How to Write an Effective Support Coordination Service Agreement
Write a support coordination service agreement that meets NDIS rules, sets clear hours and billing, and protects your practice. Template structure inside.
Is a service agreement legally required?
What every support coordination service agreement must cover
Translating plan funding into hours the participant can see
Billing terms: travel, non-face-to-face, and the 90-day claim window
Cancellation, notice, and ending the agreement
Conflict of interest: the clause the NDIA reads first
Consent, privacy, and information sharing
Signing: who can actually agree
Common mistakes that come back to bite you
A reusable structure you can build once
Frequently asked questions
Is a support coordination service agreement legally required under the NDIS?
No, the NDIS Act does not mandate a written agreement for support coordination, though the PAPL recommends one. In practice it is essential: it evidences the participant's consent, sets billing expectations, and protects you in any invoicing dispute or audit. Registered providers in particular should hold one for every participant.
How do I show support coordination hours in the agreement?
Convert the funded dollar amount into approximate hours at the applicable price limit and state it plainly. For example, $4,000 of Level 2 funding at about $100.14 per hour is roughly 39-40 hours over the plan. Note how you will pace the hours, and reconcile against the live budget in PACE before quoting figures.
Can I charge cancellation fees for support coordination?
Short-notice cancellation charges designed for attendant care rarely suit support coordination, which is mostly non-face-to-face. Instead of a cancellation fee, include a notice period (commonly two weeks) to end the agreement and bill only for work genuinely completed. Do not copy a SIL or support-worker cancellation clause.
What conflict-of-interest wording should the agreement include?
Disclose any other funded support you or a related entity provide to the participant, and declare that you present a genuine choice of providers with no referral fee or commission. If you have no related interest, say so in one line. This clause matters because the NDIA is actively scrutinising support coordination invoicing tied to brokerage and multi-support arrangements.
Who signs the service agreement if the participant has a guardian or nominee?
The participant signs if they have decision-making capacity. Where a guardian, plan nominee, or attorney is formally appointed, they sign within the scope of that authority, which you should record. Involve the participant regardless, and do not assume a parent of an adult participant has authority to consent.