Traditional Healer Apprentice

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 Healer Apprentice assists the Traditional Healers (Medicine Man, Medicine woman) in educating offenders to traditional Indigenous ways of life, based on teachings, through training, counselling, and traditional ceremonies and practices, individually and/or in groups, for the benefit of both offenders and staff.

1.1 Objectives:

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must assist offenders within the federal institution to benefit from their traditional healing journey and contemporary treatment interventions by supporting and assisting the work of the Traditional Healers and the interdisciplinary team.

1.2 Tasks:

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

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must work with the Traditional Healers and share cultural and traditional teachings through individual or group discussion or both.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must provide the following services:

1.2.1 Ceremonial and Spiritual Services:

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

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

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must coordinate and provide supervision for offenders during traditional ceremonies; perform traditional Ceremonies in the absence of the Traditional Healer, as deemed appropriate by the Traditional Healer concerned.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must assist the Traditional Healers to ensure traditional medicines are available for residents (offenders) who are interested in having them as part of their healing and wellness plan. 

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must teach residents and staff how to approach a Traditional Healer according to proper protocol.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must ensure an adequate supply of traditional ceremonial material is on hand in order to ensure the ceremonial aspect of the work is maintained.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must assist the Traditional Healers to provide in-group and individual counseling, teachings and ceremonial services to the Indigenous offenders.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must assist the Traditional Healers in conducting spiritual services and various traditional ceremonies based on the Traditional Healers’ teachings.

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

The Traditional Healer Apprentice 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:

Upon Request, the Traditional Healer Apprentice must support the Traditional Healers in performing the following tasks:

Provide advice and 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 theraputic approach for the day, participate in regular integrated team meetings, participate in ongoing case conferencing and consultations sessions.

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 Healer Apprentice must, with the support of Traditional Healers and Health Service Administration participate in case conferences as requested.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice with the support of the Health Services Administration must provide verbal, or written summaries, or both to the Case Management Team and Health Services, 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 and cultural interventions or activities 

Upon receiving a referral or request from the Case Management team or Health Services, the Traditional Healer Apprentice must provide information and updates verbally or in writing to the Health Services Administrative Assistant (as part of the agreement with the University of Saskatchewan), 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.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must provide cultural awareness sessions in traditional teachings and healing (under the direction of the Traditional Healer) to Case Management team members and institutional staff in order to promote a balanced environment for indigenous residents.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must assist the Traditional Healer in providing patient care in conjunction with Health Services Administration either in person, via telephone call or via telehealth network.

1.2.4 Regional and National Meetings:

The Traditional Healer Apprentice may be asked to provide advice, guidance, information, or recommendations regionally or nationally on traditional healing and spirituality1.3 Expected results:

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must provide the opportunity to offenders to learn, as they share their teachings, and to heal through traditional Indigenous healing practices.

1.4 Reporting and communications:

The Traditional Healer Apprentice, with the assistance and coordination of the Health Services Administration must report on a bi-weekly basis by 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 forward it to the Contractor for invoicing purposes.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must provide a list of contacts with residents, activities attended and ceremonies attended to the Project Authority.

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. The Contractor must perform the work at Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge and in the community of Nekaneet First Nation. The Traditional Healer Apprentice must provide services in-person. The Traditional Healer Apprentice services will be distributed so as to maintain a reasonable degree of service coverage over the period of the contract. The Project Authority or designate and Traditional Healer Apprentice will mutually agree on the schedule of services, taking into account the Traditional Healer’s needs. The Traditional Healer Apprentice must perform the work primarily during CSC’s normal business hours (08:00-16:00) Monday to Friday but must be available to change his or her’s schedule depending on the needs of the institution.

b. Travel

Travel to other locations for Escorted Temporary Absences and meetings must have the approval of the institutional head and prior authorization by the Project Authority. 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 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 C;

b) Industrial 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 Traditional Healer Apprentice must be recognized by their community as a Traditional Healer Apprentice within that community. The Traditional Healer Apprentice must be a member of the Nekaneet First Nation Band.

The Traditional Healer Apprentice must have a minimum of 2 years experience within the last 10 years prior to the ACAN closing date in Traditional Healing. This experience must include:

• providing counselling and guidance according to the traditions and teachings of their own community; 

and

• being familiar with and able to assist a Traditional Healer in a variety of ceremonies with

a focus on healing according to their own teachings.

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 Indigenous Business

This procurement is set-aside for an Indigenous Supplier in accordance with the government Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB). Therefore, only suppliers who meet the definition of an Indigenous business, as defined in the PSIB, 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 Apprentice 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 5 years,

from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028.

11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract is $416,496.90 (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

February 23, 2023 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

Regional Headquarters, Prairies

3427 Faithfull Avenue

SASKATOON, SK S7K 8H6

Telephone: (306) 659-9252

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