Victim-offender mediation (VOM) services

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: Policy on Reciprocal Procurement: the Policy on Reciprocal Procurement does not apply to this procurement. The Correctional Service Canada (CSC) has a requirement to deliver post-sentence victim-offender mediation services to individuals impacted by serious crime (federally sentenced offences). The Contractor must provide services to victims residing in British Columbia and the Northern Territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, & Nunavut), as well as to offenders who are incarcerated or on conditional release within these regions. This includes cross-regional cases where one participant is located within the region specified and the other is outside said region and supported by a mediator assigned to another region (Prairie, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic). The work will involve the following: 1.1 Objective: To provide victim-offender mediation (VOM) services in accordance with the Victim-Offender Mediation Program (VOMP) model CSC has approved, based on the values and principles of restorative justice. The goal of delivering VOM services is to provide victims and offenders, in western Canada and the northern territories, the opportunity to communicate about and address the harms caused by the offence(s). The expected result is to prepare, facilitate, and assess safety throughout the restorative justice process between the participants and to meet their needs in areas of accountability, information sharing, increased understanding and empathy, healing, safety planning and the prevention of future harm. The Contractor must provide a minimum of two (2) qualified and professional victim-offender mediators to respond to all referrals requesting victim-offender mediation services involving offenders under CSC's jurisdiction. The mediators must collectively deliver approximately 3,500 hours of victim-offender mediation services annually to meet the following requirements: a. Deliver a combined minimum of 20 hours to a maximum of 80 hours per week of mediation services; b. Provide expertise, training and consultation on the Victim-Offender Mediation Program (VOMP) process model addressing serious crime with CSC’s Restorative Opportunities mediators, Restorative Justice Division, and CSC operational staff. c. Provide the level of expertise and mediation skills expected to complete victim-offender mediation processes, based on the VOMP process model, that include and are not limited to: i. Letter exchanges ii. Video exchanges iii. Shuttle mediation iv. Community conferencing v. Healing circles vi. Face-to-face meetings. 1.2 Tasks/Responsibilities: The Contractor must complete the following tasks that include, but are not limited to: 1. Forward all victim-offender mediation referrals received from CSC staff and contracted service providers working at the institutional and community level, from victims of crime, victim serving agencies, Parole Board Canada staff to the Restorative Justice Division at National Headquarters (NHQ) for initial review, creation of a case initiation form and Offender Management System (OMS) file creation in the Restorative Justice (RJ) Module. 2. Receive case referrals for victim-offender mediation services through CSC’s Restorative Justice Division, NHQ. 3. Assess all case referrals to determine their suitability for victim-offender mediation services. For cases deemed appropriate, the Contractor must prepare all participants for a victim-offender mediation process based on the participants needs and in accordance with VOMP process model. The contractor must begin with the participant that requested the service and only move on to the other participant if consent is given by the participant to proceed. 4. Perform ongoing assessments at each stage of the VOMP process and throughout service delivery to determine safety, security and confidentiality. 5. Maintain accurate and up to date records of all victim-offender mediation case activities by entering weekly updates in the RJ Module in OMS within 7 business days of the case activity taking place. 6. Participate in the annual Restorative Opportunities (RO) gathering and all other RO video conference calls, WebEx, MSTeams and Zoom meetings as requested by the Project Authority (PA). 1.3 Expected results: The Contractor must prepare, assess, and deliver post-sentence victim-offender mediation services addressing serious crime for voluntary victim and offender participants residing in British Columbia and the Northern Territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, & Nunavut), as well as for cross-regional cases. The Contractor must provide Victims with the opportunity to tell the offender about the crime’s physical, emotional and financial impact on their lives, receive answers to lingering questions about the crime and the offender, and participate directly in developing options to address the participant’s needs and the harms caused by the crime(s). The offender is afforded opportunities to provide information, be held accountable, and to develop reparative plans and gain insight for personal growth. The Contractor must share information about the program and services provided and offer victim-offender mediation services through the Restorative Opportunities (RO) program. The purpose of CSC’s RO program is to assist individuals affected by serious crime by: a) Empowering them to address issues and concerns surrounding the crime and its consequences. b) Providing victims and offenders with a process that can lead to new insight about the offence, the harms caused, and actions that can be taken towards reparation and the prevention of future harms, thereby reducing levels of anxiety; and c) Addressing questions and concerns regarding the offender’s eventual release into the community. 1.4 Performance standards: 1.The following CSC laws, directives, guidelines and policies apply to the work: a. Corrections and Conditional Release Act, s.26.1(1) and (2) b. Commissioner's directive 785: Restorative opportunities and victim-offender mediation services c. Guidelines 785-1 : Restorative opportunities program protocols d. Canadian Victims Bill of Rights, s.6 e. Privacy Act f. Access to Information Act g. Witness Protection Program Act 2. The Contractor must complete all tasks and deliverables as per Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 785 Restorative Opportunities and Victim-Offender Mediation Services, as well as related protocols. 1.5 Deliverables: 1.5.1 The Contractor must provide the following deliverables to the Project Authority (PA): a. Accept and manage all case referrals, including a minimum of 25 newly referred cases per year, while continuing to work on all active cases carried over from previous years, as requested. b. Provide weekly updates in the OMS RJ Module for all active mediation files, including detailed documentation of all activities and any new and relevant information related to each file. c. Submit (1) one victim-offender mediation case study annually using the template and the consent form provided by the project Authority (PA). Deliverable Format 1. The Contractor must complete and provide all deliverable documents to the Project Authority (PA) using Microsoft Office software. 