1. Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
An 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 stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.
2. Definition of the requirement
2.1 Background:
The Canada School of Public Service (CSPS or the School) leads the government's enterprise-wide approach to learning by providing a common, standardized curriculum that supports public servants through key career transitions, ensuring that they are equipped to serve Canadians with excellence.
As part of its mandate, the requirement to develop an Indigenous Learning (IL) curriculum for federal public servants originates from two sources: 1) the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) Final Report, specifically Call to Action 57 which states:
We call upon federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous Law and Aboriginal-Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism ; and, 2) the Government of Canada’s priority to ensure a
renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership .
The School, in collaboration with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), continues to develop an IL curriculum to respond to the TRC Call to Action 57 and fulfill the government’s objective to help public servants contribute to reconciliation through a deeper understanding of Indigenous culture, history and modern-day issues, regardless of where they work in the federal public service.
In the range of its learning products, the School has a requirement to provide experiential learning opportunities on Indigenous history to federal public servants. The course must include the following aspects: the learning must be available for an in-person classroom setting and include a combination of dramatic narration, role playing (Indigenous and settlers), visual components, historic events cards set, emotional and intellectual interactions, including debriefs in a culturally appropriate Indigenous settings and protocols. This experiential course aims at reaching and changing hearts and mind, exploring feelings of compassion and understanding of the negative impacts of historical events and policy on the lives of Indigenous persons and communities.
The Blanket Exercise half-day workshop is the course that the School has been currently using to deliver experiential learning as part of the School’s IL curriculum.
2.2 Objective:
The objective of this Contract is to have access to, and the permission to, provide the Blanket Exercise half-day workshop in person as part of the Canada School of Public Service’s Indigenous Learning (IL) curriculum available to federal public servants.
The School intends to amend the contract to include virtual sessions of the Blanket Exercise if/when they become available.
The work will involve the following:
2.3 Tasks/Deliverables:
The Contractor must provide the following:
2.3.1 In-person Blanket Exercise half-day Workshop and Scripts:
Access to and permission to offer the in-person Blanket Exercise to federal public servants as part of the School’s Indigenous Learning (IL) curriculum.
Allow the School to offer an unlimited number of in-person Blanket Exercise sessions during each licensing contract period.
Access to in-person scripts and resources in both official languages, and in compliance to the federal government’s accessibility standards for all the products offered to public servants.
Scripts and documents in an electronic format.
Contemporary and up-to-date information for Blanket Exercise scripts and resources, on a timely basis, including, when available, regional scripts and scripts specific to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.
Referrals for names of additional facilitators and Elders for Blanket Exercise sessions across Canada, upon request by the Canada School of Public Service.
Timely availability for consultation on any issues regarding the preparation, facilitation, or follow-up of the Blanket Exercise.
Consultation on any School-produced and Blanket Exercise-related materials, including lesson plans, teachers’ guides, training modules, etc.
2.3.2 Facilitator Training for the in-person Blanket Exercise:
Provide up to two (2) facilitator training sessions (2-day duration for each session) for the in-person Blanket Exercise, in English and/or French, for up to 20 CSPS participants (minimum of 12 participants required for a session). Individual training will also be made available, if required.
Provide all supplies and a team of 2-3 trainers for each Blanket Exercise facilitator training session.
Access to Blanket Exercise scripts, maps, facilitation guides, and resources.
Facilitator training sessions will take place at dates and times mutually agreeable to both parties.
Provide a form of recognition/certifications to each School facilitator ready to provide the Blanket Exercise on their own in the name of the Contractor.
2.3.3 Other requirements:
The Contractor must submit to the School, for prior review and written approval, any marketing or public communication that makes reference to the School, including but not limited to, the use of name, website, logo and images.
The School will ensure that local Indigenous protocols are respected and followed when the Blanket Exercise is presented; and aim to build and strengthen partnerships with each other and with local Indigenous communities and organizations.
2.4 Expected Results:
The expected results of this contract are to achieve the following:
With this contract, the Canada School of Public Service will have the permission to deliver the Blanket Exercise to federal public servants in person for the duration of the contract, in a whole-of-government approach, to reduce costs.
Through the Blanket Exercise, federal public servants will increase their understanding of historic and contemporary relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the land we now know as Canada so that they can work towards reconciliation in their daily activities.
