Community Employment Counsellor - Nanaimo Region

Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)

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 meets 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 the requirement:

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has a requirement to provide employment services to conditionally released offenders in communities in order to facilitate their successful reintegration through the creation of opportunities for sustained employment. The work will involve the following:

1.1 Objectives:

The Contractor must provide employment services for conditionally released offenders in the community. The employment services must include a facility or location, administration, case management and reporting services, and the development of community and employer partnerships.

1.2 Tasks:

The Contractor must provide services in the following areas:

1. Operational Requirements

2. Case Management

3. Community and Employer Partnerships

4. Deliverables and Reporting. 

1.3 Expected Results:

The minimal Offender Placement targets is:

Nanaimo Area: Placements per annum - 35

1.4 Performance standards:

1. OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Operational requirements refer to the baseline facility and administration requirements necessary for the successful delivery of the CEC Program taking the offender’s risk into consideration. 

1.1 Contractor Facilities:

1. Unless otherwise requested by the Project Authority, the Contractor must be able to provide services at the Contractor’s place of business, which must include an area where confidential discussions can occur.

2. The Contractor’s place of business must be readily accessible by public transportation.

3. The Contractor must provide their own telephone, facsimile, photocopier, computer and office supplies. 

4. The Contractor must, at its place of business, provide offenders with access to a telephone, facsimile, and computer (where permitted) for job search purposes.

5. The Project Authority must be able to access the Contractor by telephone, fax and e-mail.

1.2 Administration:

1. Nanaimo: The Contractor must be available to provide an anticipated level of service of 20 hours per week, Monday through Friday, exclusive of statutory holidays.

2. At the request of the Project Authority, the Contractor must provide services outside normal business hours (8:00am-5:00pm), such as in the late afternoon and/or evening and/or weekend.

3. The Contractor must provide backup personnel to ensure that there will not be any interruption in service and that Canada's operational requirements are met when the Contractor is unable to provide services (including, but not limited to, due to vacation or illness). The Contractor must submit to the Project Authority, for approval, the names, addresses, qualifications and experience of all backup personnel to be employed by the Contractor to provide the services under contract. The Contractor must submit any subsequent changes in backup personnel to the Project Authority for approval. Any replacement of the backup personnel must have similar qualifications and experience and must be acceptable to Canada.

2. CASE MANAGEMENT:

Case management involves the services required to assess the offender’s needs, determine employment objectives, and provide support towards positive employment outcomes. 

The Contractor must provide case management services as follows:

2.1 Intake and Assessment:

1. Complete an intake assessment interview for all offenders on any form of release who are referred to the Contractor. The intake process must include:

2. identifying and developing employment options during the release period 

3. analyzing and assessing the offender’s needs based on the following criteria as a minimum: level of education, job experience, individual skills, employment objectives, occupational interests;

4. determining requirements with respect to developing skills for functional independence, including, as a minimum, the following: time management, team work, leadership, financial management, creativity, adaptability;

5. identifying and defining the offender’s job dynamics and issues (including, but not limited to, family issues, medical issues, physical and/or mental limitations, restrictions imposed by parole conditions) that have an impact on the suitable type of employment for the offender.

2.2 Job Counseling and Job Search Support:

1. Informing the offender of actual labour market conditions;

2. Providing advice and guidance on the development of an individual employment plan

3. Promoting offenders to potential employers through:

1. an employer directory;

2. available federal, provincial and local employment programs.

1. Supporting and coaching the offender on job search strategies as follows:

1. referring to any appropriate external resources or specialized agencies;

2. referring to relevant available employment opportunities;

3. encouraging/supporting offenders in their approach to employers.

4. following up on applications with potential employers to identify potential gaps or concerns

1. Supporting and coaching the offender with job entry and retention via:

1. following up at specified intervals;

2. to the extent possible, collecting information from the employer with respect to job progress

 2.3 Governance:

1. The Contractor must work collaboratively with the offender’s supervisor/parole officer throughout the program. The Contractor must notify the supervisor/parole officer of any of the following:

1. The offender’s failure to keep an appointment with the Contractor or a potential employer;

2. the offender’s abandonment of the program;

3. the offender’s not following up on referrals to community resources to which the offender was referred for the required employment assistance ;

4. the offenders securing a job or changing jobs;

5. any information considered relevant to the progress made by the offender in securing employment.

3. COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIPS

The Contractor must develop and maintain partnerships within the community and with local employers. The two main areas of focus are job development and referrals. In support of this requirement the Contractor must carry out the following activities:

3.1 Job Development:

1. Conduct local marketing activities to ensure employers and community partners are aware of the CEC Program and the availability of offenders for potential employment;

2. Locate and meet with employers in business and industry in the community to secure employment opportunities for offenders;

3. Attend job fairs in the community to meet potential employers and gain a clear understanding of their requirements and desired employee profiles;

4. Provide awareness sessions to community parole officers on a quarterly basis (April, July, October and January);

5. Develop and maintain relationships with government agencies, employment service providers and provincial job training programs;

6. Provide assistance with educational training applications, financial and disability applications, and critical documentation applications;

7. Proactively obtain local labour market information to identify new potential employers and employment opportunities, as well as trends in labour need areas.

 3.2 Referrals:

1. Access and utilize the CEC Program Referral Process in the *CSC Offender Management System (electronic database) on a weekly basis to accept referrals;

2. Visit Community Correctional Centres, Community Residential Facilities and any other relevant community accommodation options on a weekly basis to meet with referred offenders;

3. Accept self-referrals to the program, with confirmation from the Parole Officer.

4. Make referrals to:

1. existing community resources specializing in employment assistance for Aboriginal persons, women, immigrants, visible minorities and mental health and aging populations.

