K9 1100 72719 Central Office 7 2026

Statement of Work

K9- TECHNICAL SUBMITTAL

I-1. General

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy is currently in need of single purpose detector dog candidates. This Contract will be for one (1) year with four (4) one-year renewal options. The Awarded Contractor is expected to supply canines, from current inventory, in accordance with the specific requirements indicated below.

1-2. Specifications

Breeds - Canine breeds commonly used for Drug Detection work.

Lineage - It is preferred that the canine shall be European born or of European lineage traceable by two generations. Other canines without European lineage will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Age - The canine shall have a documented age between twelve (12) and twenty-four (24) months.

Weight - The canine shall weigh no less than forty-five (45) pounds nor more than Seventy-five (75) pounds.

Size - The canine shall measure not less than twenty-two (22) inches nor more than twenty-eight (28) inches at the shoulder.

Sex - The canine may be either male or female.

1-3. Scope of Project

The awarded contractor shall guarantee the trainability of the canine for a 45-day period that will begin after the drug detection training begins. The canine must be able to achieve the drug detection dog search standards required by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC). Failure to achieve these standards set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy will result in the canine being returned to the awarded contractor at no expense for replacement.

Selection Criteria - Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy personnel will administer a series of tests to the canine to determine whether it has the capability of becoming a successful detector dog. The canine is required to pass these tests in order to be accepted into the canine training program. These tests are described in the following section.

Selection Exercises/Tests - A detection canine candidate shall exhibit an obsession to play with objects, have stable character, and willing to surmount difficult obstacles. The canine should prefer to play with objects more than having food, water, or the attention of its handler. No commands will be given for the canine to retrieve. Listed below are several tests which provide insight into a candidate's suitability as a detection canine. All tests will be performed at a site to be determined by the Canine Section.

Stable Character Test - The canine will be brought around several people to judge how it responds. It should not be afraid or act aggressively toward anyone who approaches it. A happy, social attitude should be seen in its behavior. The canine will be walked on smooth tile floors to see if it is sure-footed. The canine should display no fear or discomfort. The canine will be taken into tight places to see how it responds. It should confidently enter and investigate these areas without hesitation.

Retrieve/Prey Drive Test - The canine will be evaluated to see if it will pursue a variety of objects. This test will be conducted in an open area or a building. The canine will be judged on its alertness, speed, hunt and grab of each object. Examples of objects are: rolled towel, jute, ball, Kong, etc. Upon locating the object, the canine should immediately grab it in its mouth and show a desire and satisfaction in playing with the object.

Perseverance Test - The canine will be pre-stimulated with an object that will then be placed under a heavy object (cement block, tire, etc.). The canine will then be released. The canine will be evaluated on its drive and desire to work out the problem and obtain the object. Ideal behavior for this test is, upon reaching the location of the object, the canine immediately engages in behavior to obtain the object or displays a frozen stare at the location of the object.

Hunt Drive Test - The canine will be brought to a location where there will be a high degree of grass or brush. The canine will be pre-stimulated with an object which will be thrown deep into the grass or brush. The purpose is to determine the level of the canine's hardness in pushing through the brush and if the canine will search for an extended period of time without losing interest. The ideal behavior for this test is that the canine crash through the brush with maximum physical effort. Once in the brush, the canine must exhibit concentrated and frantic hunting behavior utilizing its olfactory senses. The canine is expected to maintain this behavior for an extended period without any assistance from the handler until such time as it locates the object. Upon locating the object, the canine should immediately grab the object in its mouth and demonstrate satisfaction in playing with it.

Building Interior Search Test - The canine will be brought to a search area (shelves, vehicles, building, prison tiers, etc.). The canine will then be pre-stimulated with an object that will be placed out of sight in the search area at a location above ground level. The canine will then be directed to conduct a free search of the area. The canine must demonstrate effective use of its olfactory senses in searching the area where the object was placed. Upon reaching the hidden object, the canine should show quick recognition of the object's odor and display an undistracted desire to follow this odor and obtain the object.

Temperament and Genetic Drives - Throughout the selection phase, the canine must show that it possesses the temperament and genetic drives to work within the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections environment based on the following criteria:

Socialization - The canine must possess a sound temperament that will allow it to be approached by and work around groups of people without showing fear, distraction, or reacting aggressively.

