A service agreement acts as a promise between two people in providing a service for payment in return. Service Agreements are different from an NDIS plan. An NDIS plan lists the NDIS supports participant receives, but a Service Agreement is about delivering those supports.
In this resource we will outline:
- the type of supports that will be provided
- the cost of those supports and total dollar value of service to be provided (Note: prices cannot be increased when NDIS rates increase unless specififed)
- the payment terms
- consent for the creation of service bookings.
- how, when and where the participant requires the supports to be delivered
- how long the participant requires the supports to be provided
- when and how the Service Agreement will be reviewed
- how the participant and provider will deal with any problems, compliants or questions that may arise
- what the participant’s responsibilities are under the Service Agreement
- what the provider’s responsibilities are under the Service Agreement
- what notice is needed for the participant or provider to change or end the Service Agreement and how this is done.
Note: the type of support along with the total cost and dates can be submitted as a ‘Schedule of Supports’ – see below to download a free template
- Delivery of Supports and Services
A service agreement sets out the rights and obligations of both the service provider and the participant. A participant, you need to confirm exactly what they are expecting to receive for their funds and as a provider you need to describe exactly what and how these services will be delivered. - Measure Outcomes
A Service Agreement should specify the outcomes to be achieved for the participant. It should also set out each party’s responsibilities and obligations towards achieving these outcomes. This also helps a provider demonstrate how they have helped a participant achieve their outcomes. - Pricing
A service agreement sets out the fees that a participant has agreed to pay and states exactly what services are covered by these fees. It will also contain a pricing period (plan length) and terms of payment. - Privacy
Protect a participant’s privacy: a service agreement states the way in which a provider will collect, use and disclosure a participant’s sensitive personal information. - Cancellations and Changes
It’s important to specify what notice is needed to change or end a service.
Finally, when signing a service agreement, make sure you or your nominee read the service agreement carefully before you sign it and keep a copy in a safe place. If you don’t understand it, don’t feel pressured into signing it. Have someone check it out on your behalf first.
