Free NDIS Service Agreement template

Service Agreement

Version 1.0 · Effective [date] · Made under the National Disability Insurance Scheme

This Service Agreement is made between [your business or your full name] (ABN [your ABN]) ("the provider") and the participant named below ("the participant"). It is made for the purpose of providing supports to the participant under their National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan. It explains the supports [your business or your full name] will provide and what both parties agree to.

You can contact [your business or your full name] about this agreement or your supports at any time: [your name], [your email], [your phone].

Fill in: Before signing, complete this agreement for the individual participant: their supports and prices (including any travel, non-face-to-face and cancellation amounts you will claim), the short-notice cancellation period, the start date and review date, your contact and complaint details, and any other blank field. Delete any clause that does not apply to this participant. Participant-specific emergency and continuity details belong in the Support Plan and the Participant Risk & Emergency Plan, not here. Store the signed agreement in the participant file in [your CRM].

Participant details

Participant name: ________________

NDIS number: ________________

Date of birth: ________________

Address: ________________

Phone: ________________

Email: ________________

Representative / nominee (if any): ________________

Plan management (self / plan-managed / NDIA-managed): ________________

Plan manager (if plan-managed): ________________

Preferred communication method (e.g. phone, email, text, Easy Read, interpreter, Auslan, AAC device): ________________

Agreement start date: ________________

Agreement end date / review date: ________________

Your goals

The supports provided under this Agreement will be delivered in accordance with the participant's current Support Plan, including the goals and outcomes the participant has chosen to work towards. Goals can change more often than the terms of this Agreement - they are recorded and reviewed in the Support Plan, so updating them does not require this Agreement to be re-signed.

The supports we will provide

[your business or your full name] will provide the following supports for the participant. Each support is shown with its NDIS line-item code, price, the hours per week and the weekly cost.

Fill in: STARTER TABLE - REPLACE PER PARTICIPANT. The rows below are examples only and must be replaced with this participant's actual funded supports: keep the supports that apply, delete the ones that don't, and add the hours per week and the weekly cost. Prices shown are current as at [date], taken from the NDIS Pricing Schedule, and are the weekday daytime National price limits only - always check the current NDIS Pricing Schedule, because evening, weekend, public-holiday, remote/very-remote and temporary transformation payment (TTP) rates differ and the limits are generally updated annually and may also be updated at other times. [your business or your full name] can only claim within the current NDIS price limits. If you manage this participant in the Bluetail CRM, this table fills in automatically from their funded supports.

Fill in: Replace EVERY example row below with this participant's actual agreed supports - delete the examples that do not apply and add the real hours per week and weekly cost. Verify every line-item code and price (including any travel, non-face-to-face, cancellation and provider-travel amounts you will claim) against the current NDIS Pricing Schedule and claiming rules before signing. Do not issue this agreement with the example supports left in.

GST

The parties agree that the supports listed in this Agreement are supports under, and in accordance with, the participant's NDIS plan that is in effect under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013. A supply of these supports is a supply of one or more reasonable and necessary supports specified in the statement of supports in the participant's plan. On that basis the supports are GST-free under section 38-38 of A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 and the relevant GST-free Supply (NDIS Supports) Determination. Where any item is not GST-free, it will be itemised separately on the invoice with GST shown.

Travel and transport

Some supports involve [your business or your full name] travelling to deliver a support, or transporting the participant in the community as part of a support. Where the participant's plan funds it and the NDIS claiming rules allow, [your business or your full name] may claim for provider travel (the worker's travel time to deliver a face-to-face support, and the related vehicle costs, within the limits and zones set out in those rules) and for activity-based transport (transporting the participant in the community as part of a support, charged per kilometre or at the agreed basis). [your business or your full name] will only claim travel or transport that the participant's plan funds, that the current NDIS claiming rules permit, and that the participant has agreed to below, and never at more than the current NDIS limits.

Fill in: Agree the travel and transport arrangements with the participant before signing: whether provider travel is claimed, whether activity-based transport is claimed, and the basis for each. The rules differ by support type and by location, and they change - check the current NDIS Pricing Schedule and claiming rules for exactly what you can claim and the limits that apply, including whether, and how far, travel to and from the participant can be claimed for your supports. Delete this section if you will not claim any travel or transport.

Provider travel may be claimed where the plan funds it and the NDIS claiming rules allow (yes / no): ________________

Activity-based transport (transporting the participant) may be claimed where the plan funds it (yes / no), and the agreed basis (e.g. per km): ________________

How supports are paid and claimed

How [your business or your full name] is paid depends on how the participant's plan is managed:

• NDIA-managed: [your business or your full name] claims payment for delivered supports directly from the NDIA through the myplace provider portal. By signing this Agreement the participant authorises [your business or your full name] to make those claims for supports delivered under this Agreement.
• Plan-managed: [your business or your full name] sends invoices to the participant's plan manager, who pays them from the plan and claims from the NDIA.
• Self-managed: [your business or your full name] sends invoices to the participant (or their nominee), who pays them and claims from the NDIA.

