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NDIS Assistive Technology Request Checklist: Track Assessments, Quotes and Next Steps
An NDIS assistive technology request is easier to organise when you separate the person's need, the advice required, the evidence or quote actually needed, and the next decision. Start by confirming the pathway for the particular item. Not every item requires a formal application, assessment, quote or trial. This checklist helps organise the work; it cannot determine eligibility or approve a purchase.
- For:
- NDIS participants, families, support coordinators and allied health professionals organising an assistive technology request
- Includes:
- Practical guide + copyable templates + printable workbook
- Time:
- 9 minute read
Published 22 September 2026 · Updated 22 September 2026
Editorially reviewed 22 September 2026
Written by Callum Cruikshank — Founder of Kinovo
Callum draws on his family's lived experience of coordinating support. These resources offer practical coordination ideas, not clinical, legal or NDIS funding advice. No independent clinical review is claimed.
First, confirm which assistive technology pathway applies
People often search for an 'NDIS equipment application checklist' expecting one standard list. The information needed depends on the item, its cost and risk, the person's plan and whether funding or another decision still needs to be obtained. A checklist is useful only after those differences are recognised.
The NDIA distinguishes low-cost AT under $1,500, mid-cost AT from $1,500 to $15,000, and high-cost AT over $15,000. Cost and risk are separate: an inexpensive item can still require specialist advice. Start with the NDIA guide to assistive technology and confirm what applies to your item and circumstances.
- Situation
- Low-cost, low-risk item
- What to clarify
- Check that it is an appropriate NDIS support and that the funding and purchase arrangements apply. Do not assume a quote or assessment must be obtained for every low-cost item.
- Situation
- Mid-cost item
- What to clarify
- Confirm the written advice and evidence needed. A letter, email or report may be relevant; a formal assessment is not automatically required for every mid-cost item.
- Situation
- High-cost item
- What to clarify
- Confirm the assessment, quote and decision requirements before committing to the purchase. Ask who will coordinate the required evidence.
- Situation
- Higher-risk item at any price
- What to clarify
- Obtain appropriate advice about suitability, safe use and any assessment or training requirements. Price alone does not establish that an item is low risk.
| Situation | What to clarify |
|---|---|
| Low-cost, low-risk item | Check that it is an appropriate NDIS support and that the funding and purchase arrangements apply. Do not assume a quote or assessment must be obtained for every low-cost item. |
| Mid-cost item | Confirm the written advice and evidence needed. A letter, email or report may be relevant; a formal assessment is not automatically required for every mid-cost item. |
| High-cost item | Confirm the assessment, quote and decision requirements before committing to the purchase. Ask who will coordinate the required evidence. |
| Higher-risk item at any price | Obtain appropriate advice about suitability, safe use and any assessment or training requirements. Price alone does not establish that an item is low risk. |
For the current detail, read how to buy mid-cost or high-cost assistive technology. Use official guidance or specific written advice to resolve uncertainty before spending.
Describe the everyday need before gathering product details
Write down the activity the participant wants support with, what currently makes it difficult and what has already been tried. Include where the item would be used and what the participant likes or dislikes about existing arrangements. This gives an adviser useful context without the family having to produce a clinical recommendation.
A description such as 'Sam wants to join conversations at the community group and wants advice about suitable communication options' is a starting point. It does not establish which device is appropriate. Keep product suggestions separate from a clinician's recommendation, and distinguish the participant's preferences from other people's assumptions.
Before sending reports around the team, agree who needs which information and why. A supplier answering a question about a quoted accessory may not need the participant's entire report history. Use the current, relevant document and the participant's agreed sharing arrangements.
Assistive technology request summary
Start with the person's activity and need. Leave clinical recommendations to the appropriate adviser or assessor.
Participant / preferred name: ___
Prepared with the participant on: ___
Everyday activity they want support with: ___
What is difficult now, in the participant's words: ___
Existing equipment or strategies and what is / is not working: ___
Item or options being explored (not a purchase decision): ___
Relevant adviser / assessor and contact: ___
Cost category and risk advice confirmed by / on: ___
Current guidance or written advice used: ___
Evidence / quote / trial needed for this item, or not applicable: ___
Who will clarify the funding and purchase pathway: ___
Any actual deadline and where it came from: ___
Information the participant agrees to share, with whom and why: ___
One next step, accepted owner and next check-in date: ___
NDIS assistive technology request checklist
Use the steps that apply. 'Not applicable, confirmed with [person/source] on [date]' is a useful result. It is better than ordering an unnecessary assessment or leaving a blank box that everyone assumes somebody else is handling.
