Mother Child Program Coordinator
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 Canada has a requirement to provide Mother Child Initiative services at Grand Valley Institution for Women. The work will involve the following:
1.1 Objectives:
The Mother-Child Program is offered to provide a supportive environment that fosters and promotes stability and continuity for the mother/child relationship. It is critical to CSC, stakeholders, families,and to the greater community that CSC make significant attempts to keep mothers and children connected by fostering positive relationships between mothers incarcerated in women offender institutions and units and their child and providing a supportive environment that promotes stability and continuity for the mother-child relationship.
1.2 Tasks:
To provide both in-person extended access visits and extended access via Mother-Child Program-facilitated virtual visits,with children in coordination with staff in the Institution.
1.3 Expected results:
The Contractor must meet with community agencies to liaise and create partnerships and linkages with the community through engagement, coordination of services and case planning, and outreach and networking with organizations that include, but are not limited to, child welfare, hospitals, and community resources for parents.
The contractor will attend newcomer orientation and introduces themself to all newcomers. Referrals can be made by the offender (via inmate request form) or any staff for a range of Mother-Child Services.
The contractor must triage all inmate requests and respond to requests as soon as possible, recognizing the limitations within the contracted level of service. The contractor will work with the case management team to assess what service are needed. The contractor must work with the offenders in person.
The contractor must continue to support offenders as long as they have needs that fall under the non-residential and/or residential components of the Program.
Provision of services shall follow the activity structure detailed below. Monthly Activities reporting will be structured and submitted accordingly, reflecting services delivered.
Intake and Arrivals
• Telephone Contact
• Newcomer Orientation
• Intake regarding Children
• Needs Assessments
• Intake with other facilities/community partners
• Women in system not at GVI
• Pregnancy
• Newborn
• Young Children
• Seeking residency
Program Enhancement and Maintenance
• Service Protocols
• Research-purchases
• Establish New Initiatives and Maintain Partnerships
• Development and Augmentation of Community Resources
Pre-natal Services
• Orientation
• Working with Departments/Multi-disciplinary consultations and collaboration
• Hospital Plan Coordination
• Parenting Plan Development
• Education
• Family & Children Services Intake Interview
• Delivery support (hospital)
Post-Natal Services
• Post Birth Support
• Organizing Community Partner Access Visits
• Supervision of Access Visits
• Parenting Support
• Advocacy
• Supportive Interventions
• Residents for M-C living units
Residency Services
• Residency Application Process
• Developing/Maintaining Protocols & Procedures
• Monitoring Mother-Child Relationship
• Coordinating Stay of Children Admitted
• Coordinating Activities to Promote Bonding and Support Child Development
• Working with Departments/Multi-disciplinary consultations and collaboration Departments
• Parenting Support
• Securing Childcare providers
• Management of M-C units
• Fulltime Residency
• PT & PFV Residency
• Release Planning & Continuity of Care with Parole Officer
• Coordination with Community Residential Facilities
• Inmate Purchasing
• Child ID, Child Tax Credits, etc.
• Child Health Care Providers
• Review Board Meeting
Community Services and Visits
• Facilitating Parenting Planning Process
• Child Welfare and Family Court Education
• Access Visits
• Family Liaison
• Legal Support
• Parent Education, Counselling
• Recommend and Develop Parental Responsibilities (ETAs)
Community Engagement
• Responding to Inquiries
• Education and Coordination
• Establish Partnerships with Community Resources
• Coordination with Partners
• Legal Support
Team Coordination and Administrative Tasks
• Communication and coordination with Mother-Child SPO Liaison
• Ongoing logistical, planning and evaluation communication, briefings and meetings with AWI.
• Casework Records
• Meetings/briefings with teams and partners
• Liaise with other departments
• Data Collection, Management & Reporting - incidents, national Mother-Child App, monthly activities, annual evaluation
• Miscellaneous Admin Work
Program Awareness, Development, Planning, and Evaluation
• Workshop and Presentation Development
• Review and evaluation of Program components through ongoing assessment of experiences of policy with practice; identify best practices and barriers, intersecting with operations of particular or all departments.
• Informed by the above, Annual Program evaluation and recommendations.
• Public Awareness (i.e., education with professions, sending material, documentary, etc.)
