Workshops for Black and Ethnocultural Offenders

Advanced Contract Award Notice 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. Policy on Reciprocal Procurement: the Policy on Reciprocal Procurement does not apply to this procurement. 1. Definition of the requirement: The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has a requirement to provide culturally responsive writing and storytelling circles and workshops for Black and ethnocultural federally incarcerated offenders located in various CSC institutions across Ontario, Quebec, Prairie and Atlantic regions. CSC has legal and policy obligations to ensure that the needs and cultural interests of Black and ethnocultural offenders are addressed through effective interventions and services that support rehabilitation and successful reintegration. The work will involve the following: 1.1 Objectives: 1.1.1. Provide opportunities for Black and ethnocultural offenders to explore self-expression, identity development, and their experiences with multiple identities living between cultures, through writing and storytelling activities, contributing to increased self-awareness, self-esteem, emotional well-being and sense of belonging. 1.1.2. Promote respect, inclusivity, and meaningful connections among and between offenders and community partners, contributing to improved interpersonal, communication and coping skills that support rehabilitation; 1.1.3. Support offenders’ reintegration potential by increasing awareness of and connections to relevant community resources and services available during and after incarceration. 1.2 Tasks: The Contractor must perform the following tasks, including but are not limited to: 1.2.1. Develop and deliver writing and storytelling circles and workshops for incarcerated Black and ethnocultural offenders (participants); 1.2.2. Coordinate workshop scheduling and delivery with CSC staff and designated institutional contacts; 1.2.3. Provide workshop materials and participant resources required for workshop delivery and provide information on relevant community supports and services; 1.2.4. Utilize culturally responsive and participant-centred facilitation approaches throughout workshop delivery; 1.2.5. Deliver workshops in English and French, as required. 1.3 Expected results: The expected results for the subsequent contract include, but are not limited to: 1.3.1. Participants are provided with culturally relevant workshops designed to support self-expression and identity exploration. 1.3.2. Participants are provided with information on relevant community resources and supports. 1.3.3. Workshops include facilitated group discussions and activities designed to promote respect, inclusion and positive social interaction 1.3.4. Workshops are delivered in accordance with CSC requirements, approved schedules and cultural responsiveness principles. 1.3.5. Workshop materials and participant resources are developed and provided in accordance with contract requirements. 1.3.6. Summary reports are provided to CSC following workshop delivery in accordance with contract requirements. 1.4 Performance standards: The workshop content, materials and activities must be reviewed and approved by CSC prior to delivery and must align with the mission, values and ethics of the Correctional Service of Canada, in accordance with Commissioner's Directive 001. Content may be adapted to meet regional priorities and the needs of participating offender populations, subject to CSC approval. 1.5 Deliverables: The Contractor must provide the following deliverables, including but not limited to: 1.5.1. Deliver writing and storytelling circles and workshops, as requested by CSC regions and institutions, in collaboration with CSC staff, as required. 1.5.2. Deliver workshops at institutions across Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic and Prairie regions, up to a maximum of 45 workshops. Each workshop will be approximately two (2) hours in duration and must be delivered between contract award and March 31, 2027. 1.5.3 Develop and provide bilingual workshop materials and participant resources. 1.5.4. Provide Verbal and written updates to the Project Authority, upon request, regarding program delivery, including any barriers, challenges, observations, and recommendations. 1.5.5. Provide electronic summary reports to Project Authority no later than four (4) weeks following the completion of each activity at each institution Reports must include: a. Date(s) of workshop delivery; b. Number of participants; c. Workshop highlights; and d. Any observations, challenges, and recommendations related to program delivery. 1.6 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). 1.7 Constraints: 1.7.1 Location of work: a. Preparation work will be completed at the contractor’s premises. Workshops must be delivered in person at CSC institutions and at other CSC-approved locations within the Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and Atlantic regions. Due to the sensitive nature of the services being provided, in-person sessions are required. In exceptional circumstances, and only where the institution has the capability to accommodate it, a virtual session may be considered to replace the in-person session (e.g. severe weather conditions preventing safe travel). b. Travel Travel to various CSC institutions across Ontario, Quebec, Prairie and Atlantic regions will be required for the performance of the work. The Contractor is responsible for making all travel arrangements necessary to perform the Work and must ensure that workshop delivery schedules are met. No travel expenses will be reimbursed under the Contract. 