Tender Details
Department of Communities and Justice is requesting information from industry to inform potential program decisions and procurement strategies for the Bail & Accommodation Support Service (BASS)
Funded accommodation placements
The Bail & Accommodation Support Service (BASS), formerly known as the Bail Assistance Line, is a unit of Youth Justice with NSW Department of Communities & Justice. BASS Youth Justice administers secure placements for young people on a fee-for-service basis for up to 28 days. Currently, around NSW there are contracted providers who partner with Youth Justice to offer this service. The majority of these providers are youth Specialist Homelessness Services operating crisis refuges. The BASS pays a daily rate of up to $1000 (plus GST) per 24 hours for these placements
How Youth Justice works with accommodation providers
The primary target group for this accommodation is young people from 12-17 years who have been charged by police outside of normal business hours and who are unable to return to their family or home at the time. The afterhours team at BASS receives calls from NSW Police, then assesses the young person’s needs over the phone and liaises with on-call staff at participating youth homelessness services to secure a placement for the young person in police custody.
Once the young person enters the placement, the BASS service coordinators work closely with the youth accommodation provider on developing an exit plan for the young person and coordinates the necessary support services to achieve the best outcomes for the young person and their family.
Supporting Aboriginal young people
Aboriginal young people remain significantly over-represented in the NSW justice system. Youth Justice is committed to providing culturally safe support for Aboriginal young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Offering diversionary options to NSW Police
Building the provider base for Youth Justice enables the afterhours BASS team to offer more alternatives to NSW Police other than remanding a young person to custody. By BASS expanding its accommodation footprint will then it can also help to ensure that young people may be placed closer to family and their community.
Seeking new accommodation providers
There are key areas of NSW where Youth Justice would like to establish partnerships with local youth accommodation providers who are willing to undertake this important work with us.
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Regional NSW |
Metropolitan Sydney |
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New England |
South West Sydney |
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Mid-North Coast |
Sydney & Southern Eastern Sydney |
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Northern NSW |
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Hunter Region |
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Southern NSW |
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Far West and Western NSW |
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This market sounding will investigate the market and provide an opportunity to ensure the sector are advised of this program and market feasibility is investigated.
Respondents with interest in providing these services, have existing footprints in the Services locations, have experience in providing similar services, or respondents wishing to expand into these types of service provision are encouraged to respond to advise of their interest.
Invitation To Respond - This is not a tender and a contract will not be award from the outcome of this RFI. The information requested from industry may be used to inform potential program decisions and procurement strategies.