• Visitor Application inquiries
• Political Responses (i.e., Office of the Correctional Investigator, Citizen Advisory Committee, political representatives, stakeholders, etc.)
• Research and Policy Development - flagging needs and opportunities for recommendations to AWI/leadership team by keeping abreast of trends in other sectors and legislative changes.
• Program Continuity Planning
1.4 Performance standards:
The contractor’s Mother-Child Program Coordinator must provide approximately 102 hours of service per month.
1.5 Deliverables:
1.5.1 The Contractor must provide various pre and post-natal support and services as part of the Mother Child Program.
In keeping with CD 768 – Institutional Mother-Child Program, the Mother-Child Coordinator (with the assistance and support of the designated Mother-Child Program SPO Liaison) shall:
a. be the primary point of contact for mothers in the Mother-Child Program (both residential and non-residential) concerning parenting needs and be responsible for assisting the mother to maintain a relationship with their child
b. guide the residential application processes, assisting the mother with any delays or obstacles that may arise and following up with relevant child welfare agencies to help expedite the application process
c. assist mothers in the residential program with any issues they face in caring for their child at the institution, including arranging for babysitters and facilitating relevant escorted temporary absences
d. coordinate the activities of any staff, volunteers and/or contractors involved in the Mother-Child Program
e. establish and maintain partnerships with community resources, including volunteers, who can:
i. provide information and/or support to mothers regarding parenting and meeting parental responsibilities
ii. assist the Parole Officer in developing and implementing a release plan to provide continuity of care following release to the community
iii. provide services and activities in support of the Mother-Child Program
f. verify safety recall information on the Health Canada website prior to distributing equipment and materials for children’s use
g. facilitate and/or coordinate awareness sessions for staff on identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect as well as on other child safety topics
h. as necessary, provide information to, and obtain information from, the child welfare agency and/or external health care professionals with a specialization in child care, in the mother’s previous places of residence, pursuant to the Residential Application and Assessment Process set out in this policy
i. facilitate the process or contact with community resources (e.g., volunteers) to allow mothers involved in the residential component of the Mother-Child Program to identify and purchase items necessary for the care of their child, including food, supplies, age appropriate equipment and materials
j. ensure that application forms related to the child, including, but not limited to, birth certificates, health cards, status cards, and child tax credits, are available to the mother and provide assistance if required to complete the forms
k. assist the inmate with identifying health care providers in the community and ensure the Mother-Child Program Health Care Checklist - Child (CSC/SCC 1159-03) is submitted annually for children who are participating in the residential component of the Mother-Child Program
l. coordinate and/or facilitate the mother’s interactions and involvement with family/kin, child welfare agencies, lawyers, family court, etc., to ensure that parental and/or legal responsibilities are met and that the best interests of the child remain paramount
m. be a point of contact for mothers who are not in the residential component of the Mother-Child Program and assist them to maintain contact with their child by participating in the non-residential component of the program.
Alongside the above, the Mother-Child Program Coordinator (with the assistance and support of the designated Mother-Child Program SPO Liaison) is to:
• Liaise and create partnerships and linkages with the community through engagement, coordination of services/case planning, outreach and networking (i.e., child welfare, hospitals, community resources for parents, etc.).
• Scheduled to achieve equitable access, provide in-person extended access visits or extended access via Mother-Child Program-facilitated virtual visits in coordination with staff in the Institution, where applicable. Video Visitation is available at CSC institutions to enhance communication between incarcerated individuals and their family. Although face-to-face visits between mothers and their children is optimal, it is not always possible due to cost and distance. Virtual Visitation offers mothers another way to communicate with their children.
• Provide pre-natal services:
o Facilitate the parenting planning process.
o Liaise with Child Welfare and any family members of the woman.
o Collaborate with case management throughout assessment process.
o Engage and collaborate with local community health services regarding preparations for delivery.
o Attend hospital around birth to interface and collaborate with hospital staff, liaise with Child Welfare, and to support mother and family as deemed appropriate depending on level of family support and/or other unique dynamics.
o Facilitate preparation and delivery of items needed for mother and baby.
• Provide post-natal services:
o Continue to support the woman following birth.
o Organize/schedule visits to and from community partners and ensure appropriate process for such; facilitate extended access visits for newborns/infants/toddlers residing in the community.
