline for the project.

Milestone / Anticipated Dates
Guidelines Published / 5 April 2013
Applications Open / 5 April 2013
Applications Close / 16 May 2013
Assessment and Decision / 20 May - June 2013
Negotiation and execution of funding agreement / June 2013
Project Ends / 30 June 2015

2.  Eligibility

2.1.  Who is eligible to apply for funding?

Applications are encouraged from non-government and government entities other than the Commonwealth that are either registered training organisations or organisations with experience in and knowledge of the palliative care sector. The main determinant in whether to apply for this project grant should be the capacity and capability of an organisation to develop and deliver training in the implementation of the COMPAC Guidelines to professional and non-professional health care providers across Tasmania.

Only legal entities are eligible to apply for funding under this project. Applicants must ensure that they are eligible to enter into a legal Agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia (Commonwealth), represented by the Department, before submitting their application.

While joint applications or applications from consortia will be accepted, the Commonwealth will only sign an agreement for this funding with the organisation nominated at Question 1.1 of the Application Form. This ‘lead organisation’ receives the funding and assumes legal responsibility for delivering the project as outlined in the Agreement.

2.2.  What is eligible for funding?

Funding will be provided to an organisation to develop and deliver face to face training on the implementation of the COMPAC Guidelines.

Applications to undertake the project are to be cognisant of the following requirements:

·  Funding will only be provided to develop and deliver face to face training through workshops, seminars and training sessions for health professionals and non-professionals of the COMPAC Guidelines across Tasmania.

·  A one off grant of up to $907,000.00 (GST exclusive) plus $90,700.00 (GST component) will be made available for this project.

·  The following deliverables are required to be met by the project:

o  A minimum of 80 workshops, seminars and/or training sessions over the period
2013-14 to 2014-15; and

o  A minimum of 800 workshop, seminar and or training session attendants over the period 2013-14 to 2014-15.

·  The project will commence upon execution of the Agreement (anticipated in the first half of 2013) and is to be completed no later than 30 June 2015. Training will be provided over a two year period from 2013-14 to 2014-15.

·  Funding will only be provided for new proposals. Items that will not be funded include:

o  capital works or construction;

o  purchasing of major equipment or motor vehicles;

o  long-term, recurrent or ongoing funding of routine service delivery;

o  retrospective items or activities;

o  activities undertaken by political organisations; and

o  activities that subsidise commercial activities.

·  Funding applicants need to be fully cognisant of the COMPAC Guidelines, which can be found at:

www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/palliativecare-pubs-compac-guidelines.htm

·  Applicants should also be familiar with the principles and goals of the National Palliative Care Strategy, which is available at: www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/palliativecare-strategy.htm

3.  Probity

The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that the process for providing funding under the project is transparent and in accordance with published Project Guidelines.

Note: Guidelines may be varied from time-to-time by the Australian Government as the needs of
the project dictate. Amended Guidelines will be published on the Department’s website.

3.1.  Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest may exist, for example, if the applicant or any of its personnel:

·  Has a relationship (whether professional, commercial or personal) with a party who is able to influence the application assessment process, such as a Department staff member;

·  Has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation, which is likely to interfere with or restrict the applicant in carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently; or

·  Has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal gain as a result of the granting of funding under the COMPAC Guidelines Training Project.

Each applicant will be required to acknowledge at Section 5 of the Application form, any existing conflicts of interest or to confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, there is no conflict of interest, including in relation to the examples above, that would impact on or prevent the applicant from proceeding with the project or any funding agreement it may enter into with the Australian Government.

Where an applicant subsequently identifies that an actual, apparent, or potential conflict of interest exists or might arise in relation to this application for funding, the applicant must inform the Department in writing immediately.

The Department will ensure that all members of the Application Assessment Committee for this ITA will be required to provide a statement detailing any relationship they may have with applicants. All Committee members will be required to sign a Deed of Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest form as well as a Code of Ethics for Funding Activity statement.