[your business or your full name] will only claim for supports actually delivered (or for cancellations where the NDIS Pricing Arrangements allow a claim). Invoices/statements itemise the support, date, hours and amount.

How this participant's plan is paid (NDIA / plan manager / self): ________________

If plan funding runs out or the plan changes

Supports under this Agreement are funded from the participant's NDIS plan. If the plan is suspended, replaced or ends, if the participant stops being an NDIS participant, or if the funding for these supports runs out, [your business or your full name] may not be able to continue providing supports under this Agreement. [your business or your full name] will talk with the participant as early as possible if this looks likely, and will work with them on options (including pausing supports, adjusting the supports, or helping them seek a plan review).

[your business or your full name] will not deliver any support that is not covered by NDIS funding, and then bill the participant for it, unless the participant has first agreed to it in a separate written private-pay consent and schedule. That separate document must set out exactly which supports are private-pay, the price, and how and when they will be charged, and must be signed before any unfunded support is delivered. The participant will never be charged for an unfunded support they did not agree to in writing in advance. Signing this Agreement does not create any private-pay obligation.

What we will NOT provide

Anything not listed in the supports table above (or in an attached schedule) is not covered by this Agreement. If the participant's needs change and they would like additional supports, both parties can agree in writing to add them.

Activity and outing costs

Where supports involve community, social or recreational activities, the participant is responsible for their own personal costs during those activities, such as entry fees, tickets, meals, refreshments and the cost of the activity itself. These are not NDIS supports and are not included in the price of the supports above. [your business or your full name] will let the participant know about any expected activity costs beforehand so they can decide whether to go ahead.

Fill in: The participant's own activity costs are always their responsibility and cannot be claimed from their NDIS plan. If there is any arrangement about the worker's necessary costs while supporting the participant in the community (for example a venue's companion or carer admission, where one is offered), record it here.

What [your business or your full name] agrees to do

• Provide supports in a safe, respectful and competent way, in line with the NDIS Practice Standards and Code of Conduct.
• Work with the participant to understand their needs and goals, and respect their choices.
• Communicate openly, give the agreed notice of any changes, and protect the participant’s privacy.
• Provide a clear invoice/statement for supports delivered.
• Listen to feedback and handle any complaint fairly.

Who may provide your supports

Supports under this Agreement may be provided by our employees or by approved independent contractors engaged by us. Every worker must meet the screening, training, competency and other requirements that apply to the supports they provide, and must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct and our relevant policies.

We will tell you who is providing your supports and, where practical, let you know before a worker changes. We will make reasonable efforts to respect your preferences about who supports you, including gender preferences for personal care. You can tell us if you have concerns about a worker or would prefer a different worker, and you can use our normal feedback and complaints process.

Contractors are only given the participant information reasonably needed to provide the agreed supports and must keep that information private. Engaging a contractor does not change our responsibilities to you under this Agreement or our obligations under the NDIS laws that apply to us, does not change the prices agreed with you unless we agree a change with you, and you will not be charged twice for the same support.

Fill in: If your organisation is a registered NDIS provider, you may add: "As a registered NDIS provider, where a support is delivered under our registration we remain responsible for that support and for meeting our NDIS registration obligations." And ONLY if it is actually true for your service, you may add: "All workers who provide direct support through our service are required by us to hold a current NDIS Worker Screening clearance." Do not include that sentence unless every direct-support worker, however engaged, genuinely holds one. If you do not use contractors at all, you may delete this whole section.

What the participant agrees to do

• Treat workers with respect and provide a safe environment for them.
• Tell [your business or your full name] about any changes to their needs, plan or contact details.
• Give as much notice as possible if they need to change or cancel a support.
• Pay valid invoices where the participant is responsible for payment, and provide [your business or your full name] with the plan-management information reasonably needed to submit or send valid claims and invoices.

Cancellations and no-shows

If the participant needs to change or cancel a support, they should give [your business or your full name] as much notice as possible. [your business or your full name] applies the NDIS short-notice cancellation rules. Under the current rules, if the participant cancels with less than the required notice, or does not show up, [your business or your full name] may claim up to 100% of the agreed price for that support from the participant's plan funding. The NDIS rules also only allow this claim where [your business or your full name] could not reasonably fill that time with other billable work and any applicable worker-payment requirement in the current NDIS claiming rules is met (providers other than sole traders and partnerships must be required to pay the relevant worker for the cancelled time). [your business or your full name] can only charge within the limits the NDIS rules allow, and may waive or reduce a cancellation charge depending on the circumstances. The required notice period and the rules can change each year; the current notice period is recorded below and [your business or your full name] will tell the participant if it changes.

By signing this Agreement the participant confirms this cancellation policy was explained to them in a way they understand, and they agree to it.

Fill in: YOU MUST FILL IN the short-notice cancellation period below before using this agreement, and it must match the current NDIS claiming rules (currently less than 7 days' notice counts as short notice for most support-work items - check the current rules). The required notice period can change each year - check and update this figure (and tell the participant) whenever it changes. Do not leave it blank.

