Market sounding is open for the sixth Partnership Addressing Disadvantage
The 2023-24 Victorian Budget announced funding for a sixth Partnerships Addressing Disadvantage (PAD) initiative. PADs have driven innovation in social services and outcome-based funding in Victoria in recent years.
This new PAD represents a further opportunity for the Government to partner with the service delivery sector and investors to continue improving outcomes for those who need it most.
There are two potential cohorts that the PAD may focus on:
- Culturally and linguistically diverse communities experiencing high youth unemployment.
- Young people requiring alcohol and other drugs treatment with multiple and complex needs.
Government is seeking interest and feedback on this new PAD through the Statement of Intent:
The Statement of Intent will be open for feedback until 5pm on Monday 4 August 2025.
The Statement of Intent:
- seeks to gauge market interest in the new PAD
- seeks views from the sector on barriers to participation and issues of uncertainty or ambiguity, which will assist in informing the Request for Proposal documentation
- provides guidance to potential respondents on how to prepare an application once the Request for Proposal is released.
Participation in the market sounding process is completely voluntary and will not inform the evaluation of proposals. Further, no payment will be provided or able to be included in any future bid cost reimbursement from the State. While participation is not a pre-requisite to participating in the forthcoming PAD tender process, your feedback will considered in designing the approaches of the next PAD.
Two information sessions will also be provided to take interested parties through the Statement of Intent and receive sector feedback. These information sessions will cover the same material and will be hosted on:
- Monday 21 July 2025, 1.30pm - 2.30pm
- Thursday 24 July 2025, 2.30pm-3.30pm
A third session may be scheduled in the week of 4 August 2025, depending on demand.
Please email pads@dtf.vic.gov.au to RSVP for either of the sessions and to join our mailing list for further updates relating to the PADs initiative.
Recordings of the sessions will also be placed on the DTF website. We will be accepting queries by email and will be sharing responses via a FAQ document on this website.
Future partnership opportunities
This page will be updated as work progresses on future PAD partnerships and other opportunities over the next six months and beyond.
If you would like to join our mailing list and receive further updates relating to the PADs initiative, please email pads@dtf.vic.gov.au.
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