Health Standards

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:

Correctional Service Canada (CSC) provides every inmate with essential health care, and reasonable access to non-essential health care, in accordance with professionally accepted standards (Corrections and Conditional Release Act, Section 86). CSC must revise, develop and localize the CSC health standards, which Accreditation Canada will use in its assessment of CSC in future accreditation cycles. 

The work will involve the following:

1.1 Objectives:

To support the delivery of Standard sponsorship through revision of Health Standard Organization (HSO) 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services and of Quality Improvement Services for CSC in keeping with international standards:

• Revise HSO 34008: CSC Health Services standard as a National Standard of Canada.
• Develop an HSO CSC full assessment manual inclusive of all standards CSC is assessed against, as well as revise HSO 34015: Primary Care Standard, HSO 34007:Mental Health and Addiction Services Standard and HSO 13011: Palliative Care Standard
• Customize three HSO CSC assessment manuals based on the full assessment manual for three specific types of institutions that CSC manages: (1) Mainstream Institutions; (2) Regional Treatment Centres; and (3) Regional Hospitals
• Customize an in-person interactive workshop session for CSC Regional Managers and Senior Leaders

1.2 Tasks and Deliverables

The tasks the Contractor must perform and deliverables it must develop and submit include;

A) Revise the HSO 34008: Correctional Services of Canada Health Services Standard

i. Stage 00 - Preliminary stage

• Preliminary research and scoping of the standard
• Identify related standards with input from CSC
• Develop a business case to support the need for the standard; and
• Identify relevant stakeholders that may be involved in the various project activities

ii. Stage 10 - Proposal Stage

• Develop work plan that identifies key deliverables, timelines and accountability
• Publish a Public Notice of Intent on HSO’s and Standards Council of Canada’s website indicating the development of a new standard
• Identify relevant stakeholders; and
• Establish the HSO 34008 Standard Working Group (WG) to develop the draft HSO 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services Standard.

ii. Stage 20 - Preparatory Stage

• Recruit HSO 34008 Standard WG members
• Conduct comprehensive literature review on factors that impact client safety and quality of care
• Prepare literature review summary document
• Participate in in-person (conditions permitting) meetings to review and discuss literature review findings, identify gaps in existing standards, and draft potential criteria; and
• Participate in subsequent virtual meetings to continue to develop the draft HSO 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services Standard

iii. Stage 30 Committee Stage

• Submit draft of revised HSO 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services Standard to the Technical Committee (TC) for consensus-based approval for public consultation; and
• Hold additional e-meetings of the WG and TC if consensus is not attained on the draft standard and further changes are required.

iv. Stage 40 Enquiry Stage

• Conduct public consultation of the revised HSO 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services Standard;
  • Post a draft version of the standard publicly for a period of 60 days, along with a link to an online survey platform. Survey questions must seek information on the:

a. Relevance and appropriateness of the standard
b. Terminology and language
c. Comprehension
d. Implementation challenges
e. Relevant resources for users

• Revise the draft standard to prepare the final draft of HSO 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services Standard based on the feedback received from the Public Consultation

v. Stage 50 Approval Stage

• Submit final draft of HSO 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services Standard to the TC to arrive at consensus's approval for publication of the standard
• Hold additional e-meetings of the WG and the TC if consensus is not attained on the draft standard and further changes are required.

vi. Stage 60 Publication Stage:

• Publish final version of HSO 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services Standard on HSO’s website, in English and French.

vii. Stage 90 Review Stage

• Conduct review and maintenance of the HSO 34008: Correctional Service of Canada Health Services Standard post-publication.
• Review and publish this standard, in English and French, on a schedule not to exceed five years from the date of publication.

Viii, Post Publication Support:

1. Develop and publish a one-page Client and Family Resource document in English and French to describe the HSO 34008 Standard, summarize selected key criteria, explain how the Standard can improve quality, and identify how organizational compliance will be assessed.

