We’re making changes to the NDIS to improve the quality of plan management services, encourage innovation and be more responsive to participant needs.
What is the change
We’re changing how plan management services are priced, designed and delivered to participants.
We’ll establish a trusted panel of plan managers by 1 October 2027. Participants will need to use a plan manager from the panel. They’ll be supported to transition to a provider on the panel over 6 months.
Plan managers on the panel will continue to play an important role in supporting participants to manage their NDIS budgets.
Why we’re making the change
We’re making the changes to help:
- improve the quality of plan management services
- improve integrity standards
- reduce fraud.
How we’ll make the change
This timeline explains when the changes will happen:
2026
From October
- We’ll explain the expected changes to plan management, including how the changes may affect participants, plan management businesses and other providers.
- We’ll ask for feedback from plan managers in a request for information (RFI). The RFI will be published on the Government’s AusTender website and will be open for 5 weeks. The RFI will ask for feedback about the design and implementation of the plan management panel. We’ll use this feedback to help plan the tender and support people through the change.
2027
From April
- We’ll publish a request for tender (RFT) for the plan management panel on the AusTender website. If plan managers want to join the panel, they must apply through the RFT process.
- The RFT will include the requirements plan managers must meet to be selected for the panel.
From June
- The RFT closes. We’ll assess applications and tell providers whether they are on the panel or not.
From October
- We’ll launch the plan management panel. There’ll be a 6-month transition period. During the transition period, we’ll support participants to move to a plan manager on the panel if their current plan manager isn’t on the panel.
2028
From April
- The transition period ends. The new plan management panel is in place.
- Participants must now use a plan manager from the panel.
- Plan managers who aren’t part of the plan management panel can no longer deliver plan management services to participants.