MUSLIM FAITH LEADER STATEMENT OF WORK.pdf

MUSLIM FAITH LEADER STATEMENT OF WORK

SUBJECT

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, United States Penitentiary, Marion, Illinois (hereinafter referred to as USP), intends to make a single award of a firm fixed price requirements type contract to a responsible entity for the provision of Muslim Services as set forth in this solicitation. The USP houses incarcerated inmates who are being held under the authority of the Federal Government by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. USP Marion houses male inmates only. Medium Security inmates are housed inside the USP and Low Security inmates are housed at the Satellite Prison Camp (hereinafter referred to as SCP).

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Services will be performed at USP/SCP Marion, located at 4500 Prison Road, Marion, IL 62959.

Services will be performed in the Religious Service Department.

SCHEDULE

A session is defined as one hour. The contractor will normally work Fridays between the hours of 7:30am-4:00pm. The exact hours will be mutually agreed upon by the contractor and the Contractor Monitor after contract is awarded. USP Marion is expected to require an estimated 48 sessions per year.

Due to the nature of the correctional setting, delays in performance of work may be experienced.

Such delays may include but are not limited to inclement weather, electrical or mechanical problems, or other security matters. When contract employees report to the institution but are unable to perform services due to such delays, the contractor will be paid for one session.

Normally, any remaining sessions for that day will be suspended and the contractor will be free to leave and the contractor will not be paid for the remaining unperformed sessions. However, if the institution requests that the contractor remain at the institution for eventual performance, the contractor shall be paid for such sessions. In the event of any absence, the contractor may make up his/her time so long as it does not exceed 4 hours in any given month. If the contractor fails to provide coverage, the Government may seek contractual remedy.

SUPPLIES

Due to security concerns, all supplies and equipment that the Contractor may need, while at the institution, will be furnished by the institution. These supplies normally will include any materials needed to perform the services covered under this contract. All records maintained by the Contractor under this contract will remain the property of the institution.

All equipment and supplies the contractor may routinely need will be provided by USP Marion.

The supplies will normally include a television, DVD player, and printed material available in the Chapel Library. No materials, supplies or equipment will be brought into the institution without the prior written approval of the Supervisory Chaplain. The contractor will be expected to account for all materials, supplies and equipment placed under his/her disposition.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The following is a list of duties which the Muslim Imam must perform:

1. Lead the Muslim inmates twice a month in Jumah services and religious instruction, both at the USP and the SCP.

2. Recommend to the Supervisory Chaplain special religious holiday needs observed by this faith group.

3. Lead the Muslim inmates in the spiritual teachings of the Quran and Hadith, as well as other literature pertaining to this faith group.

4. Make recommendations to the Supervisory Chaplain in developing ways to ensure that the dietary needs of this faith group are met.

5. Make recommendations to the Supervisory Chaplain in purchasing supplies and materials for this faith group to practice and enhance their spiritual growth.

6. Through the Supervisory Chaplain, offer literature, materials and current trends developing with this faith group for the SCP.

7. Provide information to the Supervisory Chaplain in teaching Islamic customs and traditions to Correctional Service staff to ensure that religious holidays are not unnecessarily hindered.

8. Develop ways to determine the spiritual and religious needs of this group.

9. Lead the worship experience, and ensure that all elements necessary for the service are provided.

10. Make recommendations to the Supervisory Chaplain and Correctional Staff for providing inmates the opportunity to practice their faith consistent with the security and orderly running of the institution.

11. Stay within the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974.

ATTIRE

The contractor is expected to wear professional clothing while on duty. The attire worn should also be appropriate for the correctional environment in which the contract employee will be performing.

GENERAL TOPICS FOR MUSLIM CONTRACTORS:

General topics which should provide a religious basis for the Islamic contractor include:

· The true meaning of Islam and Muslims.

· The Attributes of Allah and His Perfection.

· The Purpose of the Islamic Laws.

· Spirituality, Faith, Self-Purification.

· Positivity, Trusting Allah.

· Morality and Justice.

· Good Character, Self-Control, and Responsibility.

· The Six Pillars of Faith.

· The Five Pillars of Islam.

· The Sunnah and its true meaning and purpose.

· The Seerah/Biography of Mohammad.

· Knowledge and Wisdom.

· Jihad: Its true meaning and purpose.

· Observances for the Month of Ramadan.

· Sin, Repentance, Forgiveness.

· Good Deeds.

· Good Will.

