Eligibility and selection criteria

Eligibility

Applications for the grant are assessed on two levels of criteria.

1. Applicant eligibility criteria – non-weighted criteria that all Grant applicants must meet to be eligible to apply for funding.
2. Competitive selection criteria – weighted criteria used in the competitive assessment process to score applications against specific program priorities.

Applicant eligibility criteria

Applicants for the grant must meet the following eligibility criteria.

• The applicant is a resident in Western Australia and must be an Australian citizen or hold permanent residency.
• The applicant must reside in the region of the proposed WAV taxi service and provide sufficient proof of address (for example, electoral roll confirmation, council rates or water notice).
• Regional applicants must hold (or be eligible to hold) an on-demand booking service (ODBS) authorisation, or be able to provide evidence of affiliation with an existing ODBS in the relevant regional area.
• Metropolitan applicants must have evidence of affiliation with the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure’s (DTMI’s) contracted Metropolitan WAV Dedicated Taxi Booking Service (Currently Black & White Cabs).
• If the applicant is not the intended driver of the vehicle, then they must have relevant approvals from the owner organisation to apply for the grant funds, if applicable. Non-driver operators may also be ineligible or restricted from applying without special conditions being imposed by DTMI.
• The applicant must provide proof of ownership of a suitable vehicle for WAV modifications or provide consent from the owner of the vehicle.
• The applicant can confirm they have the sufficient financial means required to support the ongoing costs of the WAV Taxi service for the minimum operation period of 3 years from the date of contract acceptance.
• The applicant must not have been awarded DTMI WAV Grant funding in the 3 years prior to the current grant round or have withdrawn due to a breach of Agreement.

Competitive selection criteria

• All grant applications must clearly demonstrate the ability to meet and respond to the following selection criteria.
• A commitment to achieving the grant objectives.
• Their proposed service will provide public and community benefit.
• The new service is viable and how they will ensure the service delivery is not compromised.
• Applications must explain the expected timeframes for the establishment of the service.
• An understanding of WAV taxi driver training competency requirements and how to meet these.
• Previous experience in, or an understanding of, providing passenger transport services to people with a disability.
• Written references that can confirm their competence with conducting passenger transport services. Personal references can be provided if the applicant has not previously been a passenger transport operator.
• Note: Applicants in the Perth metropolitan area must provide a completed reference form, from Black & White Cabs.
• Detailed costs and quotes for the modification installation and/or replacement of WAV equipment.

Eligibility restrictions

• Funding restrictions for grantees may include:
• Poor performance of the grantee, including non-compliance or incomplete acquittals in a past grant round.
• Existing grantees, with overdue or outstanding acquittals remaining cannot reapply until all outstanding requirements are completed to a satisfactory standard as determined by DTMI.
• Fleet operators, who do not intend to drive the WAV themselves, may be ineligible or restricted from applying for the grant, without special conditions being imposed. This includes the subcontracting of only WAV qualified drivers.
• Grantees who have withdrawn from the grant due to a breach of the Grant Agreement and Conditions are ineligible to reapply.
• Applicants who have been awarded WAV grant funding under the Regional WAV Taxi Service Grant or the WAV Modification Grant, within the 3 years preceding the current grant round, are not eligible to apply.
• The 3-year exclusion period applies to the grantee and any associated business or legal entity and any vehicle that has previously received funding under either grant stream.
• Applicants can not apply for both the WAV Modification Grant and the Regional WAV Taxi Service Grant in the same grant round.

DTMI will undertake an applicant integrity check of DTMI records when assessing the eligibility of applications. Applicants may be deemed ineligible if they have previous recorded:

• warning letters
• caution notices
• infringement notices
• prosecution
• suspension or cancellation of authorisations, or
• improvement and defect notices.

The presence of such matters will not automatically result in an application being deemed ineligible.