• Coordinate Mother-Child Residency Services:
o Develop/maintain a working protocol with the child welfare system for background checks required for in risk analysis and determining the suitability for residency, and a community alternative/contingency plan.
o Facilitate background checks from the child welfare agency for all caregivers and women residing in Mother-Child units (follow procedures and documentation regarding the child welfare agency protocol)
o Establish policy and procedures allowing open access to the institution (24/7) for protection workers.
o Monitor the mother-child relationship and the child’s well-being.
o Report child abuse and/or neglect to the child welfare authorities as per applicable provincial legislation.
o Coordinate the stay of children admitted to the Mother-Child Program
o Coordinate activities that promote bonding between incarcerated mothers and their children inside the institution.
o Participate in meetings with correctional staff to review each mother and child participating in the program.
o Provide pre-natal, post-natal counselling, and individual and/or group parenting/child development education and guidance, as required.
o Ensure that the house rules for units housing mothers and their children are established.
o Review and ensure that participants are clear in their understanding of the parenting agreement and any other institutional agreements for residency (e.g., C.P.R. training and parenting programming).
o Ensure that all Mother-Child forms are completed within the required timeline (as outlined in Annex “D” of Commissioner’s Directive 768).
o Support and encourage the mother in her parenting role.
o Assist the mother in establishing community support networks.
o Support the mother in obtaining various early childhood services (child tax benefit, the child’s birth certificate and health insurance card).
• Provide services for women with children residing in the community:
o Facilitate the parenting planning process.
o Provide education regarding the child welfare and family court systems.
o Provide parenting education.
o Assisting women in obtaining legal advice and navigating complex intersecting systems
o Work with staff to co-ordinate and facilitate Mother-Child Program Extended Access visits outside of institutional visiting hours, as required and as feasible (determined in coordination with the Assistant Warden Interventions).
• Education/Program Awareness, Training
o Workshops and Presentation Development
o Public Awareness
o Program Awareness to staff and Offenders
o Presentation at Women-Centred Training and to new staff, staff teams, as requested.
o Community Partner Education
o Visitor Application Inquiries
o Political responses/presentations (Office of the Correctional Investigator, political representatives, stakeholders, etc.)
• Program Development and Program Continuity Planning
o Policy Development – protocols, procedures
o Program Continuity Planning
o Review and evaluation of Program components, as required.
o Monthly activity reporting (as per terms of payment)
o Annual Program summary, evaluation and recommendations
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 Grand Valley Institution for Women.
b. Travel
Travel to other locations for approved Escorted Temporary Absences or meetings must have prior authorization of the Project Authority and will 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:
This contract includes the following 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) of the Industrial Security Sector (ISS), Public Works and Government Services (PWGSC).
2 The Contractor personnel requiring access to Protected information, assets or sensitive work site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the CSP/ISS/PWGSC.
3 The Contractor/Offeror MUST NOT remove and PROTECTED information or assets from the identified work 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/ISS/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:
Experience:
Must possess a minimum of 10 years full-time experience in the past 15years prior to the ACAN closing date in counselling and program facilitation with individuals, families and groups.
Must possess a minimum of 10 years full-time experience in the past 15 years prior to the ACAN closing date working within the child welfare system, the ability to collaborate and engage community partners and demonstrate they possess an established network of contacts within the child welfare system in Ontario.
Must possess a minimum of 10 years full-time experience in the past 15 years prior to the ACAN closing date providing pre-natal, labor and post-natal support and counselling and possess a strong knowledge of child development.
Academic qualifications:
Must possess a Masters Degree in Social Sciences, Heath Services, Social Work, Psychology, Psychotherapy or Councelling.
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 qualified and available to provide mother-child services to expectant CSC women offenders to meet their reintegration needs.
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 one (1) year, from December 1, 2024, to November 30, 2025, with an option to extend the contract for four (4) additional one -year periods.
11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract
The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $524,080.00 (GST/HST extra).
12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Name: PMB Group Inc.
Address: 2089 Maplewood Road
St. Clements, Ontario
N0B 2M0
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 11, 2024 at 2:00 PM EST.
15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:
Danielle Murdoch, Regional Contract Administrator
Correctional Service Canada, Ontario Region
P.O Box 1174, 445 Union Street West
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 4Y8
Telephone: 343-422-4831
Facsimile: 613-536-4571
Email: danielle.murdoch@csc-scc.gc.ca
