Elder Helper Services (Pacific Region)

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 meet 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 requirement:

The Correctional Service of Canada is committed to providing programs and opportunities to meet the Spiritual, Cultural and Case Management needs of the Aboriginal populations within the institutions as per CD 702 towards the goal of public safety and to address the over representation of Aboriginal offenders within the federal correctional system.  The Correctional Service of Canada is legislated to provide Aboriginal offenders with the opportunity to further develop their understanding of traditional Aboriginal spirituality while allowing others to practice their beliefs and values systems

The Correctional Service Canada has a requirement to provide Elder Helper services to the Pacific Region Institution. "Elder" means any person recognized by the Aboriginal community as having knowledge and understanding of the traditional culture of the community, including the physical manifestations of the culture of the people and their spiritual and social traditions.  The Elder Helpers should facilitate the Elder programming, thus providing more consistency in participant involvement, whether it is traditional ceremony, coordination of offenders or the case management process.  

The work will involve the following:

1.1 Objectives:
The Aboriginal Elder shall assist Aboriginal offenders toward opportunities to further develop an understanding of traditional Aboriginal spirituality while exposing them to traditional ceremonies and belief systems. Also, to provide advice/information to staff and management, locally, regionally and nationally on issues of Aboriginal spirituality and its impact on the Institution as well as provide information to Case Management as part of the Case Management Team.

1.2 Tasks:
The Aboriginal Elder Helper shall assist Aboriginal offenders toward opportunities to further develop an understanding of traditional Aboriginal spirituality while exposing them to traditional ceremonies and belief systems by:

•	Coordinate and provide supervision for offenders during traditional ceremonies; perform traditional ceremonies in the absence of the Elder, e.g. pipe ceremony, sweatlodge ceremony and sharing circles.
	
•	Conduct group discussions in the identification and proper use of ceremonial objects for offenders and staff.
	
•	Assist liaison staff to prepare reports (verbal and written) and other technical supports to case management and parole processes.
	
•	Assist in scheduling ceremonies so they do not conflict with other activities or the security of the institution and provide written notification of these events to appropriate Elders, liaisons and correctional service staff.
	
•	Provide a list of contacts with offenders, activities attended and ceremonies attended to the Project Authority or his/her designate.

•	Participates in staff meetings to further enhance team concept and to create a support network.

•	Providing cultural awareness sessions in traditional teachings/healing to Case Management team members and institutional staff when requested in order to promote a balanced environment for aboriginal offenders.

•	Other services as agreed between the Contractor and Project Authroity, which may include escorting inmates on temporary absences.


1.3 Expected results:
The contractor will promote healing and pro-social behaviour and reintegration success of Aboriginal offenders. Culture and spirituality based interaction will be provided to the Aboriginal offenders. 

1.4 Performance standards:
Hours of Work and activities undertaken will be documented by the contractor on bi-weekly or monthly basis. These will be submitted to the Project Authority for review.

1.5 Deliverables:

•	Estimated level of effort is 515 hours in the above delivery of 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:

The Contractor must perform the work at any of the following locations: 
a.	Matsqui Institution (33344 King Rd, Abbotsford, BC V2S 4P3), 
b.	Mission Institution (8751 Stave Lave Street, Mission, BC V2V 4L8) and 
c.	Ferndale Institution (33737 Dewdney Trunk Road, Mission, BC V2V 4L8), 
d.	Mountain Institution (4732 Cemetery Rd, Agassiz, BC V0M 1A0), 
e.	Kent Institution (4732 Cemetery Rd, Agassiz, BC V0M 1A0), 
f.	Pacific Institution/Regional Treatment Centre (33344 King Road, Abbotsford, BC, 
g.	V2S 4P4), 
h.	Fraser Valley Institution (33344 King Road, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 4P4), 
i.	Ferndale Institution (33737 Dewdney Trunk Road, Mission, BC), 
j.	 William Head Institution (6000 William Head Road, Victoria, BC, V9C 0B5)
k.	CSC Regional Headquarters Pacific (33991 Gladys Ave, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 2E8)
l.	CSC National Headquarters (340 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON  K1A 0P9)
m.	Victoria Parole (101 - 1230 Government Street, Victoria, BC,  V8W 3M4)

		b.	Travel

Travel to any of the above locations of work a to m will be required by the contract. There may be requirements to travel within Canada to locations not listed in the above locations of work.

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:
a.	The Contractor personnel requiring access to sensitive work site(s) must EACH hold a valid Reliability Status granted or approved by CISD/PWGSC.   

b.	Subcontracts which contain security requirements are NOT to be awarded without the prior written permission of CISD/PWGSC. 

c.	The Contractor must comply with the provisions of the: 
Security Requirements Check List;
Industrial Security Manual (Latest Edition)

2. Minimum essential requirements:

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

Must have a minimum one (1) year experience in delivery of the local traditional medicines;
Must have a minimum one (1) year experience working the land, eg hunting, fishing;  
Must have a minimum of one (1) year experience working with Elders;
Must have minimum six (6) months experience dealing the government organizations..
			
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 Aboriginal Business

This procurement is set-aside for an Aboriginal Supplier in accordance with the government's Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB). Therefore, only suppliers who meet the definition of an Aboriginal business, as defined in the PSAB, may submit a statement of capabilities.

5. Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement (s)

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

6. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

Stephanie Thomas has experience in working local traditional medicine. She has experience working with the local Elders and has worked the land as a hunter. Ms.Thomas was enrolled in the Canadian Forces Army, (Chilliwack, BC) from July, 2009 to June, 2012, and successfully completed the Canadian Forces Aboriginal Youth Employment Program. Ms. Thomas has obtained a RCMP Youth Academy certificate, (Stillwater, BC). 

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

The following exclusion (s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the section of the trade agreement (s) specified: 

This procurement is not subject to any trade agreement.

9. Ownership of Intellectual Property

Ownership of any foreground intellectual property arising out of the proposed contract will vest with the Contractor.

10. The period of the proposed contract or the delivery date(s)

The proposed contract is for a period of 1 year, from 2013-12-23 to 2014-03-31.
 
11. A cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option (s), is $12,184.90 in fees, $2,000.00 in travel for the contract (GST/HST extra).




12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: Stephanie Thomas. 
Agassiz, BC 

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. This statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

14. The closing date and time for a submission of a statement of capabilities 

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is December 18, 2013 at 14:00 hours.

15. Enquiries and submission of statement of capabilities

Enquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Liliane Matheson,
A/Procurement and Contracting Specialist
PO Box 4500
33991 Gladys Ave
Abbotsford, BC	
Telephone: 604-870-2521
Facsimile: 604-870-2444
E-mail: Liliane.Matheson@csc.scc.gc.ca