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:
As per the Commissioner’s Directive 720 (Education Programs and Services for Offenders), when an inmate's grade level is below grade 12 or its provincial equivalent, education will be identified as a need in their Correctional Plan.
The Correctional Service Canada has a requirement to:
a. Facilitate inmates' reintegration by increasing educational skill levels through the provision of accredited programs.
b. Ensure education programs respect gender, ethnic, cultural and linguistic differences, and are responsive to the special needs of women inmates, Indigenous inmates, inmates requiring mental health care and other groups.
The work will involve the following:
1.1 Objectives:
To provide educational services to the inmates at Nova Institution for Women.
1.2 Tasks:
The Contractor must provide three (3) teachers/instructors:
a. Two (2) teachers/instructors who must provide teaching services - 35 hours per week at 7 hours per day - Monday to Friday
b. One (1) teacher/instructor who must provide teaching services – 17.5 hours per week – flexible hours between Monday and Friday
The Contractor must deliver the following educational services:
a. Adult Basic Education program (ABE);
b. Adapted ABE programs for offenders with learning difficulties and disabilities;
c. Educational programs leading to the Adult High School Diploma;
d. Other education programs, pilot programs, digital education and any other curriculum the Project Authority requests;
e. Coordination of post-secondary pre-requisite courses, correspondence courses and other
programs including, but not limited to, the Walls to Bridges program;
f. Provide appropriate provincially recognized certificates to the inmates, following course and level completions.
One (1) of the certified teachers must be designated as lead teacher to:
a. Ensure bilingual educational services at the school, in the Secure Unit (SU) and in the Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) ;
b. Establish and coordinate schedules for the teachers/instructors;
c. Ensure teachers/instructors follow the prescribed provincial curriculum;
d. Ensure teachers/instructors provide quality educational services to offenders;
e. Maintain enrolments in education programs at full capacity;
f. Teach and facilitate independent studies (cell studies);
g. Review all incoming inmates’ education information and provide parole officers with data necessary to make referrals to education programs;
h. Evaluate the inmates’ educational needs, waitlists and suspensions;
i. Administer and score the Canadian Adult Achievement Test and the “Test de rendement pour francophones” or other assessment tools approved by the Project Authority;
j. Offer educational counseling to students;
k. Adjust and combine classes to ensure continuity of educational services to inmates, in the event of teacher/instructor absences;
l. Perform other related tasks to ensure proper operation of the school ;
m. Submit requests to the Project Authority for the purchase of pedagogical resources and office/school supplies;
n. Participate in the Correctional Interventions Board (CIB) meetings and provide information and recommendations;
o. Follow the CIB guidelines in terms of assigning inmates based on the student-to-teacher ratio to maximize education program capacity;
p. Collaborate with the CIB to assign inmates to the educational tutor positions. The Contractor must work in collaboration with CSC to hire inmate classroom tutors. This must include in classroom training and orientation of the tutor by the contract teacher/instructor;
q. Collaborate with the Volunteer Coordinator to assign volunteer community tutors to the classrooms;
r. Participate in meetings as requested by the Project Authority;
s. Supervise contract teachers/instructors, monitor and coordinate visits relative to the education programs;
t. Participate in the yearly development of the annual education program plan (AEPP);
u. Assist the Project Authority with input, data analysis, and reporting, as it relates to the educational results, prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) credits, progress, forecasting, curriculum development, digital programs, pilot programs, and digital education;
v. Ensure an efficient information-sharing process such as e-mails pertaining to work safety, security reminders, and general information which is deemed necessary to inform personnel and to maintain a safe and secure environment;
w. Organize and invigilate Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) testing sessions and other assessments in both official languages, which may take place during the evening or during institutional operational hours;
x. Ensure at all times, that resources, services, and communication are available in both official languages;
y. Ensure that all communication and information is sent to all institutional staff in both official languages and pre-approved by the Project Authority or the Program Manager.
