Human Services Agreement (HSA)
Information for service providers about the standard contract for human services in NSW. The HSA is formally called the Agreement for Funding of Services, but is commonly referred to as ‘the HSA’ for easy reference.
Introduction to the HSA
The HSA is a standard contract used when a NSW government agency procures human services from a non-government organisation (NGO).
It is designed to improve service delivery outcomes by making it easier for NGOs to do business with NSW government agencies with a streamlined and standardised contract. It also balances the need for a standardised contract with the flexibility needed for contracting in the diverse human services sector.
The HSA makes it easier for both parties to understand their obligations and expectations:
- It’s a simple and user-friendly contract.
- It reflects the partnership needed between government and the sector to deliver better human services outcomes.
- It provides a base level of consistency across all HSA contracts.
The Ministry of Health, the Department of Education and DCJ are the main government agencies that currently use the HSA.
The HSA is designed for use where DCJ contracts NGOs to deliver human services.
The HSA is not used where DCJ contracts other government agencies to deliver human services on its behalf. Instead, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is used for arrangements between DCJ and other NSW State government agencies to deliver human services.