Visiting Elder – Spiritual/Cultural Services

Visiting Elder – Spiritual/Cultural 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 Canada has a requirement to for the provision of Cultural Services to Aboriginal offenders in the Pacific Region. The work will involve the following:

1. Objectives:

The Correctional Service of Canada is committed to providing programs and opportunities to meet the needs of Aboriginal offenders. 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.

Eight of the federal facilities in the Pacific region are on what the Sto:lo people consider to be their traditional territory. The Aboriginal Corrections Accountability Framework mandates the building of horizontal relationships and enhancing relationships with community. Giving federal offenders the opportunity to learn traditional ways of the local Sto:lo people allows them the opportunity to build relationships to enhance reintegration, and afford the opportunity to examine one’s own criminal behaviour.

1.2 Tasks:

The contractor is to provide traditional Sto:lo traditional teachings including the historical challenges faced by the Sto:lo people including residential school attendance. These teachings may take place as part of a teaching circle.

The contractor must provide instruction of traditional Sto:lo art and craft activities, culture and traditional teachings.

The contractor at the request of the Project Authority shall provide visiting Elder services to meet the needs of the offender population.

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

1. providing information to offenders through group discussions (circles) and individual discussions
2. conduct spiritual services and various traditional ceremonies either in-groups or individually such as smudging using sacred medicines, (e.g., sweetgrass, tobacco, sage, cedar), fasts, family spiritual services, sweat lodges, longhouse ceremonies.
3. conduct workshops for the Aboriginal Offenders regarding traditional and cultural beliefs using visual aids and other media.
4. 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.
5. conducting group discussions on fundamental objects and ceremonies of Aboriginal spirituality.
6. providing advice/information to staff and management on issues of Aboriginal spirituality and its impact on operations.
7. providing counseling to offenders in emergency situations such as a death in the family.

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 a 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 769 hours per contract period.

The contractor is to provide all supplies necessary in the delivery of these tasks.

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:

The Designated Institutional Staff must be notified of all supplies needed for entry into the institution and all supplies must be approved prior to entry into the institution. 

1.6.1 Location of work:

The Contractor must perform the work at

1. Matsqui Institution (33344 King Rd, Abbotsford, BC),
2. Pacific Institution/Regional Treatment Centre (33344 King Road, Abbotsford BC),
3. Fraser Valley Institution (33344 King Road, Abbotsford, BC),
4. Mission Medium Institution (8751 Stave Lave Street, Mission, BC)
5. Mission Minimum Institution (33737 Dewdney Trunk Rd, Mission, BC)
6. Mountain Institution (4732 Cemetery Rd, Agassiz, BC),
7. Kent Institution (4732 Cemetery Rd, Agassiz, BC),
8. Kwikwexwelhp Healing Village (Harrison Mills, BC)
9. Chilliwack Community Correctional Centre (45914 Rowar Avenue, Chilliwack, BC)

b. Travel

No travel is anticipated for performance of the work under this contract.

c. Dates to be arranged between Project Authority and Contractor.

d. Times to be arranged between Project Authority and Contractor.

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:

SECURITY REQUIREMENT FOR CANADIAN SUPPLIER:

PWGSC FILE # 21801-17-0031 

1. The Contractor/Offeror must, at all times during the performance of the Contract/Standing Offer, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS), issued by the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate (CISD), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

2. The Contractor/Offeror 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.

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

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

5. The Contractor/Offeror must comply with the provisions of the:

1. Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable), attached at Annex D;
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:

Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years experience in providing cultural teachings to aboriginal male inmates from a variety of Aboriginal cultures and backgrounds within an institutional environment.
• A minimum of 2 years experience in providing lessons in various forms of traditional arts and crafting such weaving, sewing, appliqué, and felting.

• A minimum of 2 years experience in providing ceremony relevant to the Sto:lo people of this territory; for example blanketing.

• A minimum of 2 years experience delivering cultural teachings, stories, art forms, songs, language and traditions of Sto:lo people.

• Organization must have a minimum of three (3) Elders who can each provide at least two different cultural teachings

Academic qualifications: Would not be applicable in this case as teachings are passed from Elders and community.

Professional designation, accreditation and/or certification: This would not be applicable however good standing and demonstration of the above essentials with the community and band of Sto:lo Nation would be essential.

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.

7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

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

(d) That 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 of 1 (One) year, from 2017-04-24 to 2018-03-31 with an option to extend the contract for 2 additional one-year periods.

11. A cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option (s), is $155,580.00 (GST extra).

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: Sto:Lo Nation (Qwi:qwelstom Justice Program)

Address: Chilliwack, 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 April 18, 2017 at 2:00 PM 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

Telephone: 604-870-2603

Facsimile: 604-870-2444

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