Indigenous Research Advisory Circle

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 (CSC) has a requirement to establish an Indigenous Research Advisory Circle (referred to hereon in as the “Advisory Circle”) to advance CSC’s reconciliation efforts within the context of applied correctional research. The Advisory Circle will provide advice and recommendations to CSC’s Research Branch (RB) in the development and advancement of research areas involving Indigenous peoples. The Advisory Circle will be composed of members from the following groups:

• Indigenous Elders;
• Indigenous researchers, scholars, or academics (including post-secondary institutions and Indigenous not-for-profit organizations with a research mandate) in the criminal justice or social service fields, or both;
• Indigenous practitioners/front line workers (e.g. social workers, community healers, program facilitators, etc.) working in a community-based social service setting, ideally with clients involved in the justice system;
• Indigenous leaders from the community;
• A community representative from CSC’s National Indigenous Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Circle includes different regional representation and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals to help ensure a broad and inclusive perspective reflective of the unique rights, interests, priorities, and circumstances of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

1.1 Objectives:

To participate in the Advisory Circle to ensure that Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, research methodologies, teachings, values, oral traditions, and worldviews are respected and integrated in research involving federally sentenced Indigenous peoples. To provide guidance and advice relating to:

1. Establishing standards and guiding principles for the conduct of research that is respectful and responsive to Indigenous knowledge, perspectives, and worldviews. This can include but is not limited to:
a. Identifying and defining ethical considerations in CSC research and activities as they relate to federally incarcerated Indigenous peoples, or Indigenous employees, or both.
b. Developing culturally sensitive research practices, including protocol, ceremony and knowledge sharing considerations when engaging Indigenous peoples in research activities.
2. Establishing and maintaining meaningful research partnerships and collaborations with Indigenous scholars, academics, and communities.
3. Identifying and recommending opportunities to strengthen RB employees’ understanding, awareness and integration of Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, and values to their work.
1.2 Tasks:

The tasks the contractor (Advisory Circle member) must perform for RB include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.2.1. Attend and participate in one in-person annual meeting as well as virtual meetings scheduled
throughout the term of the contract to provide advice on various research topics related to the objectives of the Advisory Circle.

1.2.2 Provide advice and information to CSC RB staff and management on issues relating to Indigenous spirituality and cultural practices in the context of research.

1.2.3 Introduce RB staff and research stakeholders to various elements of traditional spirituality as deemed appropriate by members based on their teachings, experience, and educational background.

1.2.4 Provide advice, guidance, and recommendations on RB initiatives, projects, methodologies, and issues of Indigenous spirituality, ceremonies, cultural practices and protocols and other considerations relating to research involving Indigenous peoples serving a federal sentence.

1.2.5 Review and provide oral or written feedback on draft documents and key materials related to research involving federally sentenced Indigenous peoples.

1.2.6 Provide guidance and recommendations on the development of standards of practice, ethical guidelines, protocols, and learning and development curriculum that would support and ensure consistency in the integration of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives across various research initiatives.

1.3 Expected results:

To advance CSC’s reconciliation efforts within the context of applied correctional research.

To provide advice and recommendations to CSC’s Research Branch (RB) in the development and advancement of research areas involving Indigenous peoples.

1.4 Performance standards:

The following CSC laws, guidelines and policies apply to the work:

Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), sections 3, 4, 5 and 88
Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations (CCRR), section 115
Privacy Act, paragraph 8(2)(j)
Copyright Act
Access to Information Act, sections 18, 21 and 22
Commissioner’s Directive 009 – Research

1.5 Deliverables: The contractor (Circle Advisory member) must:

1.5.1 Provide feedback and guidance during the annual Advisory Circle meeting as well as during virtual meetings.
1.5.2 Contribute 10 -15 hours of review and consulting outside of the three annual meetings (1 in-person meeting and 2 virtual meetings annually).
1.5.3 Submit oral or written summaries, or both of comments on draft documents and key materials as agreed upon with project authorities.

1.5.4 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 work must be performed at the contractor (Advisory Circle member’s) place of business.

b. Travel

The Advisory Circle member must attend and participate in one in-person meeting per year located in one of CSC’s Regions across Canada.

1.6.2 Language of Work:

The contractor (Advisory Circle Member) must perform all work in the official language of their choice.

1.6.3 Security Requirements:

There are no security requirements associated to this contract.

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:

1. The supplier must belong to at least one of the following groups:

• Indigenous* Elders or Spiritual Advisors;
• Indigenous researchers, scholars, or academics (including post-secondary institutions and Indigenous not-for-profit organizations with a research mandate) in the criminal justice, social service, or Indigenous studies fields.
• Indigenous practitioners working in a community-based social service setting with clients involved in the criminal system;
• Indigenous leaders from the community with interest in reintegration programs, or services, or initiatives;
• A community representative from CSC’s National Indigenous Advisory Committee.

* The term ‘Indigenous’ refers to individuals identifying themselves as ‘First Nations people, Métis or Inuit’. The supplier must submit a letter demonstrating they belong to one of the above groups. .

2. The supplier must have the following:

1) A minimum of one year of experience within the last 5 years prior to the ACAN closing date in Indigenous research ethics, methodologies, approaches, or practices, or any combination of the four; and

2) A minimum of one year of experience within the last 5 years prior to the ACAN closing date in at least one of the following areas:
• Working with individuals involved in the criminal justice system or vulnerable populations, or both.
• Collaborating and building partnerships with diverse stakeholders including government departments, community service providers, community members.
• Sharing Indigenous knowledge, values, and teachings to support and inform research practices, policy, programs, or services, or any combination of the four.

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 set-aside for an Indigenous Supplier in accordance with the government Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB). Therefore, only suppliers who meet the definition of an Indigenous business, as defined in the PSIB, may submit a statement of capabilities.

This restriction does not apply to contracts with individuals who are Elders.

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 who are qualified and available to provide advice and recommendations from an Indigenous of perspective to advance CSC’s reconciliation efforts within the context of applied correctional research.

The proposed Contractors are Indigenous professionals who are recognized as a credible and knowledgeable representative by Indigenous communities.

The suppliers are the only Indigenous Professionals, that expressed interest and allowed CSC to achieve the geographical representation as well as representation across Indigenous groups needed to ensure the Indigenous Research Advisory Circle would provide a broad and inclusive perspective reflective of the unique rights, interests, priorities, and circumstances of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

The pre-identified suppliers meet 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 1 year with an option to extend the contract for four (4) additional one-year periods.

11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contracts, including option(s), is $50,000.00 (taxes inclusive).

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: Raymond Gros-Louis
Address: contractor’s place of business

Name: Jennifer Leason
Address: contractor’s place of business

Name: Giselle Dias
Address: contractor’s place of business

Name: Kathy Absolon
Address: contractor’s place of business

Name: Bryan Deer
Address: contractor’s place of business

Name: Kristen Tyrer
Address: contractor’s place of business

Name: Justin Tetrault
Address: contractor’s place of business

Name: David Varis
Address: contractor’s place of business

Name: Lilian George
Address: contractor’s place of business

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 February 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST.

15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Nassima Aliouat
Senior Contracting Officer.
340 Laurier Ave West
Ottawa ON
Telephone: 343-540-8957
E-mail: bidsubmissions.GEN-NHQContracting@CSC-SCC.GC.CA