Traditional Healers - Medicine Man & Medicine Woman

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), as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to public safety by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.

CSC is committed to providing programs and opportunities to meet the needs of Indigenous offenders.

CSC is legislated to provide Indigenous offenders with the opportunity to further develop their understanding of traditional Indigenous culture and beliefs. The Traditional Healers expose Indigenous offenders to traditional Indigenous 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 “Traditional Healer” (Medicine Man or Medicine Woman) means any person recognized by the Indigenous community as having knowledge and understanding of the traditional culture of the community, including the ceremonies, protocols, teachings and healing techniques, according to the beliefs and social traditions of their communities.

1.1 Objectives:

Assist Indigenous offenders, in their traditional healing journey, to further develop an understanding of traditional Indigenous culture through teachings, guidance, counselling, and use traditional ceremonies and practices to promote healing and balance

1.2 Tasks:

All services must be pre-approved by the Project Authority. The Project Authority will review and update the tasks quarterly to ensure the effectiveness of the project. The Traditional Healers must work with the University of Saskatchewan as part of the evaluation and research of this pilot project. 

The Traditional Healers must share cultural and traditional teachings through individual and/or group discussion. These sessions will occur at Okimaw Ochi Healing Lodge and in the community of Nekaneet.

The Traditional Healers must perform the work primarily during CSC’s normal business hours (08:00-16:00) Monday to Friday. The Traditional Healers must provide services in-person. 

The Project Authority may request that the Traditional Healers perform work outside of normal work hours (evenings, weekends).

The Traditional Healers must provide the following services:

1.2.1 Ceremonial and Spiritual Services:

The Traditional Healers must participate in an Integrated Health Team, that includes Traditional Healers (Medicine Man/Woman), Knowledge Keepers, Elders, Helpers, Traditional Healers Apprentice, Indigenous Liaison Officers and western trained medical practitioners, nurses, psychologists, social workers and pharmacist and any other team members as deemed appropriate. 

The Traditional Healers must ensure healing practices are patient centered and holistic in nature.

The Traditional Healers must make traditional medicines available for residents (offenders) who are interested in having them as part of their healing and wellness plan.

The Traditional Healers must provide (in-group or individual) counseling, teachings and ceremonial services to the Indigenous offenders.

The Traditional Healers must conduct spiritual services and various traditional ceremonies based on the Traditional Healers teachings.

The Traditional Healers must assist offenders following a healing path in support of their correctional plan.

The Traditional Healers may be requested, by agreement, to escort offenders on Escorted Temporary Absences (ETAs) for ceremonial and other spiritual purposes.

1.2.2 Advice and Guidance:

The Traditional Healers with the support of the Traditional Healer Apprentice, must, upon request:

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

Involve the Elders in the Healing Plan meetings and ongoing planning.

Participate in a brief discussion around the approach for the day, participate in regular integrated team meetings, participate in ongoing case conferencing and consultations sessions, provide advice/information to staff and management, locally, regionally and nationally on issues of Indigenous spirituality and cultural practices.

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

Provide instruction and advice to the Institutional Head to ensure protocols and guidelines from the specific Traditional Healers are observed and followed: 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

1.2.3 Case Management:

The Traditional Healers (Medicine Man and Medicine Woman) must, with the support of Traditional Healer apprentice and Health Service Administration:

Participate in case conferences as requested.

Provide verbal/written summaries to the Case Management Team, Health Services and to the Traditional Healer Apprentice, as requested, regarding the offender's participation in a healing path as part of the offender’s progress report. This may include progress on an offender’s participation in spiritual/cultural interventions or activities as appropriate.

Upon receiving a referral/request from Case Management team, Health Services, the Traditional Healers (Medicine Man/Woman) must provide initial information and updates verbally or in writing to the Health Services Administrative Assistant, Health Services staff or Parole Officer for documentation which may include initial observations; whether the resident has agreed to continue working with the Traditional Healer team through Indigenous specific interventions; the offender’s progress in addressing their needs as well as information about an offender’s readiness for the possible transition into the community.

1.2.4 Regional and National Meetings:

The Traditional Healers (Medicine Man/Woman) and members of the Traditional Healing Team may be asked to provide advice, guidance, information, or recommendations regionally or nationally on traditional healing and spirituality

If applicable, this may also include participation, by agreement, on regional or national advisory bodies, such as the National Elders Working Group, or the National Indigenous Advisory Committee.

1.3 Expected results:

The Traditional Healers will provide the opportunity to offenders to learn, as they share their teachings, and to heal through traditional Indigenous healing practises.

1.4 Reporting and communications:

The Traditional Healers, with the assistance and coordination of the Health Services Administration must report on a bi-weekly basis providing a summary of the tasks and hours completed on the Traditional Healer Tasks – Bi-weekly Summary/Invoice. The Project Authority (or designate) will review and approve the Bi-weekly Summary/Invoice and send it to Nekaneet to issue invoice to CSC.

1.5 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. Contractor must perform the work at Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge or in the community of Nekaneet First Nation.

b. Travel

Travel to other locations for Escorted Temporary Absences and meetings must have the approval of the institutional head must have prior authorization of the Project Authority and will be reimbursed at cost without any allowance for overhead or profit.

1.6.2 Language of Work:

The contractor must perform all work in English.

1.6.3 Security Requirements:

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 sensitive site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the CSP, PWGSC.
3. Subcontracts which contain security requirements are NOT to be awarded without the prior written permission of the CSP, PWGSC.
4. The Contractor/Offeror must comply with the provisions of the:

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

b) Contract Security Manual (Latest Edition).

2. Criteria for 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:

The supplier must provide Traditional Healers that must be recognized by their community as a Traditional Healer (Medicine Man or Medicine Woman) within that community.

The supplier must be familiar with and able to provide guidance to staff and offenders regarding the protocols surrounding the use, disposition, and searching of traditional medicines and spiritual effects.

CSC reserves the right, at its own discretion, to request that suppliers provide a reference letter and/or resume, in addition to their statement of capabilities, to support the knowledge and experience claimed.

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 is a limited number of suppliers available to provide Traditional Healer services to meet the reintegration needs of CSC Indigenous offenders.

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 for a period of 2 years, from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2023.

11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract is $438,400.00 (GST/HST extra).

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: Nekaneet First Nation

Address Maple Creek, SK S0N 1N0

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

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is

March 19, 2021 2:00 PM CST.

15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Janet Nelson

Regional Procurement Officer

3427 Faithfull Avenue

SASKATOON, SK S7K 8H6

Telephone: (306) 659-9252

E-mail: 501contracts@csc-scc.gc.ca