2. The Contractor must submit all deliverables in English; CSC will be responsible for any required translation. 3. The Contractor must complete ongoing updates the Restorative Justice (RJ) Module in OMS in accordance with the requirements outlined in the RJ Module User Guide. 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 perform the work at CSC operational sites, including institutions, Community Correctional Centers, parole offices, CSC Regional Headquarters, within communities, and at the contractor's place of business. The Contractor must also visit victim’s residences for meetings, as requested. Most of the work requires in-person Telephone and video conference meetings may also be conducted, as appropriate, to complement or facilitate service delivery. b. Travel Travel to the locations identified in section 1.6.1(a) will be required for the performance of the work under this Contract. The Contractor must travel throughout Canada, as required, to deliver victim-offender mediation services 1.6.2 Language of Work: The contractor must perform all work in English. 1.6.3 Security Requirements: This contract includes the following security requirements: 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. Processing of PROTECTED material electronically with the Contractor's IT equipment and/or systems is NOT permitted under this Contract. The use of personal devices to connect to or conduct any activity on Government of Canada (GC) networks and GC furnished IT equipment is strictly prohibited. 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 Supplemental Security and Classification Guide (if applicable), attached at Annex C. b) Contract Security Manual (Latest Edition). CSC Approved Exemption for the Removal, Offsite Storage and Electronic Data Processing of Protected Information under CSC issued contracts when a government issued laptop and/or mobile device is provided. 1. The Contractor/Offeror must practice and take measures to protect and safeguard the government asset and the information contained within, as per the CSC Security Guide. 2. In case of security breach or the unauthorized use of shared protected information, the Contractor/Offeror must notify the CSC Project Authority immediately. 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: a. Must have at minimum ten (10) years of experience in delivering victim-offender mediation (VOM) services to victims and offenders addressing offences subject to Federal sentencing. The experience must have been acquired within the last 12 years prior to the closing date of this ACAN b. Must have at minimum ten (10) years of experience developing a victim-offender mediation program process model addressing offences subject to Federal sentencing. The experience must have been acquired within the last 12 years prior to the closing date of this ACAN. c. Must have at minimum ten (10) years of experience consulting and providing expertise to government departments and restorative justice practitioners regarding victim-offender mediation addressing offences subject to Federal sentencing. The experience must have been acquired within the last 12 years prior to the closing date of this ACAN d. Must have at minimum seven (7) years of experience working with indigenous culture or healing traditions, or both specific to the Pacific Region and Northern Territories; and liaising with indigenous Elders and communities in the Pacific Region and Northern Territories. The experience must have been acquired within the last 12 years prior to the closing date of this ACAN e. Must have at minimum ten (10) years of experience in the delivery of all of the following: a) Restorative justice and related processes; b) Trauma treatment and recovery; c) Facilitation of traditional Aboriginal processes within First Nations communities. The experience must have been acquired within the last 12 years prior to the closing date of this ACAN f. Must have a minimum two (2) years of experience working with offenders within federal correctional settings. The experience must have been acquired within the last 5 years prior to the closing date of the ACAN g. Must provide a minimum of two (2) qualified, experienced mediators, each with a minimum four (4) years of experience in delivering victim-offender mediation services to victims and offenders addressing offences subject to Federal sentencing. The experience must have been acquired within the last 10 years prior to the closing date of this ACAN. h. At least one (1) of the supplier’s mediators must have a minimum eight (8) years of experience in developing and implementing a victim-offender mediation program process model addressing offences subject to Federal sentencing. The experience must have been acquired within the last 12 years the closing date of this ACAN. i. The supplier’s two (2) mediators must have a minimum of eight (8) years of experience in restorative justice and related processes, victimology, and dealing with trauma and trauma treatment and recovery. The experience must have been acquired within the last 12 years to the closing date of this ACAN. j. Each of the proposed mediators must be registered either as clinical counselor, a psychologist or have a degree from a recognized university with specialization related to clinical counselling, psychology, criminology or social work. 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 website 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 The pre-identified supplier is the only organization that has the specialized experience to provide VOM in cases of serious crime and the ability to provide practitioners of VOM aware of the complexities involved in providing these services, including how to work constructively with people who have experienced serious trauma. Participation in a VOM process in cases of serious crime (federal offences) can present risk to participants and CSC if not executed correctly. 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 Two (2) years, from April 01, 2027 to March 31, 2029 with an option to extend the contract for five (4) additional one (1) year periods 11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $885,000.00 (GST/HST extra). 12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier Name: Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives Association Address: 205-22314 Fraser Highway Langley, BC V3A 8M6 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 November 10,2026 at 2:00 PM EST. 15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to: Nassima Aliouat Senior Contracting Officer. 340 Laurier Ave West Ottawa ON Telephone: +1 (555) 000-0000 E-mail: contact@example.gov