SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE
This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. Pursuant to 48 CFR Part 326, Subpart 326.603-3 and IHM 5.5-6, Indian Health Service must use the negotiation authority of the Buy Indian Act, 25 U.S.C. 47, to give preference to Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE) whenever the use of that authority is authorized and practicable.
The Government is seeking to identify Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs), Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE), and any other category of vendor capable of performing the below Indian Health Services (IHS) requirement. Any vendor responding to this notice should submit their capability statement as well as the Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form (attached).
Consistent with the revised Buy Indian Act, HHS/IHS adopted the definition of an Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) set forth in 48 CFR 1480.201. This definition includes the following requirement, amongst others: “the Indians or Indian Tribes must, together, receive at least a majority of the earnings from the contract.”.
Instructions for submission are outlined further below.
DEFINITIONS
INDIAN ECONOMIC ENTERPRISE (IEE):
Any business activity owned by one or more Indians, Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, or Alaska Native Corporations provided that:
- The combined Indian, Federally Recognized Indian Tribe or Alaska Native Corporation ownership of the enterprise constitutes not less than 51%;
- The Indian, Federal Recognized Indian Tribes, or Alaska Native Corporations must, together, receive at least 51% of the earnings from the contract; and
- The management and daily business operations must be controlled by one or more individuals who are Indians.
DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT
Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital (CNCH), Billings Area-Indian Health Service, Crow Agency, Montana is a 28-bed general medical and surgical hospital which provides comprehensive health services primarily to the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Tribal communities to include eligible beneficiaries. CNHC serves as a critical access hospital for the remote locations within the Crow Reservation. Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital, Lodge Grass and Pryor Clinics also serves as the primary health facility for a large number of urban Indians in and around Billings, Montana.
Specialties:
Emergency Physician
Emergency Physician Assistant
Inpatient Hospitalist Physician
Outpatient Family Medicine Physician
Outpatient Internal Medicine Physician
Outpatient General Surgery
Outpatient Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Outpatient Family Mid-Level Providers (FNP/PA)
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
NAICS:
561320 - Temporary Help Services
Size Standard: 250 employees
Duration:
12 Months
Work Schedule:
The Crow Service Unit requires medical professional locum providers for the Inpatient, Emergency, and Outpatient departments. The Department Supervisor at the IHS facility will determine specific tour of duty for each Contractor Physician or Provider within the scope of the contract. Contractor Physician or Provider shall work in accordance with the tour of duty as scheduled to meet the patient care needs of the Service Unit facility. The Contractor Physician or Provider will be scheduled for lunch breaks of thirty minutes to one hour as assigned and/or rotated, based upon department scheduling.
Unique Requirements:
The Contractor Physician or Provider shall have a minimum of three (3) years in the specialty required by the contract, unless otherwise approved by the Contracting Officer and selecting official. The Contractor Physician or Provider shall provide all requested information necessary to perform background checks. The Contractor Physician or Provider shall comply with the requirement to obtain security investigations. The Contractor Physician or Provider shall work with the IHS to ensure that the pre-employment screening process includes the appropriate investigation questionnaires and forms to be completed. All completed forms will be reviewed by the Contractor Physician or Provider and forwarded to the Government personnel. IHS will immediately remove a Contractor from the position if at any time the investigation team receives unfavorable adjudication, or, if other unfavorable information that would affect the investigation becomes known. The Contractor Physician or Provider must hold an active clearance with the Billings Area in order to provide immediate services to the Crow Service Unit as of 06/01/2025.
INSTRUCTIONS TO INDUSTRY
ISBEEs are highly encouraged to respond to this notice. However, firms must also understand that generic capability statements are not sufficient for effective evaluation of their capacity and capability to perform the work required. To be considered a capable source, responses must directly demonstrate the company’s capability, experience, and ability to provide services as shown below.
Your response must include but is not limited to the following:
- Number of years of experience in providing Medical Staffing to Indian Health Service healthcare facilities.
- List of past jobs/contracts of providing Medical Staffing to Indian Health Service healthcare facilities.
- Demonstrate how your company meets the definition for Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) in consideration to this requirement.
- Demonstrate how your company will receive at least 51% of the earnings from the awarded contract.
- If identifying a partnership with a subcontractor that is a similarly situated entity, demonstrate how together with the subcontractor you will receive a combined 51% of the earnings from the contract.
- If identifying a partnership with a subcontractor that is NOT a similarly situated entity, demonstrate how you will receive 51% of the earnings from the contract.
- Demonstrate how the prime IEE, or together with the subcontractor, will conduct management and daily operations to be controlled by one or more individuals who are Indians.
Failure to address these items in your capability statement could exclude your firm from being determined a capable IEE/ISBEE source.
SUBMISSION
Interested parties capable of performing the required services may submit a response via email to: Johnna.Spotted@ihs.gov and Prudence.YellowOwl@ihs.gov no later than 7 days from the date of the sources sought announcement.
Interested parties shall submit their capability response as instructed above and include a copy of the Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form. It is recommended to include the sources sought ID in the subject line.
Sources Sought ID: 75H709-CSU25Q-007. Responses received to this notice will assist in determining the acquisition strategy of the requirement.