Our short-notice cancellation period (must match the current NDIS claiming rules): ________________

Minimum shift / session length, if any (e.g. 2 hours): ________________

How prices may change

NDIS prices are generally updated annually and may also be updated by the NDIA at other times. Any proposed change to an agreed price in this Agreement will be discussed with the participant first, and will not take effect until the participant agrees to it. When a change is proposed, [your business or your full name] will provide an updated schedule of supports showing the proposed prices, explain what has changed and why, and record the participant's agreement before charging the new price. Until agreement is reached, the existing agreed prices continue to apply (either party's ordinary rights under "Ending this agreement" are unaffected). We will never charge more than the current NDIS price limit for a support.

Fair pricing: [your business or your full name] will not charge a participant a higher price for a support or a good simply because they are an NDIS participant. The price for any good or product supplied under this Agreement will be no more than the price a member of the public would reasonably pay for the same item, in line with the NDIS Code of Conduct.

Emergency and disaster arrangements

In an emergency or disaster (such as a fire, flood, storm, pandemic, prolonged power outage or other event) [your business or your full name] will:

• Make reasonable efforts to contact the participant (or their nominee) to check their immediate safety and confirm whether scheduled supports can continue.
• Maintain priority supports, including personal care, medication, mealtime support and other safety-critical supports, wherever it is safe to do so.
• Where supports cannot continue safely, work with the participant to arrange alternative supports (for example through another provider, the NDIA, or emergency services).
• Resume normal supports as soon as it is safe.

Participant-specific emergency, safety and continuity arrangements are recorded in the participant's current Support Plan and Participant Risk & Emergency Plan. Those plans may be updated with the participant as their needs or risks change without this Agreement being re-issued, unless the agreed supports, prices or other terms of this Agreement also change. See our Business Continuity Plan for more detail on [your business or your full name]'s own continuity arrangements.

Lives-alone / sole-worker safeguards (0107) - complete only if applicable

This section applies only if BOTH are true: the participant lives alone and receives personal support (registration group 0107) in their home, AND the same individual worker always provides that personal support. If it applies, the NDIS Commission's registration conditions require specific safeguards to be part of this agreement. The completed Part C of our "0107 Lives Alone / Sole Worker Safeguarding Assessment & Monitoring Plan" is then attached to and forms part of this Agreement, setting out: how the participant's support worker is selected (including the participant's role); the satisfaction-check procedure in which someone other than the support worker checks directly with the participant; how the worker's performance is supervised and monitored, including supervisor home visits as far as practicable; how [your business or your full name] communicates with the participant, including face-to-face contact as far as practicable; how [your business or your full name] engages with the participant's other providers; and any additional safeguards from the participant's risk assessment, with the actual frequencies committed. The affected personal supports do not commence until that schedule is completed and attached.

Fill in: If the participant does NOT live alone with a sole support worker, delete this section. If they DO, attach the completed Part C schedule from the 0107 Safeguarding Assessment & Monitoring Plan before this agreement is signed or finalised, and record the frequencies committed.

Changing this agreement

This agreement can be changed at any time if both parties agree. Changes will be put in writing and signed.

Ending this agreement

Either party can end this agreement by giving the other written notice. Our notice period is set out below. Either party may end the agreement immediately if there is a serious breach (for example, a safety risk).

Notice period to end the agreement: ________________

If we disagree

If a disagreement arises about this Agreement or the supports we provide, we will try to work it out together first. The participant can ask [your name] ([your email], [your phone]) to review the matter, can have a family member, friend or advocate involved, and can contact the NDIS Commission on 1800 035 544 at any time, whether or not they have raised it with us.

Feedback, complaints and your rights

The participant can give feedback or make a complaint at any time, and will never be disadvantaged or treated unfairly for doing so. See our Complaints and Feedback Policy. They can also contact the NDIS Commission on 1800 035 544. The participant has the right to use an advocate at any time. If an incident happens in connection with the participant's supports, [your business or your full name] will respond, keep the participant safe and informed, and notify the NDIS Commission where the law requires - see our Incident Management Policy.

Privacy

[your business or your full name] handles personal information in line with our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and only shares it with consent or where the law requires. Records about the participant and their supports, including progress notes, are kept securely and retained for the period required under the NDIS Practice Standards and Australian law. The participant can ask to see or correct their personal information at any time.

Agreement

By signing below, both parties agree to this Service Agreement. The participant confirms it was explained to them in a way they understand, they had the chance to ask questions and to involve a family member, friend or advocate, and they entered into it freely.

How this agreement was explained / format used (e.g. read through together, Easy Read, interpreter, Auslan, with a support person): ________________

Support person / advocate present (if any): ________________

Name: ________________

Date: ________________

If signed by a representative/nominee, their relationship and authority: ________________

Fill in: If a nominee, guardian or other representative signs instead of the participant, record their legal authority to do so (for example: NDIS nominee, enduring guardian or power of attorney) and keep a copy of the evidence on the participant file.

Name: ________________

Date: ________________