Directed Faith Community Reintegration Project (DFCRP)

Advanced Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
Directed Faith Community Reintegration Project (DFCRP)

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 initiate a Directed Faith Community Reintegration Project (DFCRP) as “spiritual factors are a consideration at parole hearings as a part of the release planning needs” (Guide for Parole Officers). DFCRPs are an integrated, post-release component of the continuum of care. They align with CSC’s mandate for public safety through the provision of a range of services and activities that facilitate the transition and reintegration of individuals back into the community. DFCRPs support offender reintegration plans and program goals.

The work will involve the following:

1.1 Objectives:

To contribute to CSC’s mandate to support successful offender reintegration following release from CSC institutions through:

• Bridge building between offenders and their religious and spiritual community groups;
• Liaising with parole, justice organizations and faith communities;
• Developing faith community capacity to engage with offenders;
• Supporting offender reintegration plans and program goals;
• Assisting offenders to become contributing members of society.

1.2 Tasks:

1.2.1 Contribute to the continuing Correctional Work of CSC Post-release:

The Contractor must offer an essential link between the re-integrating offender and their community of faith/spiritual practice and community at large. The service the Contractor must provide, includes, but is not limited to:

a) Support the reintegration goals and correctional plan of the offender and encouraging a balanced religious/spiritual perspective rooted in mainstream religious thought;
b) Engage faith communities to support and nurture a healthy religious/spiritual development path for the offender post-release;
c) Support positive, pro-social relationships in faith communities and other communities as appropriate;
d) Support offenders in their accountability (parole officer, following conditions and any other aspects of their re-integration plan);
e) Incorporate and facilitate restorative practices into the offenders’ relationships, building on restorative justice principles including relationships with persons and institutions having authority;
f) Work with identified offenders and offender groups at institutions prior to release to build relationships in anticipation of offering reintegration support, pro-social, faith-based activities upon release; and
g) Work with identified offenders post release offering reintegration support, pro-social faith-based activities and where required, enculturation services.

1.2.2 Local Needs Assessment:

The Contractor must liaise with local parole offices, justice organizations, institutional chaplains and other community stakeholders to identify the needs and trends related to reintegrating Black offenders and facilitate responsive services (including volunteers) that are uniquely faith/spirituality based and complementary with existing services. This includes, but not limited to:

a) Educate and liaise with community justice organizations (John Howard, E. Fry, Salvation Army, others) about the DFCRP services available to support offender religious and spiritual practice during the reintegration process;
b) Conduct offender religious/spiritual needs assessments on an ongoing basis and develop a religious/spiritual care plan that supports the religious/spiritual practice of the offender and connects them with faith communities that promote cooperative living in a diverse society;
c) Work with faith leaders and diverse faith communities to develop local capacity to address the needs of Black offenders returning to the community;
d) Coordinate with faith leaders to offer and support religious/¬spiritual and cultural transition rites and rituals that are unique to the needs of Black offenders returning to the community; and
e) Recruit, train, and oversee faith community volunteers.

1.2.3 Develop and implement a holistic service provision strategy:

The Contractor must develop or adapt a holistic strategy for working with Black offenders released from federal institutions. The Contractor must implement that strategy, which must include the following:

a) Investigate existing advisory groups and working groups in all regions, at all levels, and develop networking relationships with relevant resources;
b) Initiate an advisory group that may include, but is not limited to, representatives from local religious communities, the police, CSC parole, clinical or social worker groups and professional or academic groups, to meet regularly to support the work of the DFCRP initiative;
c) Network with chaplains and institutional Parole Officers at CSC Institutions releasing identified offenders to the community to initiate and encourage referrals;
d) Network with CSC Parole in communities where the work is being done to inform and educate parole officers about the work of the Directed FCRP with Black offenders;
e) Develop or adapt a structured faith-based reintegration support model, focussed on assisting identified Black offenders who require faith support; cultural connection; or enculturation services or any combination of the three; and
f) Incorporate positive, faith, spiritual and cultural-based mentoring initiatives to assist with empowerment, self-determination and leadership as a foundation for effective reintegration.

1.2.4 Community Safety Impact

The Contractor must contribute to public safety by mitigating the stigma attached to being a Black offender and breaking down barriers to successful reintegration and participation in a law-abiding society. To accomplish this the Contractor must:

a) Educate the public about the strengths that offenders bring and challenges they face when returning to the community;
b) Accompany offenders in their reintegration into diverse faith communities and help build confidence in offenders within the community;
c) Coach faith communities and others to safely engage with offenders;
d) Facilitate restorative practices where appropriate (e.g., where the faith community has been affected by the offender’s actions) fostering restoration, belonging and mutual care; and
e) Build capacity in faith communities to address the needs of released offenders: engaging, informing, educating, and equipping offenders for successful reintegration.

1.2.5 Facilitation of Pro-Social Involvement and Belonging

Communities of faith typically offer many diverse, faith-based, pro-social activities to the public that foster a sense of belonging while contributing to spiritual and religious growth. Offender involvement in these activities offers a direct resource to mitigate identified risk factors. The Contractor must initiate, accompany, and support offenders as they seek to make a positive contribution to the community. They must:

a) Coach and nurture offender social skills through healthy applied spirituality/religious practices;
b) Foster healthy relationships with self, faith tradition and community at large;
c) Introduce offenders to pro-social supportive communities;
d) Facilitate faith communities to donate and offer material resources to offenders for practical living, leisure (lessons, membership sponsorships);
e) Facilitate faith community networking for occupational opportunities for offenders;
f) Coach the offender to manage attitudes of self as a spiritual person of value;
g) Introduce and accompany offenders in pro-social religious, spiritual, or faith-based recreational and social activities;
h) Foster the applied religious and spiritual growth of offenders within their faith community as it relates to their unique experience of reintegration including coping, psychological, emotional and physical self-care as well as other needs that are responsive to the offender.
i) Seek opportunities for offenders to engage with local Black religious, spiritual and cultural activities to strengthen enculturation and thereby enhance acculturation to facilitate successful reintegration.

Definitions:

Holistic – Supportive interventions that present a balanced spiritually-based, restorative interpretation of life.

1.3 Expected results:

• To develop or adapt a faith-based reintegration strategy for working with Offenders from traditionally underserved communities, specifically the Black community in Halifax.

• To work with identified Black offenders and Offender groups from Halifax at CSC institutions prior to release to build relationships in anticipation of offering faith-based reintegration support.

• To work with identified offenders post release offering reintegration support and with local Black faith communities to build and strengthen their capacity to support released offenders.

1.4 Deliverables:

1.4.1 The Contractor must provide to the Project Authority:

a) A copy of the holistic strategy for working with Black offenders released from federal institutions within (6) six months of contract award.
b) A copy of the Monthly quantitative indicator reports and invoices using the provided measurement tools; and
c) A copy of the Quarterly reports within thirty (30) days of the end of each quarterly reporting period.

1.4.2 Format of Deliverables:

The Contractor must submit one (1) electronic copy of reports in Excel format to the Project Authority.

1.4.3 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).

1.5 Constraints:

1.5.1 Location of work:

a) The Contractor must perform the work in the Halifax area.

b) Travel

i. Travel may be requested on an “as and when required basis” by CSC for attendance at meetings, orientation, or conferences, as specified in writing by the Project Authority.

1.5.2 Language of Work:

The Contractor must perform all work in English.

1.5.3 Security Requirements:

This contract includes the following security requirements:

SECURITY REQUIREMENT FOR CANADIAN SUPPLIER:
PWGSC FILE No. 21120-24-4479757

1. The Contractor must, at all times during the performance of the Contract, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS), 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 remove any PROTECTED information or assets from the identified site(s), and the Contractor must ensure that its personnel are made aware of and comply with this restriction.

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

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

a) Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable), attached at Annex A;

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:

1. The Supplier must have completed at a minimum two (2) projects in collaborating with agencies working with ex-offenders, or offenders, or both. The experience must have been acquired within the last seven (7) years preceding the closing date of this Advanced Contract Award Notice (ACAN).

2. The Supplier must have a minimum of two (2) years experience in collaborating with faith-based organizations to facilitate support services for offenders returning to the community, or at-risk people in the community, or both. The experience must have been acquired within the last seven (7) years preceding the closing date of this ACAN.

3. The Supplier must have a minimum of two (2) years experience managing a volunteer program in the community. The experience must have been acquired within the last seven (7) years preceding the closing date of this ACAN. The volunteer program(s) must include all of the following elements:
a. Recruitment;
b. Selection; and
c. Training and retention.

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 offender reintegration support to CSC Black offenders in the Halifax Area. In My Own Voice Arts Association (IMOVe) is the only Halifax-based community organization working consistently in the area of Offender reintegration from a Black perspective, pre- and post- release that is open to a faith-based spiritual approach. The pre-identified supplier is the only organization that has the experience and capacity to undertake this work. This strategy is a specialized area of engagement with a historically under-served population. The pre-identified supplier has indicated their ability to provide these specialized services in the geographical locations where CSC and the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) have identified needs.

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 date of contract award to one (1) year later with an option to extend the contract for two (2) additional one (1)-year periods.

11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $228,000.00 (GST/HST extra).

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: In My Own Voice Arts Association (iMOVe)
Address: 5663 Bilby Street, Halifax, NS B3K 1V5

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 Tuesday, April 09th, 2024 at 2:00pm EST.

15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Mbinwi Ghogomu
340 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON K1A 0P9
Telephone:343-549-7179
E-mail:Mbinwi.Ghogomu@csc-scc.gc.ca