2. employment agencies for specialized employment services, including but not limited to workshops, vocational testing, job coaching, and job placement

3. academic upgrading and skills training

4. agencies that assist with employment barriers, including but not limited to housing, child care, and transportation

5. agencies that provide job readiness services, including but not limited to résumé writing, interviewing coaching, and clothing programs.

1.5 Deliverables:

 1.5.1 The Contractor must provide the following deliverables: 

1. Record and input all offender related employment information, as well as employer information into the Offender Management System (OMS);

2. Document and submit all information to CSC no later than ten (10) business days after providing employment services to each offender i.e. Intake Forms, Job Placement information, and Final Reports; and

3. Weekly status reports and monthly job placement report.

4. Each CSC approved database will have specific requirements set out for data entry. The Project Authority will communicate these requirements to the Contractor. It is estimated that reporting requirements will take approximately 10% of the level of effort required. The information required to be tracked and entered into CSC’s database(s) will include, but is not limited to the following:

1. offender employment information, including but not limited to start and end of employment, name of employer, and type of employment;

2. employer information, including but not limited to name of business, address, contract information, and type of employment;

3. all offender referral information, including offender referrals for community employment services, and referrals of offenders to service providers for job readiness services; and

4. offenders’ employment status at 90 days from assigned date and/or after 30 days of continuous employment.

5. The Project Authority will audit, on a quarterly basis, all offender related employment information, as well as employer information, input by the Contractor.

6. The Contractor must access the CSC Offender Management System (OMS) from CSC facilities only, such as CSC Parole Office.

 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:

a. The Contractor must perform the work in the province of British Colombia, Nanaimo

b. Travel

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

 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 No. 21C80-20-3187253 STREAM-B

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 Contract Security Program (CSP), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).
2. The Contractor/Offeror personnel requiring access to PROTECTED information, assets or sensitive site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the CSP, PWGSC.
3. The Contractor/Offeror MUST NOT remove any PROTECTED information or assets from the identified 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 the CSP, PWGSC.

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

a) Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable), attached at Annex A;

b) Industrial Security Manual (Latest Edition).

2. Criteria for the assessment of the statement of capabilities (minimum essential requirements):

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

Experience: 

1. The Supplier’s organization must have a minimum of two (2) years of experience in providing employment services to persons with multiple barriers to employment (persons with mental or physical disabilities, persons with low income or low literacy or with an educational deficit, disadvantaged populations, persons from different ethnocultural groups, persons with a criminal record).

The employment services include:

• Job Club;
• Resumé writing;
• Interview skills
• Job Search skills
• Career planning

Job club is defined as any workshop or training activities to orientate a person, or a group in ways to find, keep and maintain employment

The experience must have been obtained within the last seven (7) years prior to the ACAN closing date.

2. The Supplier’s proposed resource (s) (Individual) must have a minimum of one (1) year of experience in providing employment services to persons with multiple barriers to employment (persons with mental or physical disabilities, persons with low income or low literacy or with an educational deficit, disadvantaged populations, persons from different ethnocultural groups, persons with a criminal record).

The employment services include:

• Job Club;
• Resumé writing;
• Interview skills
• Job Search skills
• Career planning

Job club is defined as any workshop or training activities to orientate a person, or a group in ways to find, keep and maintain employment

The experience must have been obtained within the last seven (7) years prior to the ACAN closing date.

3. The Supplier’s proposed resource(s) (Individual) must have a minimum of one (1) year of experience in developing employment opportunities through partnerships with potential employers.

The experience must have been obtained within the last five (5) years prior to the ACAN closing date.

4. The Supplier’s proposed resource(s) (Individual) must have a minimum of one (1) year of experience in referring clients to service providers of job readiness services.

The experience must have been obtained within the last five (5) years prior to the ACAN closing date.

Job readiness services are defined as specialized employment services to prepare persons for employment and includes vocational testing, job coaching, resume writing, skills upgrading and job placement

5. The Supplier’s proposed resource (s) (Individual) must have a minimum of six (6) months of experience in maintaining statistics on the outcome of job readiness services within the last five years (5) prior to the closing of the ACAN.

Job readiness services are defined as specialized employment services to prepare persons for employment and includes vocational testing, job coaching, resume writing, skills upgrading and job placement.

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 not subject to any set-asides for Aboriginal Suppliers.

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 is a restricted number of qualified service providers in the Nanaimo region, who are willing and available to provide employment counselling in the community for offenders under federal jurisdictions on conditional release.

The Supplier is the only Canadian organizations that can perform the scope of work, given its history, experience and familiarity with the level of information required to complete the tasks identified in the scope of work. This Supplier is uniquely positioned to provide these services given its specific mandate to provide employment counselling services and assistance, to offenders under federal jurisdiction who are on conditional release in the community.

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) 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. Period of the proposed contract or the delivery date

The proposed contract is from February 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 with an option to extend the contract for two (2) additional one (1) year periods.

11.Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $ 114,071 (GST/HST extra)

 12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: Nanaimo Region John Howard Society

Address: Suite 200-1585 Bowen Road, Nanaimo BC, V9S 1G4

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

14. Closing date and time for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is Thursday, January 7th, 2021 at 2:00 pm (EST).

15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Danielle Cameron, Senior Procurement Officer

Telephone: (343) 542-9350

E-mail: Danielle.cameron@csc-scc.gc.ca