· Community, Caring and Hospitality.

· Tolerance, Peace, Harmony, Love, Unity.

· This Life and the Hereafter.

· Companionship/Family.

· Modesty.

· Equality of Women

· Creation.

· Humility and Pride

· Sincerity

· Prayer and Ritual

· Dawa.

ACADEMIC, EXPERIENCE, AND/OR SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

The contractor shall meet the following requirements:

1. Possess at a minimum a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent, from an accredited college or university, with a major in religious studies, religious education, or a related curriculum. If seeking equivalency, proof of academic Islamic Studies is required, as well as four years of documented full-time experience as an Imam.

2. Possess an ordination certificate or like document verifying their recognition as a clergy or spiritual leader in good standing with their faith community.

3. Must have a minimum of three years of documented, full-time experience as an Imam in their faith community (additional experience will be evaluated more favorably).

4. Be able to demonstrate experience in teaching diverse and multi-cultural populations (experience in a correctional setting will be evaluated more favorably).

5. Able to submit copies of license/degrees to the Contracting Officer along with the offer and on an annual basis to coincide with contract option renewal dates.

6. Be fluent in reading and speaking the Arabic language.

7. Show experience and availability to provide Khutbah during Friday Jumah services.

8. Show experience in developing and implementing lesson plans in Islamic studies.

In addition, the contractor shall complete BOP Form BP-S778.053, “Credentials of Religious Service Contractor” and submit two personal references and one letter of endorsement from their local religious organization as required by this form.

Quoters must specifically identify the individual that will be performing these services under any subsequent contract award. The quoter must provide proof that their candidate meets all qualifications listed above. The candidate’s name and qualifications must be submitted at the time the quote is submitted. All Contractors must submit with their quote a resume, photocopies of documents evidencing education and training.

All information provided will be reviewed by BOP staff. Quoters may be requested to submit additional documents for review or be interviewed by BOP staff.

Quoters failing to submit any of the required documents or participate in an interview (when requested) will be removed from further consideration for award. Quoters providing unfavorable responses to the credentials form or the interview may be ineligible for the award.

INMATE MANAGEMENT

The contractor, as well as all employees of the contractor, agrees to adhere to all regulations prescribed by the institution in regards to the safety, custody, and conduct of inmates. The custody of federal inmates remains a primary responsibility of the designated facility. The provision of services under this contract will require frequent and unsupervised contact with inmates. The contract employee will not be responsible for the management of inmates except to ensure that those inmates involved in activities within the contract employee’s scope of work shall abide by all rules, in effect, to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants.

The contract employee will report any infractions of rules and regulations by any inmate to the Supervisory Chaplain or COR. The contractor may, at any time, be removed from the institution at the discretion of the CEO. The contractor is to constantly be aware of security and maintain a professional relationship with inmates at all times. Any violation of the institution rules and regulations are to be brought immediately to the attention of any

Government employee employed at the institution. The contractor will be required to provide documentation to the COR, or designee, of any infractions of institutional rules and regulations by inmates for proper action.

INSTITUTION SECURITY

The Bureau of Prisons requires all non-employees to sign in and out of the institution for security reasons. Contract staff will sign the log, indicating the date of visit to the institution, time of arrival, and time of departure. The Contractor or its’ employees may, at any time, be removed from the institution at the discretion of the CEO. Additionally, contract staff will each be required to wear an ID badge, provided by the Government, at all times within the confines of the institution. The Contractor will maintain and furnish time and attendance reports as required by the Supervisory Chaplain. At the time of arrival and before entry into the institution, contractors may be required to submit their possessions for passage through an x-ray screening machine and may be required to clear a walk through metal detector.

The contractor, as well as all employees of the contractor, must undergo a security clearance process prior to being permitted to enter the institution. It is the responsibility of the contractor to make sure that those employees submit the required information and complete the necessary actions in a timely manner so as to complete their investigations as expeditiously as possible.

Additionally, it is the responsibility of the contractor to provide employees to fulfill this contract who are reasonably certain to be able to successfully complete the security scrutiny. This may involve a more intensive screening process on the part of the contractor.

Contractor employees will be provided with a security and BOP procedures orientation session prior to performing any services under this contact. The date and time for this orientation will be coordinated by the COR. Refresher training in security and BOP procedures may be required annually. Compensation to the contractor for time spent in this, and any other required security related training, will be at the contract rate, prorated hourly.

RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRACT WORKERS

The Contract employees shall not supervise inmates, supervise Bureau of Prisons staff, participate in inmate accountability, requisition, sign for or pickup supplies, formulate policy or procedures, or attend staff recalls or staff functions.

The contractor may attend team meetings, departmental meetings, or other meetings relating to the involvement of the services to be provided by terms of the contract. Some meetings will be required and accomplished on contract time.

NON-PERSONAL SERVICES/COMMON LAW EMPLOYEE INFORMATION

The service is a contractual arrangement and not a personnel appointment. Payment is based on the provision of an end product or the accomplishment of a specific result. The service does not constitute an employer/employee relationship. The contractor will not be subject to Government supervision, except for security related matters. However, contractor performance shall be monitored.

If the resulting contract is made to an individual(s), the provision of these services has been determined to meet certain criteria for creating common law employee relationship.

Therefore, the BOP is responsible for the payment of FICA taxes (7.65%) and the withholding of the individual's taxes. These responsibilities apply only when award of this solicitation is made to an individual. It does not apply to companies or individuals who are incorporated. For evaluation purposes, an additional 7.65% will be added to the price submitted by individuals who are not incorporated.

METHOD OF PERFORMANCE

The Contractor has sole responsibility and discretion for choosing and implementing the manner and method of performing tasks outlined in this Statement of Work as long as the requirements are met in accordance with the policies described above. The contract employee will provide religious instruction based on their own expertise as it relates to the core curriculum materials.

The contractor will work closely with the Chaplain Program Manager and other program staff to assist in the development of the program and to gauge the progress of individual participants.

Consultations will be held with Faith-Based Chaplain Program Manager as needed. Although the instruction will follow the tenants of Islamic teaching, the contractor may work with participants who follow other interpretations of Islam.

The services, although not directly supervised, shall be reviewed by institution religious services staff to ensure contract compliance. The Contractors performance will be evaluated in accordance with FAR Part 42. Contract monitoring reports will be prepared by the COR and maintained in the contract file. The Government reserves the right to suspend, limit or revoke the Contractor’s privileges at the facility due to violations of security procedures.

When an observation indicates defective performance, the Contracting Officer may issue a Discrepancy Report to the Contractor. The Contractor shall address any Discrepancy Report in writing to the Contracting Officer within ten calendar days of notification, indicating any corrective action taken to rectify the deficiency.

The services provided are for non-personal religious services, as defined in Federal Acquisitions Regulation (FAR) Part 37.101, under which a contractor is not an employee, but a contractor. The Government may evaluate the quality of professional and administrative services provided, but retains no control over the religious aspects of services rendered. The contractor is required to indemnify the Government for any liability producing act or omission by the contractor, its employees and agents occurring during contract performance. These services, although not directly supervised, will be under the administrative review of the Chief Chaplain. The contractor's performance will be evaluated in accordance with FAR Part 42 and the performance of these services will be verified by the designated Contract Monitor and maintained in the contract file.

POINT OF CONTACT

The Contractor shall provide a Point of Contact (POC) who shall be responsible for the delivery of services under this contract. The POC shall have the full authority to act on behalf of the Contractor in all matters relating to the daily operation of the contracted services. The Contractor shall designate this individual in writing to the Contracting Officer prior to the start date of the contract. An alternate POC may be designated, however, the Contractor must identify those times when the alternate shall be the primary POC.

The contractor will provide a monthly billing statement to the contract monitor that accurately reflects the days of each visit, the number of hours or sessions of each visit, the general content of the sessions, and the total dollar amount due for that months services.

PERSONNEL BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION/INSTITUTION FAMILIARIZATION

TRAINING

All contract personnel providing services within the confines of the USP and SCP shall have a complete background investigation conducted in accordance with Bureau of Prisons Program Statement 3000.03, "Personnel Manual." See also, "Contract Security/Investigative Requirements of the solicitation."

All contract personnel providing services under the contract are required to attend an institution orientation course. A "refresher" orientation must be completed annually. Reimbursement to the contractor for institution orientation or other security related training will be at the contract rate. The Contract Monitor will be responsible for scheduling training for all applicable contract staff.

POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND REGULATIONS

The contractor shall adhere to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations in effect during the term of this contract. Contract staff shall adhere to all policies and procedures prescribed by the Bureau of Prisons relating to the safety, custody, and conduct of inmates.

NON-PERSONAL SERVICES/COMMON LAW EMPLOYEE INFORMATION