Dementia Data Partnerships Projects
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is contracted by the Department of Health and Aged Care (the department) to design and administer a program of Dementia Data Partnership Projects (partnership projects) to enable researchers, health and aged care organisations and other organisations with relevant expertise and/or data holdings to work with the AIHW to:
- help resolve key dementia data gaps in health, disability, and aged care systems
- contribute to filling knowledge gaps in priority areas of dementia monitoring, or
- improve the quality and utility of dementia data for national monitoring
by
- making long term, sustainable changes to the availability and quality of dementia data, and/or
- establishing one-off or ongoing provision of data to the AIHW to help create or improve dementia data collections or methods.
It is important to note that Partnership Projects are not research grants – the NCMD will release tender documentation for identified procurement projects using AusTender and formally contract successful tenderers to complete specific projects.
Partnership projects
The need for better dementia data
The expected increase in the number of people with dementia will create challenges for the health and aged care systems to deliver high quality services and support to those with dementia and their carers, train health and aged care workers, and develop effective prevention and treatment strategies. Addressing these challenges will require a strong evidence base that provides accurate, relevant and timely data on dementia for policy development, service planning and research. However, significant dementia data gaps exist in Australia – for example, the prevalence and impact of dementia is currently estimated using data from multiple disparate data sources established for other, mainly administrative purposes, or using data from international epidemiological studies.
Identifying potential partnership projects
There are two main documents which help establish priorities for developing and improving dementia data in Australia:
- the National Dementia Data Improvement Plan (NDDIP), and
- the National Dementia Action Plan 2023-2033 (NDAP).
The NDDIP aims to improve the availability and quality of dementia data in Australia, which in turn may help evaluate the progress of the NDAP. The NDDIP
- describes recent developments in dementia data and wider initiatives and policy developments for aged care, primary care, and disability data that may also improve the quality and scope of dementia data, and
- identifies activities that may address dementia data gaps, based on consultation with stakeholders such as the department and the AIHW Dementia Expert Advisory Group.
The NDDIPproposes and prioritises specific activities for developing or improving dementia data or methodologies, indicates the timeframes for taking action to address data gaps or quality issues, and describes the expected outcomes for improving dementia data. The NDDIP will be updated as the availability and quality of dementia data and needs evolve over time.
In December 2022, the department released a draft NDAP for consultation with a final version expected to be released in 2024.
Potential partnership projects may involve improving dementia data to help evaluate the progress of the NDAP.
Administration of partnership projects
AIHW procurement and tender processes will be used for partnership projects. This means that:
- some partnership projects may be undertaken using existing Australian Government procurement panels – for example, the AIHW regularly uses organisations on existing panels for research services who can help administer surveys by finalising questionnaires, collecting data, and providing datasets – these opportunities will not be advertised
- some partnerships may be undertaken through competitive limited tender processes – the AIHW may approach one or more organisations who have specific expertise, capabilities, and/or data holdings relevant for a partnership project – these opportunities will not be advertised, and
- it is anticipated that most partnership projects will be delivered as discrete projects undertaken (or commissioned) through competitive open tender processes – the AIHW will release tender documentation using AusTender.
- The AIHW will include information in tender documents about the services to be provided and how those services are intended to enhance the availability and use of dementia data – i.e. the specific data gap (or gaps) and expected outcomes will be described to encourage organisations to propose approaches, potentially novel or innovative, to address AIHW requirements. This information will include relevant information from the NDAP, the NDDIP and other background information on dementia data priorities, expected outcomes, relationships with other AIHW activities, and AIHW’s project completion and reporting timeframes.
In responding to tenders, organisations will be required to submit proposals describing the rationale for their approach, data sources to be used, methods (data treatment and analysis), expected outputs and outcomes, limitations, etc.
The AIHW annual procurement plan (available on AusTender) may be updated to provide brief information on the subject matter and potential timing of open tenders for partnership projects. Some organisations may not be familiar with AusTender processes and the AIHW will endeavour to make information promoting opportunities for partnership projects using AIHW communications channels such as the AIHW Tenders webpage, and by liaising with the department to identify and use other appropriate forums.
The publication of this information does not commit the AIHW to undertaking procurement activities.
General information on identifying and responding to Australian Government requests for tender can be accessed through the Selling to Government website.
In all cases the AIHW will formally contract successful tenderers to complete specific projects. The AIHW publishes information about contracts worth $100,000 or more, twice a year. Refer to AIHW Tenders – procurements over $100,000 for more information.
Conditions for consultancies will be included in tender information and may be provided upon request.
A total of $4,127,996 (GST exclusive) is available for the partnership projects program, for a number of projects to be undertaken between now and 2025. An indicative cost of up to $400,000 (GST exclusive) is assumed for most individual partnership projects for planning purposes, however, the cost may vary depending on the project’s scope and/or the methodologies needed to meet the project’s outcomes.
The first partnership project, Australia’s Dementia Awareness Survey, is currently underway.
Tender opportunities are expected to be announced in 2024.
All partnership projects are expected to be completed by mid-2025.
Further information
The following publications provide greater detail on previously identified data needs for dementia monitoring, and how dementia data may be used for monitoring and reporting purposes:
- National Dementia Data Improvement Plan (NDDIP)
- National Dementia Action Plan 2023-2033 (NDAP)
- Dementia Data Gaps and Opportunities.
The AIHW dementia reports webpage provides links to AIHW dementia-related publications, including the regularly updated web report Dementia in Australia.
All other enquiries should be emailed to: [email protected].