Release of Disability Employment Services & Disability Management Services Industry Information Paper

The Government today released an Industry Information Paper on the purchasing approach for the delivery of Disability Employment Services – Disability Management Services (DES-DMS).

The Government is seeking comment from stakeholders on the draft selection criteria contained in the Paper before the Request for Tender is released in the coming months.

In keeping with the Government’s commitment to building a high quality DES program, the Australian Government announced in the Budget that it is opening up the DES-DMS to full competition for the first time.

The Government will tender the 47% of DES-DMS that is currently delivered by CRS Australia, a division of the Department of Human Services. The non-government sector has shown that it can effectively deliver the service.

This is good news for people with disability and non-government employment service providers.

Competition drives efficiency and innovation in service delivery, resulting in increased benefits and better employment outcomes for people with disability.

Full competition for DES-DMS tenders will enable more participants to receive quality support and sustainable employment outcomes by promoting high performance and continuous improvement in employment services providers.

The Government is very serious about improving opportunities for people with disability.

This measure is all about giving job-seekers with disability confidence that their DES-DMS provider has demonstrated their ability to achieve high quality employment outcomes and that they therefore have the best chance possible of finding and keeping a job.

A newly published report has found that the Australian Government’s Disability Employment Services (DES) is helping to find jobs for an increasing number of people with disability.

The evaluation of the DES programme notes a substantial increase in demand, now 8,000 participants per month.

The report also highlighted encouraging improvements in moves to help people with disability find work, and found that DES has been particularly successful at finding work for people with temporary disabilities through the DES – Disability Management Service.

The Industry Information Paper will be available on AusTender at www.tenders.gov.au and at www.dss.gov.au/DES/DMStender.

A copy of the evaluation report is available at http://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/publications-articles/policy-research.