Knowledge

DOCUMENT 12

Knowledge IRT — Requests for further information

Article Record Type	Article Number	Publication Status	Last Modified Date	Version Number
Guidance	000002006	Published	20/1/2025, 8:03 am	5

Details Related Versions

Information

Title IRT — Requests for further information

Description

This article provides guidance for a review officer, business support officer, or participant support officer to request further information from a participant or applicant.

Recent updates

20 January 2025 Request for further information process steps updated.

Requests for further information guidance

When completing an internal review, you may need to request further information from the participant or applicant, or they may request to supply additional information.

Where the participant or applicant has indicated they do not intend to provide further information, and the review officer finds that further information will not materially change the decision, further information should not be requested.

When completing further information requests, review officers must manage the participant or applicant’s expectations, so they don’t expect a favourable outcome on the provision of the evidence.

The NDIA does not generally fund requested information, including assessments and reports that may assist in completing an internal review. Review officers are to discuss this with participants or applicants if asked and seek support from their line manager if needed.

Timeframes for return of requested evidence

The standard timeframe is 28 days for the return of further evidence or information. This is not a legislative timeframe but is considered a reasonable timeframe for procedural fairness in an administrative review.

Evidence can be returned by replying to the request for information email with the related documents attached. Inform them to note their full name and NDIS number in the email subject. If it is preferred to return the information by mail, provide the address, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601.

If information is provided prior to the timeframe expiring, review officers need to make contact to confirm all documents have been received, and that there are no further documents to be provided. If there are no further documents to provide, review officers can then progress with the review.

It is recommended that review officers set an alert to remind them to check for the return of evidence. Searching PACE using the participant NDIS number will allow review officers to locate any returned evidence that may be sitting in enquiries.

Requests for extensions

When a participant or applicant asks for extra time to provide further evidence there must be a clear reason for the review officer to agree. Examples of reasons may include:

redacted: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies

A fair extension would be an additional 7-14 days (a total of 36-43 days since the evidence was requested). This is not a legislative requirement but allows a reasonable timeframe for evidence to be returned and a decision to be made.

If an extended timeframe for further information will lead the internal review becoming older than 60 days, consult with your line manager for endorsement of the timeframe extension.

Requesting further information process

From the Internal Review Case:

1. Select the Decision tab.
2. Select Request Further Information (RFI).
3. At request for further information screen type the information you are requesting, including from who and why, into the free text box. List each item you are requesting and separate with a comma.
4. Select next.

Note: The information you type will appear in the letter, please ensure you format this so it is readable.

5. At recipient detail screen select next.

6. At preview options screen, do you want to preview the document before sending? Select yes. From the select a recipient for preview drop down menu, select the Participant/applicant, then select next.

7. Once you have previewed the document, select next.

8. At the confirm correspondence screen, select submit correspondence.

9. At the confirm correspondence screen, select next.

The chevron will now move to Requested further info.

The request for information letter will be automatically sent to the participant/applicant and will be added to the documents tab. Note: A manual letter will need to be created for plan nominees or authorised representative as per article IRT – Sending a manual letter. The manual letter should reflect the same information in the auto-generated RFI letter. For example, the same 28 day timeframe should be reflected in a manual letter, as well as selecting the same enquiries@ndis.gov.au return email address.

All requests for further information must be documented as an Internal Note. Refer to article Log an activity or internal note.

Make sure you do not progress the review before the further information request or unable to contact timeframe has elapsed. For approved timeframe extensions for further information requests, leave the chevron in Requested further info.

Moving the chevron back to in progress

Once the information is returned, or the further information request timeframe has elapsed, you must move the chevron back to in progress.

From the Internal Review Case:

1. Select the Progress Case button.

2. A confirmation box will appear advising the case has been progressed successfully. Select Done.

The chevron will now move to In Progress.

Next steps

• For planning internal reviews, refer to article IRT - Enacting a planning review decision.
• For access and revocation internal reviews, refer to article IRT - Enact an access or revocation review decision.

Miscategorised request

The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.

