Elder Services, Ontario Region

Elder Services, Ontario 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 Canada has a requirement to administer sentences of a term of two years or more, as imposed by the courts.  CSC is responsible for managing institutions across Canada of various security levels and supervising offenders under conditional release in the community.  

CSC contributes to public safety through the custody and reintegration of offenders.  This includes both custodial and community supervision of offenders, including those with Long term Supervision (LTSOs) for periods of up to 10 years CSC is currently responsible for approximately 15,000 inmates and 8,000 offenders actively supervised in the community.

CSC is committed to providing programs and opportunities to me the needs of Aboriginal offenders.  CSC is legislated to provide Aboriginal offenders with the opportunity to further develop their understanding of traditional Aboriginal culture and beliefs while allowing others to practice their beliefs and values systems.  

The Aboriginal Elder exposes offenders to traditional Aboriginal ways of life, based on their own teachings, through teachings, counselling, and traditional ceremonies and practices, individually and/or in groups, for the benefit of both offenders and staff.  

The term “Elder” means any person recognized by the Aboriginal community as having knowledge and understanding of traditional culture of the community, including the ceremonies, protocols, teachings and healing techniques, according to the beliefs and social traditions of their communities and teachers/Elders, and may also be known as a Spiritual Advisor.  Knowledge and wisdom, coupled with the recognition and respect of the people of the community, are the essential defining characteristics of an Elder.  Elders achieve these gifts by following a traditional way of life, and following the teachings of Elders and healers over a significant period of time.  Some Elders may have additional attributes, such as those of traditional healer.  Elders may be identified as such by Aboriginal communities, other Elders, and their teachers. The work will involve the following:

1.1 Objectives:

As required by the CCRA and individual correctional plans, Elders are engaged to ensure the accommodation of Aboriginal spiritual practices.  They assist Aboriginal offenders in their traditional healing journey, to further develop an understanding of traditional Aboriginal culture through teachings, guidance and counselling.  Further, they utilize traditional ceremonies and practices they have been given the responsibility to carry, to promote healing and balance.

1.2 Tasks:

The Aboriginal Elder will provide the following services as outlined below:
a)	Ceremonial and Spiritual Services
The Elder shall provide up to 229 days of Service to the Aboriginal offenders per year.  The Aboriginal Elder shall assist Aboriginal opportunities to further develop an understanding of traditional Aboriginal spirituality while exposing them to traditional ceremonies and belief systems by:
•	Providing information to offenders through group sessions (circles) and individual discussions, mainly to offenders in population, including those offenders held in segregation, Special Handling Units, Regional psychiatric centres, and in particular assessment units.  
•	Conduct spiritual services and various traditional ceremonies either in groups or individually such as smudging using sacred medicines, (e.g. sweet grass, tobacco, sage, cedar), fasts, family spiritual services, sweat lodges, longhouse ceremonies. 
•	Conduct workshops for the Aboriginal offenders regarding traditional and cultural beliefs using visual aids and other media.
•	Provide teachings to the Aboriginal offenders regarding the areas of Aboriginal spirituality and culture that will enhance an offender’s understanding of traditional beliefs and values.
•	Conducting group discussions on fundamental objects and ceremonies of Aboriginal spirituality.
•	Arranging and preparing for various tribal group Aboriginal Elders to attend the institution periodically or as needed.
•	Providing advice/information to staff and management, locally regionally and nationally on issues of Aboriginal spirituality and its impact on the institution.
•	Providing counseling to offenders in emergency situations such as death in the family. 
•	Liaison with both Case Management staff and Aboriginal programs staff to assist offenders in the population management strategies and correctional treatment processes as well assisting parole applications and release planning.
•	Other services as agreed between the Contractor and the Project Authority, which may include escorting inmates on temporary absences.
•	Expose institutional staff to various elements of traditional spirituality upon request and/or as deemed appropriate.
•	Liaison with Correctional Service of Canada and the community.
•	On a monthly basis, the Aboriginal Elder, using the assistance and coordination of the Aboriginal Liaison/Coordinator workers shall report to the Project Authority.
•	Elders will complete elder assessments on Aboriginal offenders in compliance with the Correctional Service of Canada policy.
•	In the execution of duties pertaining to cultural and spiritual services, there may be a requirement to attend training related to Aboriginal Program Delivery, as well as an expectation to participate in delivery, as needed.
•	Pertaining to the Kingston and surrounding area, there may be a requirement to travel between institutions in the performance of the objectives set out by the Project Authority.
•	Attendance including possible travel to conferences, workshops, and meetings at other locations may be necessary subject to the approval in advance from the Project Authority.
•	All work will be performed subject to the inspection and acceptance of the Project Authority.

