Terms of reference

Recontracting Homelessness Services Working Group

In November 2015, the Minister for Family and Community Services announced that contracts for homelessness services would be extended to 2020.

The Minister’s and Premier’s support for the contract extension are on the basis that new contracts from 2017 progressively implement outcomes based contracting.

Recontracting Working Group

A Recontracting Working Group has been established to plan and oversee the recontracting of homelessness services from 2017, in line with the Minister’s commitment.

Decisions relating to the recontracting of homelessness services remain the responsibility of DCJ, not the Recontracting Working Group. The Working Group has been established to provide advice on the approach and the development of recontracting guidelines.

Membership

• Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ):
  ̶  Executive Director, Community Homes and Place
  ̶  Director, Homelessness
  ̶  Manager Prudential Oversight, Service System Commissioning
  ̶  Senior Manager, Sector Partnerships & Development, Sydney District
  ̶  A/Senior Project Officer Homelessness, Mid North Coast District
• Chief Executive, Homelessness NSW
• Chief Executive, DVNSW
• Chief Executive, Yfoundations
• Service sector representatives (nominated by peak bodies)

Chair: DCJ Executive Director, Community Homes and Place

Role of Group

• To ensure the recontracting process is collaboratively planned with the homelessness sector.
• To provide advice and feedback on key documents, guidelines and related processes.
• To ensure development of recontracting processes that provide Districts and services with appropriate guidance and support.
• To ensure the approach to recontracting is consistent across Districts.
• To ensure guidelines for providers adequately support the management of Joint Working Agreement (JWA) extensions.
• To ensure the recontracting process aligns with related initiatives, including the homelessness strategy and work related to outcomes based contracting.
• To ensure alignment with the FACS Contract Governance Framework.
• To identify and ensure emerging risks and issues are managed effectively.

Out of Scope

The recontracting process will not apply to the following services:

• The Homeless Youth Assistance Program (HYAP) contracts awarded through the Stage 2 select tender process. These contracts will run separately until June 2020.
• The Domestic Violence Response Enhancement (DVRE) and youth crisis 24/7 accommodation funding. Funding is currently available until mid-2018 as per current contracts. Any extension will be subject to funding availability.
• Issues relating to specific contracts or JWAs will not be discussed through the Recontracting Working Group.

Related Initiatives

The following projects will inform the 2017 recontracting process:

• Development of a new Homelessness Strategy
• Early Review of the Specialist Homelessness Services Program
• Work towards implementing outcomes based contracting
• Implementation of the NSW Human Services Agreement.

Secretariat

DCJ will provide secretariat support. This will be managed primarily through the minuting of specific decisions and actions, rather than comprehensive minutes of meetings.

Meeting frequency

The Working Group will meet monthly from August 2016 to October 2016.

The frequency of meetings beyond October 2016 will be agreed by the Working Group on or before the final meeting.