Any advisers, whether members of the Australian Public Service or not, brought in to assist in the assessment process, are also required to sign the Deed of Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest form. A Probity Adviser will oversee the funding process, including the assessment phase, to ensure that it is procedurally sound.

3.2.  Confidentiality and Protection of Personal Information

Each applicant will be required to confirm at Section 5 of the Application form, their ability to comply with the following Legislation/Clauses in the funding agreement it may enter into with the Commonwealth.

The Protection of Personal Information Clause requires the Participant to:

·  comply with the Privacy Act (1988) (‘the Privacy Act’), including the 11 Information Privacy Principles (IPPs), as if it were an agency under the Privacy Act, and the National Privacy Principles (NPPs);

·  refrain from engaging in direct marketing (s 16F of the Privacy Act), to the extent that the NPP and/or s 16F apply to the Participant; and

·  impose the same privacy obligations on any subcontractors it engages to assist with the Project.

The Confidentiality Clause imposes obligations on the Participant with respect to special categories of information collected, created or held under the Agreement. The Participant is required to seek the Commonwealth’s consent in writing before disclosing Confidential Information.

Further information can be found in the Standard Funding Agreement available at: www.health.gov.au//internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Listing+of+Tenders+and+Grants-1

4.  How to Apply

4.1.  Obtaining an application

Applicants may obtain an application form from the Department’s website: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Listing+of+Tenders+and+Grants-1

4.2.  Application requirements

Applications must be submitted to the Department by 2.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) 16 May 2013.

Applications are to include the following:

·  A completed Application Form;

·  Documentary proof of legal status of organisation;

·  Signed Declaration Form;

·  Two (2) written references;

·  In the case of joint or consortium applications, a letter of support from each organisation involved in the project.

4.3.  How to submit an application

Applications may be submitted in the following manner:

·  The completed application together with all required attachments must be submitted by 2.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) 16 May 2013.

·  All applications are to be submitted in single sided, Word format.

·  All applications packages should include:

-  the original unbound (i.e. not stapled) application including supporting documents; and

-  two (2) unbound copies of the original application (also in Word format and single sided).

·  Applications should be enclosed in a sealed package marked as followed:

The Tenderbox

ITA 238/1213

Department of Health and Ageing

Sirius Building

Foyer, Ground Floor

23 Furzer Street

WODEN ACT 2606

·  Applications may be posted, hand delivered or couriered to the above address. It is recommended that those delivering hand delivered or couriered applications request a receipt of delivery at the Department’s reception desk.

·  Please note that the Tenderbox is accessible for deliveries between the hours of 8.30am and 5.00pm Mondays to Fridays (public holidays excepted).

·  Faxed and emailed applications will not be accepted.

To assist with the appraisal of an application, clarifying information may be requested by the Department. Applicants will be notified by email or post where this is required.

5.  Appraisal

5.1.  Appraisal process

Based on the information provided in the application, the Department will undertake an evaluation of applications against the appraisal criteria outlined below. Representatives from State/Territory health departments and/or community representatives with palliative care or other expertise may provide advice to the panel.

5.2.  Appraisal criteria

Applications will be assessed in two steps.

i.  The first step comprises the Conditions of Participation and is the initial process that an application must satisfy in order to progress to assessment for funding. For the purposes of this project, all applicants wishing to be considered for this project funding must meet the following Conditions of Participation:

• The application is to be received by the Invitation to Apply (ITA) closure deadline;

• The application is to be completed in English;

• The Declaration at Section 5 of the application is to be completed and signed;

• Applicants are to ensure that they are eligible to enter into a legal Agreement with the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing before submitting their application. Provision of proof of organisation’s legal status as an incorporated body, such as a Certificate of Incorporation should be provided with the Application;

• Organisations submitting a Joint or Consortium Application are to provide a letter of support from each organisation involved in the project which includes:

o  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;