For support coordinators and plan managers
How support coordinators and plan managers can source a robotic companion pet for an NDIS participant, what to send us and what the supplier needs.
Support coordinators and plan managers often handle the practical side of a robotic pet purchase: finding a supplier, checking the price against the budget and making sure the invoice can be paid. We take the enquiry and pass it to an Australian supplier that sells to NDIS participants. The supplier quotes and invoices directly. We do not sell, invoice or make NDIS claims.
What to include in your enquiry
- The product type, such as a companion cat, a companion pup, MetaCat or a pocket calming robot.
- The quantity, usually one.
- The participant’s plan management type: self-managed, plan-managed or NDIA-managed.
- Whether the supplier needs to be a registered NDIS provider for this plan.
- The delivery suburb or town and state.
- Your preferred timeframe.
Please leave out the participant’s name, NDIS number and diagnosis. The supplier will ask for what they need on the invoice once you accept a quote.
What the supplier provides
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Written quote | Product, price including GST, delivery |
| Support item number | The supplier’s view of which item applies; the plan manager confirms it |
| Tax invoice | Addressed as your plan requires |
| Warranty details | Length of cover and how faults are handled |
Budget check
Companion cats are listed at $259 to $300 and pups at $269 to $315, both below the $1,500 ceiling for low-cost AT. Low-cost AT is usually paid from the Consumables budget, so confirm the balance before ordering. The purchase still needs a goal link and, ideally, a therapist note. Our goal link checklist covers what to keep on file.
Things we cannot do
- Confirm that the NDIS will fund the purchase.
- Tell you whether a particular plan can pay an unregistered supplier.
- Give clinical advice about whether a pet suits a participant.
For provider questions, see registered vs unregistered suppliers. For the funding rules, read can the NDIS fund a robotic pet.
Plan managers asked about rental can read our guide to hiring or trialling a robotic pet with NDIS funds, and our page on GST on a robotic pet explains how tax appears on the invoice.
Send an enquiry and choose the support coordinator or plan manager option.