Life Sign Monitoring System

November 21, 2018

Attachment 2 contains questions and answers related to the challenge.

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November 15, 2018

Attachment 1 contains questions and answers related to the challenge.

A virtual tour of a Canadian penitentiary can be found here: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/csc-virtual-tour/index-eng.shtml

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This Challenge Notice is issued under the Innovative Solutions Canada Program Call for Proposals 002 (EN578-170003/C).

Please refer to the Solicitation Documents which contain the process for submitting a proposal.

Steps to apply:

Step 1: read this challenge

Step 2: read the Call for Proposals

Step 3: propose your solution

CHALLENGE TITLE: Life Sign Monitoring System

CHALLENGE SPONSOR: Correctional Services Canada (CSC)

FUNDING MECHANISM: Contract

MAXIMUM CONTRACT VALUE:

Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.

The maximum funding available for any Phase 1 Contract resulting from this Challenge is $150,000.00 CAD (plus tax) including shipping, travel and living expenses, as applicable, for up to 6 months.

The maximum funding available for any Phase 2 Contract resulting from this Challenge is $1,000,000.00 CAD (plus tax) including shipping, travel and living expenses, as applicable, for up to 2 years. Only eligible businesses that have completed Phase 1 could be considered for Phase 2.

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to contract for the total approximate funding.

TRAVEL:

For Phase 1, it is anticipated that three meetings may require the successful bidder(s) to travel to the location identified below:

• Kick-off Meeting: Ottawa, Ontario
• Institution visit/tour: Location close to the bidder's office.
• Final Review Meeting: Ottawa, Ontario

PROBLEM SUMMARY

Correctional Services Canada (CSC) is seeking a solution to monitor the life signs of inmates and identify critical conditions that would typically lead to death in custody and provide prompt notification of such situation thereby reducing the time for staff to respond to the situation.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Over the five years from 2011 to 2016, an average of 58 deaths in custody occurred in federal institutions per year. Natural deaths accounted for more than half of all deaths, and suicide was the most common type of non-natural death. CSC is committed to learning from these deaths in custody and to preventing future non-natural deaths.

CSC is seeking a solution to monitor the life signs of inmates in multiple areas (e.g. in their cells, in the infirmary, etc.) in order to notify personnel in time to prevent non-natural deaths due to: overdose, hanging, suicide attempt, assault, etc.

DESIRED OUTCOMES AND CONSIDERATIONS

Essential Outcomes

Proposed solutions must:

• Detect life signs and other changes in the environment (ex. A rope around an inmate's neck could lead to death by strangulation, blood around the wrist could indicate a self-inflicted cut, etc.);
• Recognize and warn officers immediately of emergency situations to prevent death in custody (e.g. fight, overdose, hanging, suicide attempt, etc.);
• Notify different personnel depending on the warning and location (eg. A guard in a cell block, doctor in the infirmary, etc);
• Be resistant to tampering; and
• Be protected against 20 joules impact (IK10 level).

Proposed solutions must not:

• Be a wearable device; and
• Involve improper or unauthorized collection, use, disclosure, retention and/or disposal of inmate's personal information.

Additional Outcomes

Proposed solutions may:

• Be capable of learning from past experiences and improving its judgment for the next emergency event (e.g. include Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology).

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

In 2012, CSC was given the mandate to evaluate methods or technologies to reduce the incidence of inmate deaths in custody.

The team responsible set out to examine possible solutions to monitor the life signs of people in a controlled environment.

ENQUIRIES

All enquiries must be submitted in writing to TPSGC.SIC-ISC.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca no later than ten calendar days before the Challenge Notice closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.