1.3	 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).

1.4 Constraints:

1.4.1	Location of work:

a.	The Contractor must perform the work in the Ontario Region at a site within the Kingston and Surrounding Area, as deemed by the Project Authority (please refer to section 12).

b.	The Contractor must perform the work in the Ontario Region at Warkworth Institution, located outside of the Kingston and surrounding Area, as deemed by the Project Authority (refer to section 12).

c.	The Contractor must perform the work in the Ontario Region at Beaver Creek Institution, located outside of the Kingston and surrounding Area, as deemed by the Project Authority (refer to section 12).

d.	The Contractor must perform the work in the Ontario Region at Grand Valley Institution, located outside of the Kingston and surrounding Area, as deemed by the Project Authority (refer to section 12).

		e.	Travel
			
			i.	Travel to these locations will be required for performance of the work under the applicable contract: At the specified sites within the Ontario Region as deemed by the Project Authority. 

1.5 	Language of Work:

The contractor must perform all work in English.

1.6 Security Requirements:

This contract includes the following security requirements:

1.	The Contractor personnel requiring access to PROTECTED information, assets or sensitive work site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by CISD/PWGSC or Correctional Services Canada (CSC).

2.	The Contractor MUST NOT remove any PROTECTED information or assets from the identified work site(s), and the Contractor must ensure that its personnel are made aware of and comply with this restriction.

3.	Subcontracts which contain security requirements are NOT to be awarded without the prior written permission of CSC.

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

a)	Security Requirements Check List, described in the contract;
b)	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:

a.	  Applicants must be recognized as Elders/Cultural Advisors within their community, with at least 5 years experience in cultural education, ceremonies and teachings.  Security clearance requirements must be met and a valid Driver’s License is required.

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

There are a restricted number of qualified Elder/Spiritual Advisor service providers in the Ontario Region who are willing and available to provide traditional services to offenders in order to meet CSC's Aboriginal offender religious accommodation needs. The pre-identified service providers meet the minimum essential requirements: each applicant is an Elder/Cultural Advisor within their community, with extensive experience in cultural education, ceremonies and teachings.  

7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

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

This procurement is not subject to any Intellectual Property

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

The proposed contract is for a period of four (4) years, from approximately July 8, 2015 to March 31, 2016 with an option to extend the contract for three (3) additional one-year periods.

11. A cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is: 

Fred Lascelles	     FT          $351,101.34      
Shane Henry 	     FT          $336,157.57
Linda Zaluska         FT          $351,101.34
James Johnson      FT          $351,101.34
Dan Ross               PT          $278,832.55
Jane Chartrand      PT          $258,750.62      
Steve Sands          FT           $351,101.34
Paul Bourgeois      PT          $278,832.55
Mike Couchie         PT          $242,292.52
Walter Cooke         PT          $80,638.99
Jacquelyn Labonte PT          $177,685.70
Laini Lascelles        FT          $325,361.69

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Elder Name	City of Residence	Location of Work
Gravenhurst
Couchie Mike	North Bay, Ontario	Beaver Creek Institution
Kitchener
Labonte Jacquelyn	St. Catherines, Ontario	Grand Valley Institution
Lascelles Laini	Scarborough, Ontario	Grand Valley Institution
Cooke Walter	Winona, Ontario	Grand Valley Institution
Warkworth
Bourgeois Paul	Hiawatha FN, Ontario	Warkworth Institution
Sands Steve	Deseronto, Ontario	Warkworth Institution
Kingston and Surrounding Area
Zaluska Linda	Kingston, Ontario	Kingston and Surrounding Area
Chartrand Jane	Whitney, Ontario	Kingston and Surrounding Area
Lascelles Fred	Tyendinaga FN, Ontario	Kingston and Surrounding Area
Henry Shane	Winnepeg, Manitoba	Kingston and Surrounding Area
Ross Dan 	Nepean, Ontario	Kingston and Surrounding Area
Johnson Jim	Hiawatha FN, Ontario	Kingston and Surrounding Area

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 July 7, 2015 at 2 pm EDT

15. Enquiries and submission of statement of capabilities

Enquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Shane Collins, Regional Contract Administrator
Correctional Service Canada, Ontario Region
P.O Box 1174, 443 Union St.
Kingston, ON
K7L 2R8
Telephone: 613-536-6127
Facsimile: 613-536-4571
Email:  Shane.Collins@csc-scc.gc.ca