Contract teachers/instructors must:
a. Provide individualized teaching and education plans;
b. Assess the academic needs and aptitudes of inmates;
c. Ensure inventory control of all CSC assets related to education programs at all times;
d. Provide a variety of teaching strategies (including, but not limited to individualized learning, group learning, guests’ presentations);
e. Employ classroom management techniques and methods to ensure the protection and preservation of educational resources (including, but not limited to books, supplies, equipment);
f. Complete daily visual searches of the installations before and after each teaching session;
g. Complete observation reports and immediately submit to CSC security personnel any information or observations of incidents that could jeopardize the safety or the security of others. This may include charging inmates for various infractions;
h. Supervise and evaluate the inmate cleaner in the school area according to CD-730 “Offender Program Assignment and Inmate Payments”;
i. Collaborate with the Volunteer Coordinator to guide and monitor the community volunteer tutors in the classroom;
j. Prepare and take steps to recognize significant cultural dates and months by providing presentations, collages, and other forms of visual reminders to staff and inmates throughout the school;
k. Cooperate and collaborate with CSC management, staff, and other contractors.
1.3 Expected results:
Provision of education services to enable inmates to achieve grade 12 or its provincial equivalent.
1.4 Performance standards:
1.4.1 The Contractor must ensure that the contract teachers/instructors understand and adhere to the following CSC policies, guidelines and procedures:
a. CD 001 - Mission, Values and Ethics Framework of the Correctional Service of Canada : https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/acts-and-regulations/001-cd-en.shtml
b. CSC Policy (Commissioner Directives and Standard Operating Practices) and Legislation: https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/acts-and-regulations/005006-0001-en.shtml
i. CD 350: Contracting and Materiel Management
ii. CD 568-1: Recording and Reporting of Security Incidents
iii. CD 577: Staff Protocol in Women Offender Institutions
iv. CD 701: Information Sharing
v. CD 720: Education Programs and Services for Offenders
vi. CD 720-1: Guidelines for Education Programs
vii. CD 730: Offender Program Assignments and Inmate Payments
viii. CD 764: Access to Material
ix. Program Strategy for Federally Sentenced Women
x. Creating Choices: The Report of the Task Force on Federally Sentenced Women
c. The Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-44.6/
d. Security briefing and orientation provided by CSC relevant to their duties including security procedures that include, but are not limited to, escorting inmates, preparing observation reports, tool control, the Offender Management System (OMS). The teachers and instructors attending training requested by CSC, will be considered fulfilling their contract duties.
e. The teachers/instructors must wear a Portable Personal Alarm (PPA) provided by CSC at all times while in the presence of offenders.
1.4.2 The contractor must provide ABE and Adapted ABE programs that consist of grade 1 to grade 12 with a curriculum regulated by provincial ministries of education. Within ABE, there are four program levels, each of which corresponds to inmates’ functioning grade level. Program levels are generally grouped as follows:
i. ABE Level I (grades 1-5 inclusively)
ii. ABE Level II (grades 6-8 inclusively)
iii. ABE Level III (grades 9-10)
iv. ABE IV (grades 11-12 inclusively)
v. Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC)
1.4.3 The Contractor must meet the following operational requirements:
a. Provide services during CSC’s core business hours between 0800 and 1600 hours with a one-hour lunch period. At the Project Authority’s request, the Contractor must provide services outside of core business hours. The Contractor must schedule breaks based on institutional routine. CSC will establish in-class and independent studies teaching hours;
b. Prepare and write reports during regular workdays. The teachers/instructors must not prepare and write reports during class times (approximate preparation time per day: 90 minutes). Times may vary according to the institution’s operational schedule. The Project Authority may approve other preparation periods upon request;
c. Participate in in-person and virtual training sessions requested and approved by the Project Authority;
d. Provide a maximum of 222 days of educational services, unless otherwise requested by the Project Authority;
e. Offer year-round educational programs, continuous student entry and exit and multi level programs within the classrooms;
1.5 Deliverables:
1.5.1 The Contractor’s teachers/instructors must:
a. Take attendance and keep records, in real time, of any changes in the group of inmates present during an education session. At any given time, the Project Authority or delegate may request accurate attendance information;
b. Establish program assignment objectives for every student enrolled in the program based on their individual correctional plan and enter the objectives into the Offender Management System (OMS);
