Essential psychological assessments services, for the New Brunswick area

ADHD and Intellectual Disabilities Assessments

This requirement is for: The Correctional Service of Canada, Atlantic Institution and Dorchester Penitentiary-Complex.

Trade agreement: This procurement is not subject to any trade agreement.

Tendering procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid.

Competitive Procurement Strategy: lowest priced compliant bid.

Set-aside under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business: This procurement is not subject to any set-asides for Indigenous Suppliers.

Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: This procurement is not subject to a Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement.

Security Requirements: This contract includes security requirements.

Nature of Requirements:

The following is a summary of the statement of work for this requirement.

The Correctional Service Canada has a requirement to ADHD and Intellectual Disabilities Assessments services.

Objectives: Provide essential psychological assessment to offenders, as requested by the Project Authority, at Atlantic Institution and Dorchester Penitentiary-Complex as a psychologist.

Deliverables:

Psychological Assessments ( Intellectual Disability or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder):

a. The Contractor must perform and submit psychological assessment reports to the CSC Project Authority and designates. An Intellectual Disability (ID) Assessment and an Assessment of Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are both types of psychological assessments. Based on the referral, the psychologist will do an ID assessment or an ADHD assessment;

b. The Project Authority and the Contractor will set dates and times for client interviews by mutual agreement;

c. The Contractor must conduct assessment interviews, administer all psychological tests (unless prearranged by Project Authority for self-report measure – see part f, below), interpret test results, and review offender files. Relevant files include Sentence Management, Case Management, and Health files. However, on occasion and if relevant to the specific case, the Contractor must review the Security Intelligence files or, alternatively, consult with Health Care, or Security Intelligence staff, or both about the client. The Contractor must also consult other CSC personnel about the clients’ referral or behaviour or both if necessary. The Contractor must integrate information obtained through testing, file review, clinical interview, and if relevant, staff member interviews, into a comprehensive ID or ADHD assessment report;

d. The Contractor must provide the Project Authority and designates with all original test data;

e. The Contractor must interpret all tests in a standardized manner using the norms supplied only by the test publisher, by the author, or both. The Contractor must place percentiles tests scores in reports when deemed necessary by the Contractor, as part of the standardized test reporting process, or when requested by the Project Authority. Reports must not contain raw test scores under any circumstances; 

f. In the event that the Contractor negotiates with a particular site to have CSC staff administer self-report measures, or to have them provide recent relevant scores from in-house test administration, and thus does not administer these tests, the Contractor shall apply a discount of 5 % per assessment, for each relevant case.

g. All psychological assessment reports must comply with the following requested content and format. Sections may be added to the standardized format according to case-specific needs. Please note that this format is not necessarily all-inclusive, but represents the minimum number of areas to be covered:

i. Demographic information: Full name, age, date of birth, FPS number and ethnicity if relevant;

ii. Reason for Referral: Specific referral criteria, source and date of referral, document that the limits of confidentiality (informed consent) have been discussed with the client, sharing of information;

iii. Interview Information: Date(s) seen, location of interview and the length of the interview(s);

1. Documentation Reviewed: Indicate briefly what critical documents were reviewed for the assessment as well as what critical information or documents were, or were not, available to the author;

v. Brief Psychosocial/Relevant History: Provide the elements of the history which contribute to the analysis of the case. Include, as applicable, a brief overview of family, marital, school, employment, psychiatric/mental health, substance abuse, behavioural and adjustment problems, medical injuries and impairments. The focus should be on elements directly relating to intellectual functioning, adaptive functioning and/or deficits.

vi. Summary of Previous Assessments/Mental Health History: A brief summary of findings of previous psychological and/or psychiatric assessment reports including assessments of cognitive functioning and/or intellectual disability assessment.

vii. Psychological Testing: The psychological testing used by the contractor should be specific and adapted to the referral question. See below for minimum standard per assessment type.

viii. Observation and Current Mental Status: A brief section to document any relevant behavioral observations and current mental health status.

ix. Clinical opinion and Diagnostic Impression: The diagnosis of intellectual disability must be based on the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (APA) criteria with consideration being given to differential diagnosis. The rational must also be included.

