Elder Spiritual Services

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 Needs of the Aboriginal populations within the institutions as per CD 702. 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 and Spiritual Advisor 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 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 will provide the following services as follows:

Ceremonial and Spiritual Services:

• The Elder will provide (in-group or individual) counseling, teachings and ceremonial services to Aboriginal offenders. This includes the following:

• Providing guidance and teachings through group sessions (circles) and individual discussions to offenders in the institution.
• Conducting spiritual services and various traditional ceremonies based on Elder’s teachings.
• Assisting offenders following a healing path in support of their correctional plan.
• Elders may be requested, by agreement, to escort offenders on Escorted Temporary Absences (ETAs) for ceremonial and other spiritual purposes.

  Advice and Guidance:

The Elder will, upon request:

• Provide advice/information to staff and management, locally, regionally and nationally on issues of Aboriginal spirituality and cultural practices.

• Introduce institutional staff to various elements of traditional spirituality as deemed appropriate based on their teachings.

• Provide advice to the Institutional Head regarding ceremonies, ceremonial objects, traditional practices and protocols, traditional medicines, or sacred ground within the institution including the collection and storage of ceremonial objects and traditional and ceremonial medicines.

Case Management:

The Elder will:

• Participate in case conferences as requested.

• Provide the Case Management Team with verbal information regarding the offender's participation in a healing path as requested as part of the offender’s progress report. This may include progress on an offender’s participation in Pathways, in Aboriginal Correctional Programs, or in other cultural and spiritual activities as appropriate.
• Upon receiving a referral/request from Case Management team, the Elder will provide initial information and updates verbally to the Aboriginal Liaison Officer or Parole Officer for documentation and may include initial observations; whether the offender has agreed to continue working with the Elder through Aboriginal Specific interventions; provide information about offender progress in addressing his or her needs; and provide verbal information about an offender’s readiness for the possible transition into the community.

Regional and National Meetings:

• The Elder may be asked to provide advice, guidance, information, or recommendations regionally or nationally on issues of Aboriginal spirituality and cultural practices.

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:

• 1.5.1 Estimated level of effort is up to 1030 hours in the contract period.
• On a monthly basis, the Aboriginal Elder using the assistance and coordination of the Aboriginal Liaison/Coordinator workers shall report to the Project Authority.

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:

1. Matsqui Institution (33344 King Rd, Abbotsford, BC V2S 4P3),
2. Mission Medium Institution (8751 Stave Lave Street, Mission, BC V2V 4L8) and
   Mission Minimum Institution (33737 Dewdney Trunk Rd, Mission, BC V2V 4L8)
3. Mountain Institution (4732 Cemetery Rd, Agassiz, BC V0M 1A0),
4. Kent Institution (4732 Cemetery Rd, Agassiz, BC V0M 1A0),
5. Pacific Institution/Regional Treatment Centre (33344 King Road, Abbotsford, BC,

   V2S 4P4),

6. Fraser Valley Institution (33344 King Road, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 4P4),
7. CSC Regional Headquarters Pacific (33991 Gladys Ave, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 2E8)

b. Travel

Travel to other sites for approved ETAs and meetings will be reimbursed with prior approval of the Technical Authority.

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:

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.

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

1. The Contractor must comply with the provisions of the:
   1. Security Requirements Check List;
   2. 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:

• be recognized as Aboriginal within the meaning of the Act

•  have 3 years of experience as a senior or Aboriginal Spiritual Advisor.

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

The pre-identified supplier meets all of the minimum essential requirements described in this ACAN. Following discussions with some community members, the Regional Administrator, Aboriginal Initiatives and other CSC’s Elders, it appears that only Elders / Spiritual Advisors who would be able to fulfill the expected duties.

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

There are no intellectual property terms in the contract

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

The proposed contract is for a period from 2017-04-01 to 2018-03-31.

11. A cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of these markets is indicated in Article 12 (GST extra).

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Contract# Contractor Estimated Contract Value

(excluding Goods and Services Tax – GST)

21801-17-0028 Virginia Peters $49,991.40

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 March 23, 2017 at 14:00 hours (PDT).

15. Enquiries and submission of statement of capabilities

Enquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Sandra Wilford

A/Regional Procurement & Contracting Officer

100-33991 Gladys Avenue

Abbotsford BC V2S 2E8

Telephone: 604-870-2603

Facsimile: 604-870-2444

E-mail: Sandra.Wilford@csc-scc.gc.ca