Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) Procurement
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Request for tender release
The former Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, announced the release of the Request for Tender (RFT) for Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) on 17 March 2010. The RFT closed on 26 May 2010.
Overview of the HSS program
The Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) replaces the current Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) which commenced on 1 October 2005 and is due to expire on 3 April 2011. The HSS will provide intensive settlement support, through a coordinated case management approach, to newly-arrived humanitarian clients on arrival and throughout their initial settlement period.
The HSS will tailor service delivery to client needs. The program will strengthen clients' ability to participate in the economic and social life of Australia and provide them with the knowledge and skills to independently access services beyond the initial settlement period.
Services will be delivered in 24 contract regions across Australia.
Procurement process
An RFT for HSS was released on 17 March 2010 and closed on 26 May 2010.
DIAC conducted industry briefings in all Australian capital cities during March and April 2010.
DIAC is in the process of evaluating submitted tenders in accordance with the evaluation criteria listed in the RFT documentation.
HSS services are expected to commence in April 2011.
Torture and Trauma Counselling services do not form part of HSS services. Torture and Trauma Counselling services to eligible humanitarian clients will be provided separately.
See: Torture and Trauma Counselling Grants Program
Online Data Room – key statistical information
Statistical information regarding humanitarian arrivals to Australia over recent years is available to interested parties.
This information includes visa class, settlement location, family composition, and the cultural background of clients. Information is intended to assist prospective tenderers gain an understanding of client demographics and arrival patterns.
See: HSS Procurement Online Data Room – Key Statistical Information
Further information and useful resources for those interested in the government's settlement services administered by DIAC is available on the department's website.
See: Delivering Assistance
Further settlement statistical information is available on the department's website. The Settlement Reporting Facility utilises DIAC's Settlement Database to provide statistical data on permanent arrivals to Australia since January 1991.
See: Settlement Reporting Facility
Completed consultations
The department held consultations with community organisations and government agencies around Australia between 29 June and 12 August 2009. More than 460 individuals attended the sessions, representing 217 community organisations and 82 government agencies. The purpose of the consultations was to seek feedback on the current IHSS program and identify areas for program improvement.
The former Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, attended most of the sessions.
The following report provides a summary of the main themes discussed across the consultation sessions.
See: IHSS Consultations–Consolidated Summary Report ( 48KB PDF file)
As part of the consultation process the department also held focus groups with IHSS clients to gain a better understanding of the client experience. Eleven client focus groups were conducted in metropolitan and regional centres.
More than 195 clients from 18 different ethnic groups participated in the sessions. Feedback from these sessions will not be made publicly available.
Information gained from submissions to the discussion paper, consultations and focus groups has been considered in drafting the tender documentation.
Summary report of discussion paper
As part of its program review process, the department sought submissions to a discussion paper released on 30 June 2009.
Eighty-six submissions were received in response to the paper, of which 65 were from community organisations and interested parties, 16 from state or federal government agencies, and five from peak industry groups or ministerial councils.
The department will not be releasing a summary report of the submissions.
For your information, the discussion paper is still available on the department's website.
See: IHSS Discussion Paper (537KB PDF file)