- Confirm the question: are you exploring options, arranging advice, gathering evidence for a decision, or organising purchase of an already funded item?
- Identify the appropriate AT adviser or assessor and agree what they will provide. Ask about scope, fees and timing before arranging work.
- Confirm the item-specific evidence requirements and record where that advice came from. Distinguish a written recommendation from a formal assessment.
- Arrange a trial only where it is appropriate or required. Ask the adviser what the trial should establish, who will review it and what costs or arrangements need agreement.
- If a quote is needed, check that the model, configuration and inclusions match the current recommendation. Clarify delivery, setup, training, accessories, ongoing costs and quote expiry where relevant.
- Check the evidence for practical gaps: missing pages, the wrong item, an outdated version or unanswered questions. Ask the author to correct their own document; do not rewrite their clinical opinion.
- If submission is required, confirm who will send it, to whom and through which current channel. Keep the receipt or reference and record exactly what was submitted.
- Record the written outcome and any conditions. Confirm the purchase or rental pathway before committing to an order.
- Arrange any necessary delivery, fitting, training and review with the appropriate people. Make sure the participant knows whom to contact about a problem.
The NDIA's general assistive technology assessment guidance explains the kinds of information an assessment addresses. Let the appropriate professional determine and document the assessment; use this checklist to organise its progress.
A trial may help establish whether an option is suitable, but it is not a universal requirement. See how to trial assistive technology.
Track the next missing piece, not just 'equipment pending'
An equipment request can look stalled when three different things are happening: the adviser is completing a recommendation, the supplier is updating a quote and the coordinator is clarifying the submission process. One status such as 'waiting' hides the actual work.
Use a separate card or row for each required document or action. Give it an accepted owner and a next check-in date. Record the person being asked to respond separately from the person following up. A supplier may owe a quote, while the participant or coordinator has agreed to check its progress.
Use dates accurately. An appointment date, a supplier estimate, an agreed follow-up date and an NDIA decision date are different things. Do not turn a supplier's estimate into a promised delivery date or imply that your own check-in date is an official deadline.
Assessment, quote or next-step tracker
Use one card for each document or action that is actually needed. Mark irrelevant steps 'not applicable' with the reason.
Item / request reference: ___
Document or action needed, and why: ___
Status: to clarify / requested / received / correction needed / complete / not applicable
Owner and date they accepted: ___
Person or organisation asked to respond: ___
Date requested: ___
Agreed due date, if any: ___
Next follow-up date: ___
Current filename, author, date and version: ___
Missing information or question: ___
Submitted to / date / receipt, only if submission is required: ___
Written outcome, conditions and date, if applicable: ___
Purchase or rental pathway confirmed by / on: ___
Delivery, setup, training or review still to arrange: ___
Reminder: a quote, report or submission receipt is not funding approval.
A fictional example: the report is ready but the quote needs clarification
Sam and their adviser are exploring a communication device. The adviser has completed the current recommendation, and a supplier has sent a quote. The team has been advised that a quote is needed for this particular pathway. This example illustrates coordination, not a recommendation for a device or a statement about Sam's eligibility.
- Step
- Current recommendation
- Current position
- Received. The dated report identifies the recommended configuration.
- Accepted next action
- The coordinator will use this version when asking the supplier to clarify its quote, within Sam's agreed sharing arrangements.
- Step
- Supplier quote
- Current position
- Received, but it is unclear whether a recommended accessory is included.
- Accepted next action
- The coordinator will ask the supplier to confirm the inclusion and any revised total, then check again on the agreed date.
- Step
- Submission, if required
- Current position
- Waiting for the quote clarification and confirmation of the current submission requirements.
- Accepted next action
- The coordinator will confirm what must be sent and who will send it. Nothing is marked submitted yet.
- Step
- Purchase
- Current position
- Not arranged. A report and quote do not establish funding approval.
