Written 28 October 2026. Community housing providers preparing a funding bid often want modular in the mix, but the bid deadline arrives before the supplier has enough to work with. Housing Australia Future Fund Round 3 opened on 30 January 2026 for the remaining 21,350 of 40,000 social and affordable homes due by 2029. This guide shows a provider how to brief a modular supplier so the bid carries a credible delivery story.
Why the brief matters to the bid
Assessors look for a project that can be delivered. A vague line saying the homes will be modular does little. A bid that names the method, the builder, the approval path and the programme shows the provider has done the work. That comes from a good brief to the supplier early, not a rushed one in the final week.
Why modular fits community housing
Community housing often repeats the same one, two and three bedroom plans across several sites. A factory suits repeat plans because each module is built and checked the same way. Site works and fabrication run side by side, so tenants move in sooner after the site is ready. See our guide to modular social housing in Australia.
What EcoPrestige supplies
EcoPrestige supplies engineered structural steel volumetric modules, built and inspected in the factory. We are not the builder and we do not hold the provider’s contract. A builder carries the head contract and the site. For the bid, we can provide a module scope, a supply price quoted for your site and a factory programme the builder can rely on.
The brief, step by step
Start with the site
Give the address, title details and any planning history. Note slope, access width, overhead lines and where a crane could stand. If the site is not yet bought, read our feasibility guide before site acquisition.
Then the homes
State the mix of bedrooms, any accessible or adaptable homes, and the tenant groups. Homes are typically Class 1a, and small apartment buildings may fall under another class, confirmed by your building surveyor.
Then the team
Name the builder, the planner and the engineer if known. If not, say so, and we can work with whoever you appoint. Our consultant brief shows what each consultant receives from us.
What does not fit
Modules are weaker on sites with no crane access, on buildings above a few storeys and on designs that change after the bid. If your site is one of these, we will tell you before you spend bid time on a modular answer.
The approval path
Approvals depend on the state. In NSW, WA, SA, the ACT and the NT, EcoPrestige coordinates the module design with your consultants; permit drawings are issued by the registered or licensed practitioner the state requires. In Queensland, permit drawings are issued under a QBCC licensed building designer, and in Tasmania by a licensed Tasmanian building designer. In Victoria, homes are contracted through our sister company DST Project Management and Construction Pty Ltd, registered domestic builder CDB-U 72187. Confirm with your building surveyor or certifier.
The programme
Show the assessor two streams that overlap: site works and approvals on one side, factory fabrication and inspection on the other. Delivery and crane days follow, then connections and handover by the builder. Time on site is shorter because the streams run together.
What to send us
- 1. The funding round and its closing date
- 2. Site address and any survey or planning notes
- 3. Dwelling mix and number of homes
- 4. Builder and consultant names, if appointed
- 5. Any provider design standards
Want design input before the bid? Our early contractor involvement service is built for that stage.
Frequently asked questions
When did HAFF Round 3 open?
Housing Australia Future Fund Round 3 opened on 30 January 2026 for the remaining 21,350 of 40,000 social and affordable homes due by 2029.
What should a provider send a modular supplier first?
The funding round and closing date, the site, the dwelling mix, the team and any provider design standards.
Is EcoPrestige the builder on a funding bid?
No. A builder carries the head contract and the site. EcoPrestige supplies the modules and the module documentation.
Can EcoPrestige give a price for the bid?
Yes. We provide a supply price quoted for your site once we have the brief.
What NCC class are community housing homes?
Homes are typically Class 1a, and small apartment buildings may fall under another class, confirmed by your building surveyor.
Brief us before your funding round closes
Send the site, the use and any drawings to prebuilt@ecoprestige.com.au or download our technical brochures.