COMMUNITY CARE ASSET MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
Purpose
This document provides guidelines for the management of assets funded by Department of Communities, Disability Services, and Seniors (the department) through the Queensland Community Care program. It must be read in conjunction with the Service Agreement – Standard Terms, section 11, Assets.
Scope
These guidelines apply to all organisations, service outlets and government agencies that receive non-operating funding through the Community Care program to purchase assets for the delivery of services in Queensland.
Principles
These guidelines are underpinned by the following principles:
- Responsible and accountable expenditure of Community Care funding
- Effective, efficient and equitable use of Community Care resources
- Funding allocation responds to demonstrated needs
- Minimisation of administrative burden to organisations
Compliance with Legislation & Associated Documentation
Funded organisations must comply with relevant Australian and State of Queensland Government legislation to ensure that appropriate quality standards are maintained and best practice for asset acquisition, maintenance and disposal is employed.
Applications for funding
The department may, on occasion, open a Community Care non-operating funding round through which Community Care funded organisations can apply for funding to purchase or lease assets that are required for the effective delivery of Community Care services.
Applications for Community Care non-operating funding will need to clearly demonstrate how the asset/s will increase the effectiveness of the delivery of Community Care services and/or the quality of services received by Community Care service users.
The department will not necessarily fund the total cost of an asset. In such cases, organisations will need to source additional funding through, for example, fundraising, donations and/or collection of fees to meet the total cost.
The delegate for approving all Community Care non-operating funding is the Queensland Minister for Disability Services.
Purpose/usage of funding
Funding must be expended on the purpose for which it was approved. Should an organisation subsequently not need all or some of the funding, it must be returned to the department.
Asset purchases less than $5,000
An organisation may, without departmental approval, use operating funding to acquire new or replacement assets where the total cost of the assets purchased within the financial year is less than $5,000 (GST exclusive). Organisations must ensure that the use of operating funding in these instances does not impact on their viability or ability to meet their contracted service delivery obligations.
Assets valued over $5,000
Organisations must record in a register any funded asset with a purchase price or market value of more than $5,000 and a useful life of greater than 1 year. The asset must not be disposed of before the Community Care Service Agreement end date without the department’s prior consent. See section 11.5 of the Service Agreement – Standard Terms.
Repairs and Maintenance of Assets
Organisations are responsible for all costs associated with operating, maintaining and repairing Community Care funded assets. Community Care operating funding can be used to cover the normal running or maintenance costs of the assets as long as they are being used for contracted Community Care services.
Organisations must ensure that assets are maintained and serviced by qualified persons in accordance with the manufacturers’ specifications and to a standard that meets all legal, safety, warranty and insurance requirements.
Insurance
Organisations must ensure that appropriate insurance policies are in place and renewed before the expiry date.
Disposal of Assets
The disposal of Community Care funded assets should be conducted in an open, honest, ethical and accountable manner having regard for value for money, probity and accountability. Due consideration should also be given to sensitive data and/or dangerous or environmentally-unfriendly goods when disposing of assets. The preferred Queensland Government approach for the disposal of assets is by way of public auction, public tender, private agreement or by trade-in.
Common Terminology
Definitions / DescriptionsAcquisition / To obtain control of an asset, group of assets, or net assets in exchange for a cost of acquisition.
Asset
(non-current) / The organisation or service provider will gain future economic or operational benefits from the asset and the asset is expected to last more than 12 months.
Asset Management / A systematic approach to the procurement, maintenance, rehabilitation and disposal of one or more assets which integrates the utilisation of assets and their performance with the business requirements of asset owners or users.
Disposal / The process of removing an asset from an organisation or service provider’s ownership to a third party and includes private treaty, public auction, inviting public offers, donation, redeployment, destruction and warranty repair.
Leasing / The method that allows for the use of assets in exchange for regular payments to the owner of the asset.
Operating Lease / Where the lessee returns the asset to the lessor at the end of the lease but during the agreed time has used the assets in exchange for regular payments to the owner of the asset.
Funded Organisation / A legal entity that has the capacity to provide Community Care services under the terms and conditions of the Community Care Service Agreement. Organisations include local governments, community/non-government organisations, religious or charitable bodies, State and Commonwealth government agencies, and commercial and private providers.
Service Outlet / Provides direct service delivery to Community Care clients.
Contact:
Community Care Contract Management
Post GPO Box 3022, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone 3097 0106 Fax 3405 3957
Web