This article provides guidance for a review officer, business support officer, or participant support officer to lodge the correct case when a request has been lodged incorrectly as an internal review case.

Recent updates

20 January 2025

Administrative Review Tribunal name updated. Inclusion for staff to refer to article Understand and choose the right plan change request, for requests relating to plan continuation.

Miscategorised requests

Miscategorised requests are those lodged as an internal review s100 when it’s another type of request and not a review of a reviewable decision request. These may include:

• Assistive Technology Home Modifications (ATHM)
• Plan Change Requests:
• Change of circumstances requiring participant requested plan reassessment — s48(2) and s48(3)
• Plan variation (section 47A).
• Change to the participant’s statement of goals and aspirations (s47)

• Out of time s100, where an internal review request is made after 3 months from the original decision in writing
• Where an internal review decision has already been made on the reviewable decision. For example, a second request on the same plan or when a new plan was created as a result of an s100
• Where an external review decision has been made, and the new or varied plan is a result of the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) outcome.
• Implementation support
• Assessments requested by the agency (excluding ATHM).

For each possible miscategorisation type you will need to contact the participant and/or their authorised representative to clarify the request and ensure the right request type they choose can be actioned. This may include withdrawing the internal review case with consent, which will impact review rights.

When contacting a participant or their authorised representative, you must first check their preferred communication method and authorisations. Refer to the article Check a person’s preferred contact method.

When contacting a participant, or their authorised representative, you must also log an Activity. Activity types include:

• SMS messages
• phone calls
• emails
• face-to-face meeting.

Refer to article Log an activity or internal note for guidance on creating case activities.

If during contact, there is a media threat, advise your line manager who will contact the Media Team and advise of any follow up action if required. If during the contact, there is information or evidence to identify situations where the request is miscategorised and needs to be escalated refer to article Review the escalation prioritisation matrix to identify the level of risk to the participant or applicant making the review request.

Select the option that most closely matches the participant or applicant’s situation to identify the risk level. If there are multiple risks, the highest risk level represents the

overall risk to the participant or applicant making the request. For high or extreme risks identified, advise your line manager.

Phone

1. Make one contact attempt. This attempt requires a pre-call SMS. Refer to article Send an SMS.

If your phone contact is unsuccessful refer to the article Unable to contact process.

Refer to the relevant miscategorisation topic below for guidance and the process to lodge the correct request type.

Email

1. Send an email. Refer to article Sending an email. If your email contact is unsuccessful, seek advice from your line manager before proceeding to make a decision.
2. Refer to the relevant miscategorisation topic below for guidance and the process to lodge the correct request type.

Mail

1. Send the Internal Review Unable to Contact Letter to the participant’s listed address and request a reply within 14 days. Refer to the article Sending a manual letter.
2. If your mail contact is unsuccessful, seek advice from your line manager before proceeding to make a decision.
3. Refer to the relevant miscategorisation topic below for guidance and the process to lodge the correct request type.

Miscategorised topics

Assistive technology home modifications

If the request is for a new ATHM due to a change of circumstances or there is information that would affect multiple supports within the plan or could be assessed under a plan variation, refer to the topic Plan Change Requests.

If there is evidence the ATHM has been declined within the statement of supports, this should not be considered as a miscategorisation and an internal review decision

should be made. This may include where the ATHM was declined as a vary request and the participant is seeking a review of that decision.

All other requests should be returned to Service Delivery, refer to article refer to articles Prepare to submit a plan change request and Create a participant plan change request where the legislative type isn’t specified.

If the review request is incorrect, and the request needs to be withdrawn, refer to article Withdraw an internal review.

Plan change requests

If the request appears to be for a plan reassessment or plan variation, during your contact, clarify with the participant what plan change request they are seeking. Advise the participant of their options, review rights and time frames for decision making.

The participant can request to continue with the internal review or choose a plan change request type. Where the participant chooses a plan change request, the review needs to be withdrawn. Seek the participant’s agreement to withdraw the review request and to lodge a plan reassessment or variation.

Plan change requests are actioned by Service Delivery. To create a Plan Change Case, refer to articles Prepare to submit a place change request, Create a plan reassessment (s48) request and Create a plan variation (s47A) request.

