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 provide programs and opportunities to meet the reintegration needs of Indigenous offenders. CSC is legislated to provide Indigenous offenders with the opportunity to further develop their understanding of traditional Indigenous culture and beliefs while allowing others to practice their beliefs and values systems.
The work will involve the following:
1.1 Objectives
To provide an Equine Assisted Therapy (horse teaching) program to the federally sentenced men and women within the Prairie Region. The holistic approach of Equine Assisted Therapy is very beneficial for individuals whose issues include, but are not limited to, addiction, trauma, anger, poor self-management, lack of goal setting and cultural disconnect. These are issues which have prevented indigenous offenders from moving forward in their healing journey and impeded achieving their best life. The program helps offenders acquire skills in the following areas: confidence, self-efficacy, communication, trust, boundaries, self-awareness, perspective, anxiety reduction, impulse modulation, social skills and assertiveness.
Equine Assisted Therapy is an experiential (hands-on) model which uses horses as co-therapists in the therapeutic process to support offenders as they work towards their reintegration goals. The participants will learn to come together in harmony with the Creator, within the Circle of Life, and the Spiritual Path they walk. Close contact with the horses and the development of new skills has been shown to contribute positively to healing and personal growth.
1.2 Tasks
The Contractor must provide:
1. An Equine Assisted Therapy program that is 2.5 days in length, for up to 6 to 8 hours per day to a maximum of 10 federally sentenced offenders per program in the Prairies Region.
2. Group therapy sessions as well as individual sessions (one on one (1:1)) with the participants and horses;
3. All necessary horses, equipment, transportation, fence panels, - trough, horse care and feed required for the delivery of the program;
4. Care and feed of the horses while they are on CSC property for the duration of the program.
5. Horses that are sound, reliable and suitable for the participants of the program.
6. All necessary instructor(s), facilitators, guest speakers, ceremonial Elders that may be needed to facilitate each program.
7. A completed final program assessment detailing participant attendance, participation, group session, -skills acquired, and interaction with the horses.
8. Provide a traditional ceremony and certificate to the participants, at the end of each program.
9. Report any issues regarding negative behaviour, security or health of the participants to the attention of the designated Project Authority.
10. Provide appropriate supervision of participants within the training setting and how participants apply practical skills with the horses in the training area.
11. In class group sessions that focus on engaging participants in the program process, empowering them to take responsibility for their own healing journey, sharing experiences and working through personal issues
12. Encourage participants to keep a journal for their thoughts and emotions during the program.
1.3 Expected results
Participants of the Equine Assisted Therapy program will learn to be in close contact with the horses and develop new skills that are shown to contribute positively to their healing and personal growth.
1.4 Deliverables
1.4.1 The contractor must provide :
1. An Initial Assessment and Establishment of Personal Objectives/Goals for each participant at the end of each 2.5 day program.
2. A complete final written assessment for each participant addressing the areas of attendance, participation, group session, work, skills acquired and interaction with the horses.
The Contractor must complete these documents at the Federal Institution where the program was delivered using Correctional Service of Canada computers and network, or in writing on the contractors own report template. The contractor’s own report will not be removed from the location where the program is delivered.
3. The contractor must provide a traditional ceremony and final certificate to the participants.
1.4.2 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).
1.5 Constraints
1.5.1 Location of work
a. The Contractor must perform the work within the Prairie Region at the following locations.
a) PeSakastew Centre
b) Drumheller Institution
c) Regional Psychiatric Centre
d) Bowden Institution
e) Grande Cache Institution
f) Edmonton Institution for Women
g) Willow Cree Healing Lodge
b. Travel
ii. No travel is anticipated for performance of the work under this contract.
1.5.2 Language of Work
The contractor must perform all work in English.
1.5.3 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. 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 Supplemental Security and Classification Guide (if applicable), attached at Annex A;
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:
1. The supplier must have a minimum of one (1) year experience in providing an Equine Assisted Therapy program to offenders. The experience must have been acquired within the last five (5) years preceding the closing date of this Advanced Contract Award Notice (ACAN).
The Equine Assisted Therapy program must be an experiential (hands-on) program that uses horses as co-therapists in the therapeutic process to support participants
2. The supplier’s resource(s) must have a minimum of one (1) year experience in providing Equine Assisted Therapy to offenders. The experience must have been acquired within the last five (5) years preceding the closing date of this Advanced Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
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 set-aside for an Indigenous Supplier in accordance with the government Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB). Therefore, only suppliers who meet the definition of an Indigenous business, as defined in the PSIB, may submit a statement of capabilities.
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 qualified suppliers in the geographical area CSC institutions are located in who are willing and available to provide Equine Assisted Therapy with a holistic approach to meet the needs of CSC Indigenous offenders.
Given the pre-identified supplier’s history and experience in working with offenders, they are uniquely positioned to provide the program. The supplier is also registered in the Indigenous Business Directory and is an Indigenous owned business dedicated to cultivating traditional values and supporting the healing journeys of individuals.
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 1 year, from date of contract award to one year later.
11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract
The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $60,000 (GST/HST extra).
12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Name: Ke-We-Tin 777 Cultural and Spiritual Awareness
Address: PO Box 1663
High Prairie, AB, T0G 0E0
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 February 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET.
15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:
Lynn-Stacy Gracia-Jules
340 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5K3
Telephone: 343-596-7363
E-mail: Lynn-Stacy.Gracia-Jules@csc-scc.gc.ca