c. Every 180 days, assess the performance of students assigned to Education programs and enter an interim report in OMS;
d. Complete final reports and enter information in OMS when students’ assignments end;
e. Adhere to CSC’s guidelines and policies when writing reports, including Indigenous Social History factors, when applicable;
f. Upon request, provide a data report with information on education results including, but not limited to: successful course and level completions, enrolments and waitlists, and suspensions;
g. Complete and enter various reports in OMS;
h. Complete education reports in OMS, respect the timeframes as per CD 730 “Offender Program Assignments and Payments” and notify the Chief of Education for quality reviewing purposes and locking;
i. Maintain records of inmate educational progress. The teachers/instructors must keep records at the institution and make them available to inmates, upon request;
j. Follow CSC guidelines in terms of inmate pay, as indicated in CD 730;
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 deliver education services at Nova Institution for Women located at, unless otherwise directed by the Project Authority:
Nova Institution for Women
180 James Street
Truro, Nova Scotia
B2N 6R8
b. Travel
i. Contract teachers/instructors may be required to travel to attend trainings or to perform some tasks.
1.6.2 Language of Work:
One (1) of the three (3) teachers/instructors must be bilingual and qualified to teach all education program levels listed under 1.4.2 in both official languages. The remaining two (2) resources must be able to deliver services in English.
1.6.3 Security Requirements:
This contract includes the following security requirements:
SECURITY REQUIREMENT FOR CANADIAN SUPPLIER:
PWGSC FILE No. 21208-24-4441675
1. The Contractor must, at all times during the performance of the Contract, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS), issued by the Contract Security Program (CSP), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).
2. The Contractor 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 MUST NOT remove any PROTECTED information or assets from the identified site(s), and the Contractor 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 must comply with the provisions of the:
a) Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable);
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:
Experience:
The Lead Teacher must have a minimum of 5 years of experience, within the last 10 years prior to the ACAN closing date, in teaching Adult Basic Education courses to offenders in a correctional setting.
Academic qualifications, experience and certifications:
The supplier must provide a total of 3 teaching resources
A minimum of 2 resources must be certified teachers and hold:
• A bachelor’s degree of education
• A valid teacher’s certificate issued by the Teacher Certification Office of the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
The remaining resource must be a certified teacher, OR an instructor (non-certified teacher). The instructor must hold either:
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field;
• OR a minimum of 5 years of experience teaching Adult Basic Education courses to offenders in a correctional setting AND a Nova Scotia’s teacher’s certificate or a *Certificate in Adult Education or a *Certificate in Andragogy or a *Master of Education
*from a recognized post-secondary institution.
The degree must have been obtained from a recognized Canadian university, college or high school, or the equivalent as established by a recognized Canadian academic credentials assessment service, if obtained outside Canada.
The list of recognized organizations can be found under the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials web site.
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 not subject to any set-asides for Indigenous 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 limited number of suppliers available to provide adult education services to meet the reintegration needs of CSC offenders.
CSC has solicited proposals on many occasions among various potential suppliers such as universities, colleges, and private companies. None have demonstrated interest in providing educational services at Nova Institution for Women, other than the Pre-Identified Supplier. The current shortage of teachers in the Atlantic region within the public-school system, along with the absence of interest in previous Request for Proposals has established the Pre-Identified Supplier as the only organisation capable of successfully completing the work.
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
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 delivery date
The proposed contract is for a period of three (3) years, from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025 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 $737,219.55 (GST/HST extra).
12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Name: New Brunswick Community College (NBCC)
Address: 284 Smythe St
Fredericton, NB, E3B 3C9
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 July 31, 2024 at 2:00PM (ADT).
15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:
Jolaine Amos, Regional Contracting Officer
1045 Main St, 2nd Floor
Moncton, NB E1C 1H1
Telephone: 506-269-3787
E-mail: Jolaine.Amos@csc-scc.gc.ca