If the participant is seeking a review because a plan continuation, refer to article Understand and choose the right plan change request.

If the review request is incorrect, and the request needs to be withdrawn, refer to article Withdraw an internal review.

Change to the participant’s statement of goals and aspirations

This category is used when the participant is not asking for changes to funded supports but wishes to make changes to the participant statement of goals and aspirations on the existing plan.

All requests should be returned to Service Delivery, refer to article Create an enquiry case.

When creating the Enquiry Case, at the Categorisation view, for:

• Type, select Participant Details
• Category, select Participant Update

• Sub Category, select Goals and Statement.

If the review request is incorrect, and the request needs to be withdrawn, refer to article Withdraw an internal review.

Out of time s100

Check if/when the participant, applicant or authorised person affected by the original decision/plan received a copy of the decision in writing. They have 3 months to ask for an internal review. This is 3 months from the day after they receive the decision. If there is evidence the decision/plan was sent and the request is not within 3 months of the notice of decision, the request for review is out of time and cannot be actioned as an s100.

When contacting the participant or applicant, confirm the date they received the decision and advise them their request cannot be actioned as an internal review as the NDIS Act only allows requests for internal reviews within 3 months of the person being notified of the decision (s 100(2)). As their request was made outside of 3-months , the NDIA cannot complete an internal review.

If they have had a change of circumstances or new information, they can request this be lodged as a plan reassessment for participants or for applicants a new access request. For plan reassessments you should explain to the participant a plan reassessment is not an internal review. It is a decision about whether their circumstances have changed enough to require a reassessment of their support needs. Explain there is no guarantee they will receive a plan reassessment as a result of lodging one.

To create a Plan Reassessment, refer to articles Prepare to submit a place change request and Create a plan reassessment (s48) request.

To request a new access request, refer to article Create an enquiry case.

If the review request is incorrect, and the request needs to be withdrawn, refer to article Withdraw an internal review.

Second request on the same plan or when a new plan was created as a result of a s100

This applies only to s100 requests regarding the statement of participant supports where the plan the participant wants reviewed was either created as a result of a s100 or the decision on a previous s100 of the same plan was confirmed.

You will need to check for a confirm decision or compare the current plan date to the date the s100 was closed. If the dates are the same it was created as a result of an s100. If the plan was approved after the s100 it was not the result of an s100 and you can proceed.

If the review request is incorrect, and the request needs to be withdrawn, refer to article Withdraw an internal review.

Where an external review decision has already been made on the reviewable decision

Sometimes a new or varied plan is a result of an external review with the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) outcome. These outcomes are not reviewable by the NDIA. Check for previous cases since the internal review decision was made. There may be notes within the most recent plan change case that states the new or varied plan is a result of an ART outcome. If they need support to understand the external review decision you can refer them to the ART Case Manager.

Implementation support

This process is for when a participant only requires support implementing their plan.

If the participant is happy with the support you have provided during your conversation advise them no further action will be taken on their request.

Implementation support is provided by Service Delivery. To create an Implementation Case, refer to article Create a plan implementation case.

If the review request is incorrect, and the request needs to be withdrawn, refer to article Withdraw an internal review.

Assessments requested by the agency (excluding ATHM)

If there is clear evidence on the plan that the delegate’s intention was to fund additional assessments before considering the requested supports, on receipt of these assessments the original plan delegate needs to consider undertaking an agency-initiated plan review to consider recommendations in the assessments. This could include assessment for exploring housing options, therapy supports or Supported Disability Accommodation (SDA) eligibility.

If it is not clear the delegate’s intention was to reconsider supports on receipt of certain assessments the request should be treated as an internal review request.

All requests should be returned to Service Delivery, refer to article Create an enquiry case.

If the review request is incorrect, and the request needs to be withdrawn, refer to article Withdraw an internal review.

Version Control

Version	Amended by	Brief Description of Change	Status	Date
1.0	NJM149 KMM575	New resource — transitioned article from PACE.	Approved	2026-03-19