1.7.2 Language of Work: Workshops delivered in the Quebec region must be delivered in both official languages. Workshops in all other CSC regions must be delivered in English. All workshop materials must be available in the language of delivery. Participants will communicate and express themselves in the official language of their choice. 1.7.3 Security Requirements: This contract includes the following security requirements: a. The contractor/offeror and its personnel shall be always escorted when accessing government facilities or any restricted work site. b. The contractor/offeror and its personnel shall not be granted access to any PROTECTED or CLASSIFIED information or assets. c. In accordance with Commissioner’s Directives 566 8 Searching of Staff and Visitors and 566 1 Control of Entry to and Exit from Institutions, the contractor/offeror and its personnel requiring access to institutional settings must comply with all security requirements set out in these directives, including but not limited to being subject to searches prior to entry. Correctional Service Canada reserves the right, at any time, to deny contractor personnel access to any institution, site, or part thereof. 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) The supplier must have at least one bilingual facilitator capable of delivering workshops in both English and French. b) The supplier must have a minimum of three (3) years experience within the last five (5) years prior to the ACAN closing date designing and delivering writing and storytelling circles and workshops for Black, ethnocultural, racialized, newcomer, immigrant, Indigenous, federally sentenced or other marginalized populations. c) The supplier must have experience using writing and storytelling approaches to explore themes such as identity, belonging, culture, lived experience and intersectionality. d) The supplier must have experience applying trauma-informed, mental health-informed, restorative and participant-centred approaches in at least three (3) workshops conducted within the last five (5) years prior to the ACAN closing date. e) The supplier must have experience applying a structured storytelling, creative writing, and facilitation methodology in the delivery of a minimum of five (5) workshops within the last five (5) years prior to the ACAN closing date that promoted a safe, respectful, and non-judgmental environment (e.g., Amherst Writers & Artists methodology or an equivalent approach). f) The supplier must have experience facilitating a minimum of five (5) group workshops for ethnocultural offenders in correctional settings within the last five (5) years prior to the ACAN closing date, with each workshop involving ten (10) or more participants. 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 CSC conducted market research by reviewing organizations across Canada that offer workshops focused on identity exploration through writing and storytelling for racialized individuals, including federally incarcerated persons. Based on this research, CSC determined that Living Hyphen is the only known supplier that uniquely combines: a. Delivering Workshops that use writing and storytelling as tools to explore intersectional identity, belonging, and experiences of living between cultures, led by facilitators with lived experience; b. Demonstrated experience working directly with federally incarcerated ethnocultural offenders in correctional settings; c. Capacity to deliver workshops across multiple CSC regions nationwide; d. Ability to provide services in both official languages; e. Access to Facilitators whose lived experiences reflect Black, ethnocultural, and other marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ communities; f. An established network of qualified facilitators capable of supporting national service delivery; and g. Demonstrated ability to deliver workshops grounded in GBA+ and CSC’s Equity Lens, ensuring content is inclusive, free from racism and discrimination, aligned with CSC priorities and the Black Overincarceration Strategy, and focused on identity exploration, self-expression, belonging, healing, and community building through storytelling and writing. 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: 6 (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 less than a year, from contract award to March 31, 2027, inclusive. 11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract The estimated value of the contract, including option is $117,816.00 (taxes included). 12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier Name: Living Hyphen, Canada Corporation Address: Unit 410 - 1 Upper Duke Crescent, Markham, ON L6G 0B6 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 October 22, 2026 (EST). 15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to: Nassima Aliouat Senior Contracting Officer Téléphone : 343-540-8957 E-mail: bidsubmissions.GEN-NHQContracting@CSC-SCC.GC.CA