B) Develop an HSO 34008 Correctional Services Canada Full Assessment Manual inclusive of all standards CSC will be assessed against in accreditation including relevant content from HSO 34015: Primary Health Care Standards, HSO 34007: Mental Health and Addiction Standards, HSO 13011: Palliative Care Standard, HSO 4001: Infection Prevention and Control Standard, and HSO 2001: Leadership Standard.

i. Convene Working Group to review standard and discuss considerations of the Assessment Manual (including methodology for each requirement)

ii. Participate in a 1-day, in-person (conditions permitting) co-design meeting;

iii. Conduct virtual meetings for subsequent meetings

iv. Prepare Assessment Manual prototype based on feedback from the WG

v. Share Assessment Manual prototype with Accreditation Canada for feedback

vi. Reconvene WG for feedback on the Assessment Manual prototype; and

vii. Revise Assessment Manual prototype into a final Assessment Manual (valid for a period of 5 years).

* When Canadian Health Authorities have lifted travel restrictions within Canada, and as determined by CSC.

C) Co-Design, with CSC, three HSO Correctional Service Canada Assessment Manuals customized from the full Assessment Manual for Mainstream Institutions, Regional Treatment Centres and Regional Hospitals.

i. Work with identified individuals from CSC with expertise in Mainstream Institutions, Regional Treatment Centres and Regional Hospitals to develop customized Assessment Manuals that align with the content within HSO 34008 Correctional Services of Canada Health Services Assessment Manual

D) Provide Quality Improvement Support Services to CSC

i. Develop a customized in-person (conditions permitting), 2-day interactive workshop session (in English) for 10 identified CSC Health Services Regional Managers and Senior Leaders facilitated by an experienced HSO Faculty member and patient partner who provides the patient perspective.

ii. Provide CSC participants with printed Participant Guides, in both English and French, with summarized key information, exercises, case studies, and any applicable reference material

ii. Develop and lead two national live webinars, one in English and one in French, (60-90 minutes in length) to describe the core content of the revised HSO 34008: Correctional Services of Canada Health Services Standard

1.3   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).

1.4 Constraints:

1.4.1 Location of work:

a) The Contractor must perform the Work at the contractor’s place of business, except in-person meetings and training, which will be held at locations determined by CSC.

b) Travel

i) When Canadian Health Authorities have lifted travel restrictions within Canada, and as determined by CSC, travel is anticipated under this contract for the following meetings and training sessions with the locations to be determined by CSC:

a) A 1-day in-person meeting for members of the HSO 34008 Standard Working Group

 b) A 1-day in-person meeting for members of the Working Group for the development of the HSO Full Assessment Manual

c) A customized 2-day in-person workshop

ii. Virtual meetings will be held by the working group.

iii. In-person meetings may be held at 234 Laurier Avenue West or 340 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa as and when requested by CSC

1.4.2 Language of Work:

The contractor must perform all work in English, French or both official language, based on the region they are visiting.

1.4.3 Security Requirements:

There are no security requirements associated to this contract.

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:

1. The Supplier must be accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), allowing them to develop National Standards of Canada in health and social sciences
2. The Supplier must have at least 5 years of experience, within the last 10 years prior to the ACAN closing date, of using an evidence-based approach to develop Health and Social Services Standards that emphasize “quality for all” in health system performance, risk prevention and mitigation planning, client safety, quality assurance and improvement measurement, and governance.

3. The Supplier must be affiliated with Accreditation Canada in order to use their standards for the Accreditation process.

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

The pre-identified supplier meets all of the essential requirements described in this ACAN.

They are the only supplier in Canada that is accredited by the SCC to develop National Standards of Canada in the health and social sciences.

The Health Standards Organization (HSO) is a standards development organization affiliated with Accreditation Canada, the Canadian organization that provides certification and accreditation to CSC Health Services. 

The HSO maintains all the health related standards that Accreditation Canada uses in its survey visits to assess and award accreditation status.

HSO has the regulatory power to implement health service standards at a national level, operating in both French and English. Their focus is on establishing the highest quality health standards that result in a more integrated health system and better outcomes in achieving quality healthcare.

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

This procurement is not subject to any trade agreement.

9. Ownership of Intellectual Property

Ownership of any foreground intellectual property arising out of the proposed contract will vest with the Contractor.

10. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The proposed contract is for a period of 3 years from the date of contract award.

11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $313,608.00 (GST/HST extra).

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: Health Standards Organization

Address: 1150 Cyrville Road

Ottawa, ON, Canada  K1J 7S9

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 May 11, 2021 at 2:00 PM EST.

15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Nadine Pike

E-mail: Nadine.Pike@csc-scc.gc.ca