Courage/Confidence - The canine must display lack of fear and not be distracted by the following situations and environments: Unsure footing (slick floors, rubble, etc.). Tightly enclosed spaces, moving vehicles, loud noises (weapons fire, etc.), other live animals and their odors, startling situations or unforeseen events which the canine perceives as a danger.

Drives - The canine shall possess, in varying degrees, the following genetic drives (drives are defined as subconscious impulses to react to stimuli):

Hunt - (high degree required) - The drive to pursue and search for thrown objects utilizing all senses.

Prey - (higher degree required) - The drive to chase, pick up and play with all thrown objects.

Retrieve - (higher degree required) - The drive to bring thrown objects back to the handler.

Activity - (some degree required) - The drive to be constantly in motion, engaged in activity and possessing abundant energy (commonly referred to as "hyper").

Trainability - Happily and willingly follows handler directions.

1-4. Required Documentation

The following documentation shall accompany the canine at the time of delivery:

Current vaccination records.

Current health certificate administered by a board-certified veterinarian.

Current X-rays (obtained less than sixty (60) days from the date of delivery) of the pelvis and hip area and the elbow of each forequarter.

Pedigrees, registration certificates, score books, breed surveys and other related paperwork if applicable

Physical - A certified veterinarian will perform a full physical (including x-rays) after the canine successfully completes the selection process.

I-5 Pricing - Bid prices shall be all-inclusive and included any applicable tariffs, customs duties, freight shipping, handling, fuel surcharges, and all other costs necessary to deliver the goods F.O.B. Destination. No Additional charges, including tariff -related surcharges, will be accepted after contract award. Vendors are responsible for incorporating all anticipated costs into their bid pricing.

Price Adjustments: Any request for a price adjustment during the contract renewal must be submitted in writing with supporting documentation and is subject to the PA DOC's review and written approval. Any approved price adjustment shall be by mutual agreement of both parties and shall not exceed 3%.

Additional Information -The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy will test the canine and determine if it is acceptable or unacceptable. Any canine that fails to pass any of these tests or the physical shall be returned to the awarded contractor, at no expense to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy, for replacement. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy will be responsible for the care and feeding of the canine until such date that the canine should be retrieved. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy shall make all determinations as to the acceptability/unacceptability of a canine. The awarded contractor shall not, in any case, make the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy responsible for the disposition of a medically defective canine. If, within six (6) months after acceptance, it is discovered that the canine has a pre-existing medical problem, chronic disease or heredity deficiency that could render the canine unacceptable for work, the awarded contractor shall replace the canine, at no expense to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Canine Academy, within thirty (30) days after receipt of notice that the canine needs to be replaced. The canine shall be delivered with a collar around its neck.

I -6 BID AWARD

It shall be understood and agreed that any quantities listed in the solicitation are estimated only and may be increased or decreased in accordance with the actual requirements of the Department of Corrections.

Unless otherwise indicated, the unit price must include all labor, materials, equipment, tools, insurance, delivery fees and all items necessary for the completion of the project. In cases of discrepancies in prices, the unit price will be binding unless the unit price is obviously in error and the extended price is obviously correct, in which case the erroneous unit price will be corrected. All items will be delivered

F.O.B Destination. The awarded supplier is responsible for any shipping or delivery costs.

I - 7 BID RESULTS

Bids will be opened on the date and time specified in the invitation for bid. Bid tabulations will be posted on the Department of General Services' eMarketplace, website . Tabulations are for information only and do NOT constitute actual award/execution of a contract. The results of the apparent bidders and all bids are under review until final award of the purchase order.

I - 8 INVOICING

Contractors must follow the following invoicing requirements:

Accurately bill the Commonwealth for actual services rendered on all invoices.

Submit invoice to appropriate resource account within 10 business days of completed service

Comply with Commonwealth / Department of Correction's practices for supplier payments.

The awarded supplier should submit all invoices, as outlined by the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget, as a PDF file to . The following link will provide more information regarding the Office of the Budget's invoicing requirements and resources: