Community Program Support

An advanced contract award notice (ACAN) is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date and time stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

1. Definition of the requirement:

The Correctional Service Canada has a requirement to assist offenders in their reintegration into the community by providing continuity of support services. The work will involve the following:

1.1 Objectives:

To provide a range of services including intensive clinical intervention, one-on-one community mental health workers, housing and housing supports, education and employment services as well as community access and inclusion for complex needs offenders in the community.

1.2 Tasks:

The Contractor must assess and provide services to new and ongoing referrals from the Project Authority on a priority basis, where possible. Pre-release planning can support this process to ensure that the Contractor receives advance notice of pending referrals.

A. Just Us Women’s Centre

At the request of the Project Authority, the Contractor must provide the following services and activities on a one-to-one basis or to a group of offenders depending on the activity and need of the offender(s). The minimum number of hours issued per offender referral, by the project authority to the Contractor, utilizing these services will be 3 hours. Services include but are not limited to:

1. The Contractor must facilitate Peer Support group and individualized Peer Support for women through the Just Us Women’s Centre. Each group session must be a minimum of two hours. Individual Peer Support must be facilitated at a minimum of one-half hour per session.

2. The Contractor must facilitate addictions groups and trauma groups for women.

B. Community Support Program

At the request of the Project Authority, the Contractor must provide the following services and activities on a one-to-one basis or to a group of offenders depending on the activity and need of the offender(s). The minimum number of hours issued per offender referral, by the project authority to the Contractor, utilizing these services will be 3 hours. Services include but are not limited to:

1. The Contractor must provide a minimum of weekly therapeutic counseling services to Community Support Program participants.

2. The Contractor must consult on a pre and post release basis with community groups and government organizations that work with CSC clients to ensure coordination of services.

3. The Contractor must facilitate learning opportunities for program participants and CSC staff in the areas of mental illness harm reduction strategies and symptom management, at the request of the Project Authority

4. The Contractor must search for safe, affordable housing for CSP participants, advocate for financial resources, liaise and maintain relationships with property owners and provide eviction prevention.

C. Emmanuel House Day Program

At the request of the Project Authority, the Contractor must provide day treatment services at Emmanuel House. Day treatment must include attendance at one group per day for a maximum of 4 days per week. Groups must be a minimum of two hours.

D. Stella’s Circle – Other Programs and Services

At the request of the Project Authority, the Contractor must provide the following services and activities on a one-to-one basis or to a group of offenders depending on the activity and need of the offender(s). The minimum number of hours issued per offender referral, by the project authority to the Contractor, utilizing these services will be 3 hours. Services include but are not limited to:

1. The Contractor must provide Therapeutic-counselling services to individuals referred by the Project Authority.

2. The Contractor must facilitate therapeutic intervention group(s), including Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Each group session must be a minimum of two hours.

3. The Contractor must facilitate group counselling as part of the extended day treatment option offered at Stella’s Circle.

4. The Contractor must provide Supportive Housing services to those offenders who meet eligibility requirements. The Contractor must search for safe, affordable housing, advocate for financial resources, liaise and maintain relationships with property owners and provide eviction prevention.

5. The Contractor must provide Employment and Education services to those who meet eligibility requirements. These services must include but are not limited to; job coaching and employment maintenance for employment services provided by the Contractor. Additional employment and education services must be utilized only where existing CSC or other contractual interventions cannot meet the need and objective of the service.

E. Community Mental Health Worker

At the request of the Project Authority, the Contractor must provide the following services and activities on a one-to-one basis or to a group of offenders depending on the activity and need of the offender(s). The minimum number of hours issued per offender referral, by the project authority to the Contractor, utilizing these services will be 3 hours. Services include but are not limited to:

1. The Contractor must provide life skills development in the areas of cooking, shopping, money management, completion of daily chores, attending appointments, personal care and medication compliance, and community kitchen activities. The Contractor must provide accompaniment to community inclusion activities; and provide healthy community recreation.

2. The Contractor must accompany offenders to a medical appointment. The Contractor must complete medication delivery to participants of CSP when requested by the Project Authority.

3. The Contractor must provide Crisis intervention and prevention.

F. Case Conferences

At the Project Authority’s request, the Contractor must participate in pre and post release case conferences with CSC and stakeholders.

G. In – Reach Activities

At the Project Authority’s request, the Contractor must participate in the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) In-reach Committee meetings CSC hosts as a resource to help identify appropriate release plans for complex needs and mental health offenders.

The Contractor must occasionally travel to various CSC Institutions and NL Provincial Institutions to conduct further offender In-Reach activities and release planning, when requested by the Project Authority or the Contractor. The Project Authority must pre-approve all travel.

1.3 Expected results:

The Project Authority will:

• Review referrals for each individual offender.
• Approve the programs and services the Contractor must provide and the number of hours for each offender.

The Contractor must:

• Review and approve CSC referred offenders for acceptance through an assessment against the Contractors program and services admissions criteria and the capacity of the Contractor to address the offenders needs.

1.4 Performance standards:

All work performed is subject to inspection and acceptance by the Project Authority.

1.5 Deliverables:

1.5.1 The Contractor must submit monthly invoices outlining the following:

• Names of offenders.
• Type of service provided.
• Number of hours and group session of service per offender.

The Contractor must submit a monthly written report for each offender referred for service; the reports must accompany the monthly invoice for that period. Invoices and reports must be submitted within 10 working days of month end.

The report must detail activities undertaken in relation to the services and group sessions provided. The report must include, but not be limited to:

• The number and names of offenders in relation to the work completed in the statement of work.
• The type of service and follow up provided for each offender, including an update on case planning issues for individuals accessing services.

1.5.2 Paper consumption:

a. Should printed material be required, double sided printing in black and white format is the default unless otherwise specified by the Project Authority.

b. The Contractor must ensure printed material is on paper with a minimum recycled content of 30% and/or certified as originating from a sustainably managed forest.

c. The Contractor must recycle unneeded printed documents (in accordance with Security Requirements).

1.6 Constraints:

1.6.1 Location of work:

a. The Contractor must perform the work at locations that could include but are not limited to the Contractors place of business, NL, CSC locations, or any other location as the Project Authority pre-determines and pre-approves.

b. Travel

The Contractor may be required to travel in the performance of duties under this contract. The Project Authority will determine the location of travel according to the needs and location of the offenders requiring service. Locations could include but are not limited to NL and other CSC locations.

1.6.2 Language of Work:

The contractor must perform all work in English.

1.6.3 Security Requirements:

This contract includes the following security requirements:

SECURITY REQUIREMENT FOR CANADIAN SUPPLIER:
PWGSC FILE No. 21280-24-4513579

1. The Contractor must, at all times during the performance of the Contract, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS), and obtain approved Document Safeguarding Capability at the level of PROTECTED B, issued by the Contract Security Program (CSP), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

2. The Contractor personnel requiring access to PROTECTED information, assets, or sensitive site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the CSP, PWGSC.

3. The Contractor MUST NOT utilize its facilities to process, produce, or store PROTECTED information or assets until the CSP, PWGSC has issued written approval.

4. Processing of PROTECTED materiel electronically at the Contractor site is NOT permitted under this Contract.

5. Subcontracts which contain security requirements are NOT to be awarded without the prior written permission of the CSP, PWGSC.

6. The Contractor must comply with the provisions of the:

(a) Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable);
(b) Contract Security Manual (Latest Edition).

2. Criteria for assessment of the statement of capabilities (minimum essential requirements):

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

Experience:

The Supplier must have at least 5 years of experience, in the past 7 years prior to the ACAN closing date, working with adult offenders in relation to community release planning from a Provincial institution, Federal institution, Community Based Residential Facility, or in the community;

The Supplier must have at least 5 years of experience in the past 7 years prior to the ACAN closing date, in the provision of therapeutic gender inclusive services including case management services, individual counseling, group programming, support services for offenders in the community, and providing therapeutic home based interventions and assistance with activities of day-to-day living;

The Supplier must have 5 at least years, in the past 7 years prior to the ACAN closing date, in the provision of adult individual clinical intervention and therapeutic group programming (trauma and concurrent disorder); housing support, specialized employment services that provide on-the-job coaching and employment certifications, supports to socially disadvantaged persons including but not limited to persons with complex needs, intellectually challenged, survivors of childhood trauma and adult individuals involved with the criminal justice system.

Other requirements:

The requirements for the selection of staff must include:

a) The ability to understand the dynamics of offender behaviour and assess their needs and risks.
b) The skills to counsel offenders, form effective relationships and gain trust.
c) The skills to understand the use of authority in supervision and to intervene effectively in crisis situations.
d) The ability to assist offenders in identifying and solving the practical problems involved in their successful reintegration into the community.
e) The ability to assist offenders in identifying and obtaining the community services required for their successful reintegration.
f) Skills in communicating effectively, both orally and in writing.
g) The ability to demonstrate cultural competence and respect for diversity.

3. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

This procurement is not subject to any trade agreement.

4. Set-aside under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business

This procurement is not subject to any set-asides for Indigenous Suppliers.

5. Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement(s)

This procurement is not subject to a Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement.

6. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

There is a limited number of suppliers available to provide support and intensive case management services to meet the reintegration needs of CSC offenders with complex needs. The Pre-Identified Supplier is a community non-profit organization, which provides a broad range of services, including affordable housing, clinical services and employment services in the community. They are the only known organization capable of successfully completing this work. No other organization is known to possess the infrastructure, experience or working knowledge to deliver the programs.

The pre-identified supplier meets all of the minimum essential requirements described in this ACAN.

7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection:

(d) only one person is capable of performing the contract.

8. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

This procurement is not subject to any trade agreement.

9. Ownership of Intellectual Property

There are no intellectual property terms in the contract.

10. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The proposed contract is for a period of one (1) year, from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 with an option to extend the contract for four (4) additional one (1) year periods.

11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $616,091.50 (GST/HST extra).

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: Stella’s Circle Community Services Inc.
Address: 142 Military Rd, St John’s, NL A1C 2E6

13. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date and time of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

14. Closing date and time for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is May 6, 2024 at 2:00 PM ADT.

15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Jolaine Amos, Regional Contracting Officer
1045 Main St, 2nd Floor, Moncton, NB E1C 1H1
Telephone: 506-269-3787
E-mail: Jolaine.Amos@csc-scc.gc.ca