x. Recommendations: If the assessment results in a diagnosis/confirmation, the report must specify the client’s limitations as well as recommendations as to the provision of appropriate care and interventions and the level of support and assistance required. This could include, but is not limited to, occupational supports, volunteers or substitute decision-makers under relevant provincial/territorial legislation.

xi. Client and Contractor Signature Block: The Contractor must sign the report and copies. Unless pre-arranged with the Project Authority, the Contractor must share the information with the client and request that the client sign the report to acknowledge that the information has been shared. CSC will distribute copies of the report in accordance with policy requirements.

h. The Contractor must advise the Project Authority if he/she is unable to share the reports and coordinate signatures with the client. At the discretion and prior approval of the Project Authority, CSC will assume the information sharing and client signature responsibility.

i. The Project Authority or designate will refer any questions or concerns the client has on the report back to the attention of the Contractor. While under contract with CSC, the Contractor must answer questions posed by a client regarding a report for a two (2) year period after sharing the report.

j. The Contractor must submit completed reports to the Project Authority or designate no later than four (4) weeks from the date of referral. The Contractor must share the completed report with the client no later than 3 weeks after initially interviewing the client. Upon request of the Contractor, and at the sole discretion of the Project Authority, either or both of these deadlines can be extended for a period not exceeding four (4) weeks.

k. The CSC Mental Health Department will enter the finalized psychological assessment report into the EMR.

Intellectual Disability Assessments services:

Evaluation of intellectual functioning: The Contractor must assess mental ability with standardized intelligence testing. This will normally include the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (e.g. WAIS-IV). Based on the client’s academic level, language and cultural background, the Contractor may used additional standardized tests in order to identify deficits in intellectual functioning. For each test or measure used in the assessment, the Contractor must include a brief synopsis of psychological tests administered and their validity, interpretation, and diagnosis where appropriate and applicable.

Evaluation of adaptive functioning: The Contractor must assess adaptive functioning in at least three domains: conceptual (academic), social and practical as delineated in the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (APA) using clinical evaluation and psychometrically sound measures that are both individualized and culturally appropriate. For each test or measure used in the assessment, the Contractor must include a brief synopsis of psychological tests administered and their validity, interpretation, and diagnosis where appropriate and applicable.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Assessments:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder assessments must also include the following:

Collateral Information: Collateral historical information from sources such as family, school reports, teachers, specialized learning assessments, previous psychological testing and ADHD assessments, reports from community clinicians. The Contractor must have prior documented written consent from the client to obtain collateral information from external sources.

Current Functional Assessment: The Contractor must also use clinician observation, patient self-report and information from collateral sources, as applicable, to assess function. Collateral sources could include, but are not limited to, correctional officers, program officers, teachers, work supervisors, and other clinical staff. The Contractor should not consider self-report of impairment by the client alone as sufficient for assessment of current functional impairment.

Adjunctive Assessment Tools: The Contractor must also use adjunctive assessment tools to inform the diagnostic assessment and clinical decision-making such as ADHD rating scale, computerized continuous performance test, and formal cognitive or neuropsychological assessment.

The Contractor must include, as a minimum, the following information: Differential Diagnosis, Assessment of historical and current DSM-5 ADHD symptoms; Assessment for co-morbid diagnoses; Assessment of substance use history and current substance use; Exploration of potential risks for misuse and diversion of prescribed medication; and Determination of whether functional impairment justifies treatment with medication.

Term of Contract

Period of the Contract: The Work is to be performed during the period of April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 with the option to renew for four (4) additional one-year periods.

File Number: 21210-22-3958559

Contracting Authority: Sylvie Gallant

Telephone number: (506) 378-8724

Facsimile number: (506) 851-5327

E-mail: Sylvie.Gallant@csc-scc.gc.ca

NOTE TO BIDDERS: Bidders can obtain the complete statement of work and evaluation criteria by downloading the solicitation document and associated documents from Buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders.

The Crown reserves the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada (English or French).

After contract award, bidders may request a debriefing on the results of the bid solicitation process. Bidders should make the request to the Contracting Authority within fifteen (15) working days of receipt of the results of the bid solicitation process. The debriefing may be in writing, by telephone or in person.

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