- Accepted next action
- Sam and the team will confirm the applicable decision and purchasing arrangements before an order is placed.
| Step | Current position | Accepted next action |
|---|---|---|
| Current recommendation | Received. The dated report identifies the recommended configuration. | The coordinator will use this version when asking the supplier to clarify its quote, within Sam's agreed sharing arrangements. |
| Supplier quote | Received, but it is unclear whether a recommended accessory is included. | The coordinator will ask the supplier to confirm the inclusion and any revised total, then check again on the agreed date. |
| Submission, if required | Waiting for the quote clarification and confirmation of the current submission requirements. | The coordinator will confirm what must be sent and who will send it. Nothing is marked submitted yet. |
| Purchase | Not arranged. A report and quote do not establish funding approval. | Sam and the team will confirm the applicable decision and purchasing arrangements before an order is placed. |
The next useful question is 'Does this quote include the accessory in the current recommendation?' It is more actionable than sending everyone another message saying 'Any update on the device?'
Request or follow up missing information
Choose the adviser, supplier or coordinator who can answer this question. Send a specific request rather than the whole file history.
Subject: [Item / request reference] - clarification of [specific point]
Hi [name],
With [participant's] agreement, I am helping organise [request].
The activity they want support with is [brief context].
We currently have [document title, author and date].
The question we still need answered is [one specific question].
Could you [confirm the pathway / clarify the recommendation / update the quote]?
The relevant attachment or current document is [location].
If this is outside your role, please tell us who should address it.
Can you let us know an expected response date?
Our next agreed check-in is [date]. This is not an NDIA decision deadline.
For a follow-up: We requested [item] on [date]. Has the expected timing changed?
We will keep this step open until the answer is confirmed.
Thank you, [name and contact details]
When the documents arrive, close the right step
Mark a document as received when it arrives. Mark it as checked only after someone has reviewed the relevant details. If a correction is required, keep the original and corrected versions clearly labelled so nobody accidentally submits the wrong one. A brief note can identify which version is current without duplicating every email.
Keep receipt, submission, decision and delivery separate. Receiving an assessment does not mean the item has been approved. Sending documents does not mean the request has been accepted. A purchase decision does not mean setup or training is finished. Closing each step accurately makes the next responsibility visible.
After delivery, record who is arranging any fitting, instruction or review recommended by the relevant professional. Keep supplier contact and warranty information somewhere accessible to the people who need it. If suitability or safe use is unclear, seek advice through the established support arrangements rather than experimenting with the equipment.
If the next step is preparing for an OT appointment, the new OT information checklist can help you choose the relevant background. If you are still waiting for an appointment, use the therapy waitlist tracker linked below.
An AT request often crosses several organisations. Kinovo can help the care team keep accepted tasks, relevant documents and updates together, so the next missing piece is visible. It does not assess the item, submit an NDIA application for you or decide whether funding is available.
Official assistive technology guidance
Checked 22 September 2026. Requirements can change and depend on the item and circumstances. Recheck the relevant NDIA page when using this workbook.
FAQ
Does every NDIS assistive technology item need an assessment and quote?
No. Requirements depend on cost, risk, the item and the person's circumstances. Do not use this checklist as a universal application requirement. Check current NDIA guidance and appropriate advice, then track only the documents and decisions that apply.
What is the difference between mid-cost and high-cost assistive technology?
The NDIA's current cost categories place mid-cost AT between $1,500 and $15,000, and high-cost AT above $15,000. Risk is a separate consideration. Confirm the evidence, advice and purchase requirements for the particular item rather than using price alone.
Who should follow up the assessment or supplier quote?
Agree one person to follow up each item and record their acceptance. That person might be the participant, a chosen supporter or a coordinator within their agreed role. Record who must provide the document separately from who will check its progress.
Does having a quote mean the NDIS has approved the equipment?
No. A quote describes a proposed supply and price. An assessment, quote or submission receipt does not establish funding approval. Confirm the relevant funding decision, conditions and purchasing arrangements before committing to an order.
Can this workbook be used as an NDIA application?
No. It is an optional organiser for your care team. Where an application, evidence or submission is required, use the current NDIA requirements and the appropriate professional documentation. The workbook helps track that work without replacing it.
Disclaimer
General coordination information only, not clinical, legal or NDIS funding advice. These optional worksheets are not NDIA forms and do not replace professional instructions, required provider records or agreed urgent and emergency channels. Examples are fictional. Check current official guidance for your circumstances.