Dodem Kanonhsa’ Indigenous Education and Cultural Facility (DODEM) at the Department of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)

1. Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
An Advance Contract Award Notice 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 Advance Contract Award Notice, on or before the closing date stated in the Advance Contract Award Notice, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

2. Definition of the requirement
Dodem Kanonhsa’ Indigenous Education and Cultural Facility (DODEM) at the Department of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC),Toronto Regional Office has a requirement to obtain services of a Contractor to provide Indigenous cultural and educational services in First Nations, Metis, and Inuit traditions to the ISC employees and to the general public in the Toronto area. The in-person and/or virtual cultural activities are provided through workshop coordination and event planning at the Dodem c/o Indigenous Services Canada, 655 Bay St., Suite 300 Toronto ON M5G 2K4

Following the Oka Crisis in 1990, Indigenous Services Canada sought ways to improve awareness on Indigenous Peoples history and culture. One solution was to build the Kumik Lodge, a cultural facility in the Department’s headquarters in Gatineau, Quebec that focused on traditional teachings provided by Indigenous wisdom keepers. Building on the success of the Kumik, the opportunity arrived to build a similar facility in ISC Ontario Regional Office in Toronto. Dodem Kanonhsa’ opened on September 21st, 1998. DODEM is a learning and sharing facility which fosters greater acceptance, understanding and harmony between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples. Dodem Kanonhsa’ hosts a variety of training sessions, circles and workshops.

The contractor shall:
• Provide a full-time Manager for the Dodem.
• Determine appropriate programming (workshops and events) and cover the cost for Elders and other cultural professionals who provide activities at
the Dodem or through virtual means.
• Send out invitations and notices to employees of Ontario Region regarding upcoming events.
• Provide tobacco offerings when required.
• Process the travel claims for all Elders and other cultural professionals who attend the Dodem in person.
• Dodem Manager is available to help employees find specific supports required.
• Dodem Manager is available to the public to provide history and answer questions.
• Culturally appropriate programming (workshops and events) is offered on an ongoing basis throughout the year both virtually and in person at the
Toronto office site.

3. 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:
a. Must be an Indigenous organization in existence and serving Toronto for a minimum of 5 years
b. Must provide Monday to Friday, a full-time Indigenous resource to oversee the Dodem and manage activities on-site or through virtual means. The
resource must attend on-site at Toronto when required.
c. Must have contacts with a range of Elders/speakers representative of the various First Nations/Inuit/Métis groups in Ontario, whom can be called
upon to present or speak on Indigenous history, ceremonies, etc., at various times throughout the year
d. Must present a workplan reflecting educational and culturally appropriate activities (at least two per month) throughout each fiscal year. These
activities should range from ceremonial teachings, Canadian Indigenous history, cultural activities, spiritual teachings, etc.
e. Must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience working in a diverse multi-cultural setting and provide sessions both in-person and virtually
f. Must be able to obtain a Reliability level security clearance for the organization and the employee.
g. Provide a list of the Elders / speakers which represent all major cultural and linguistic groups of First Nations / Inuit / Métis in Ontario.

4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:
• Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
• World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-GPA)
• Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
• Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
• Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
• Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA)
• Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA)

5. Set-aside under the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business
N/A

6. Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement(s)
This procurement is not subject to a Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement.

7. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
The Pre-Identified Supplier, Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT) provides culturally appropriate programming for all ISC employees and the general public of Toronto, through the Dodem Kanohnsa’ and has for more than 25 years. The NCCT worked with the Department in the late 90’s to develop the Dodem Kanohnsa’ idea and programming which is now a common expectation by employees.

The NCCT personnel have vast experience carrying out culturally appropriate training and educational events on an on-going basis throughout the year. The NCCT has a wide network of Elders, speakers and knowledge keepers in a variety of First Nation, Inuit and Métis cultures. The sessions are provided in-person at 655 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario and/or in a Virtual environment to all ISC employees and to the general public in the Toronto area. NCCT determines appropriate programming (workshops and events) and covers the cost for Elders and other cultural professionals who provide activities at the Dodem or through virtual means.

The NCCT has for more than 25 years provided leadership in the area of educating the public and the public service. The sessions vary from Elders to historians and span many Indigenous cultures in Ontario Region.

The Pre-Identified Supplier and the proposed resource meets all of the criteria described in this ACAN.

8. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)
The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection
6(d) - "only one person is capable of performing the work".

9. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons
N/A.

10. Ownership of Intellectual Property
Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.

11. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date
The proposed contract is for a period of five years, with an estimated start date of April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2029 with an option to extend the term by up to five (5) additional one (1) year periods.

12. Travel
N/A

13. Cost estimate of the proposed contract
The estimated value of the 5 year contract is up to $1,182,674.00 (Taxes included).

14. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
NATIVE CANADIAN CENTRE OF TORONTO
16 Spadina Road
Toronto, Ontario
M5R 2S7

15. 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 Advance Contract Award Notice may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

16. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities.
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is:
March 18, 2024 at 12 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)

17. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
soumissionbid@sac-isc.gc.ca