Through the Blanket Exercise’s interactive and experiential teaching tool, federal public servants will be engaged on both emotional and intellectual levels with an intended outcome of both educating and creating empathy and understanding of Indigenous realities.
2.5 Performance standards:
The Contractor must interact with the Canada School of Public Service in a manner that is consistent with the federal public sector’s values and ethics code.
The Contractor must provide facilitator training for the in-person Blanket Exercise in a professional manner that is consistent the federal public sector’s values and ethics code.
2.6 Location of work:
The School will provide the training facilities for the Blanket Exercise Facilitator Training sessions in person.
2.7 Language of work:
The Contractor must provide all Blanket Exercise documents in both official languages. The Blanket Exercise Facilitator Training sessions must be provided in English and/or French, as required by the School.
2.8 Security requirements:
There are no security requirements associated to this contract. The Contractor and/or their employees will be escorted when on School premises to deliver Facilitator Training sessions, when needed.
3. Criteria for the 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:
Must have developed a Blanket Exercise learning tool in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and/or educators.
Must have developed a Blanket Exercise learning tool that increases understanding of the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the land we now know as Canada so that public servants can work towards reconciliation in their daily activities.
Must have developed a Blanket Exercise learning tool that is interactive, experiential, and engages on both emotional and intellectual levels with an intended outcome of both educating and creating empathy and understanding of Indigenous realities.
Must have experience in delivering experiential training for at least five (5) years.
Must have experience in creating content that meets the Government of Canada’s compliance standards in official languages ( https://www.tbs-sct.canada.ca/pol/topic-sujet-eng.aspx?ta=36 ).
Must have experience in creating content that meets the Government of Canada’s compliance standards in accessibility ( https://accessible.canada.ca/ ).
Must have at least five (5) years of experience in training facilitators.
4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is not subject to any trade agreements.
5. Set-aside under the
Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB)
This procurement is not subject to any set-aside for Indigenous Suppliers.
6. Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement(s)
This procurement is not subject to a Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement.
7. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
Experience:
The pre-identified supplier has developed a Blanket Exercise learning tool in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and educators.
In 2022, the pre-identified supplier celebrated 25 years of sharing the Canadian story from an Indigenous perspective with thousands of Canadians and newcomers participating in the Blanket Exercise Workshop.
The pre-identified supplier has developed a Blanket Exercise learning tool that increases understanding of the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the land we now know as Canada. Increasing this understanding is at the core of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Report Call to action #57 and is in place so that public servants can work towards reconciliation in their daily activities.
The pre-identified supplier has developed a Blanket Exercise learning tool that is interactive, experiential, and engages on both emotional and intellectual levels with an intended outcome of both educating and creating empathy and understanding of Indigenous realities. The Blanket Exercise concludes with a debriefing, conducted as a talking circle, during which participants discuss their learning experience, process their feelings, ask questions, share insights, and deepen their understanding. Elders and sometimes mental health support is available to provide to participants during and after the Blanket Exercise session.
The pre-identified supplier designed and developed the Blanket Exercise in 1997 and has been delivering this experiential training for the past several decades in Canada and around the world, including in the United States, Central and South America, Europe, and Australia. Additionally, the pre-identified supplier owns the Intellectual Property of the Blanket Exercise.
The pre-identified supplier has demonstrated experience with meeting the Government of Canada’s compliance standards in official languages as evidenced through past contracts with the Canada School of Public Service.
The pre-identified supplier has demonstrated experience with meeting the Government of Canada’s compliance standards in accessibility as evidenced through past contracts with the Canada School of Public Service.
The pre-identified supplier designed and developed the Blanket Exercise and has been training new facilitators to deliver this workshop, for more than five (5) years, as evidenced through past contracts with the Canada School of Public Service.
8. 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 work.
9. Ownership of Intellectual Property
Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.
10. Period of the proposed contract
The proposed contract is for a period of one (1) year, from date of contract award, and includes three (3) irrevocable options of one (1) year each, allowing Canada to extend the term of the contract.
11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract
The estimated value of the contract, including options, is $88,000.00 (taxes not applicable).
12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
KAIROS – United Church of Canada
(o/a KAIROS Canada)
211 Bronson Ave., Suite 306
Ottawa, ON
K1R 6H5
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 of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.
14. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is March 2, 2023 at 2:00 pm EST.
15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Linda Lafreniere
Specialist, Procurement and Contracting
Canada School of Public Service
Email:
linda.lafreniere@csps-efpc.gc.ca
