Full Sources Sought Notice - IHS1514659-SS.pdf

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) 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). Instructions for submission are outlined below.

Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs) and other small business are highly encouraged to respond to this notice. However, firms should understand that generic capability statements are not sufficient for effective evaluation of their capacity and capability to perform the work required.

Responses must directly demonstrate the company’s capability, experience, and ability to provide Medical Waste Disposal for NSSC Oklahoma City, OK and Gallup, NM locations.

The Government requests interested parties submit a written response to this notice, which includes:

a. Company Name.

b. Company Socioeconomic Status.

c. Company System for Award Management (SAM) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number.

d. Company point of contact, mailing address, and telephone number(s), and website address

e. Name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a company point of contact who has the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with government representatives.

f. DUNS Number:

g. Cage Code:

h. Tax ID

i. Date submitted.

j. Applicable company GSA Schedule number or other available procurement vehicle.

k. Company’s System for Award Management (SAM) registration status. All respondents must register on the SAM located at http://www.sam.gov/.

l. Submit Indian Health Service Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form

(attached)

Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award contract. Any information provided by industry to the Government as a result of this sources sought synopsis is strictly voluntary. Responses will not be returned. No entitlements to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges to the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses, or the Government's use of such information or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published on a government GPE. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

How to respond: Please include the notice IHS1514659-SS - Medical Waste Disposal for NSSC in the subject line. Responses must be submitted via email to the Contract Specialist, Carlene Prince at Carlene.Prince@ihs.gov no later than 4:30 PM CST on July 30, 2025.

Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date. The maximum number of pages for this submission is five (5) pages.

Department of Health and Human Services

Indian Health Service

National Supply Service Center (NSSC)

Statement of Work (SOW)

Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for Regulated Medical Waste and Universal Waste Disposal Services, Oklahoma City, Ok, and Gallup, NM

1. PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The Oklahoma City Area Office (OCA), Indian Health Services (IHS), National Supply Service Center (NSSC), Oklahoma City, OK, and Gallup, NM, has a requirement for a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) on-site regulated medical waste, universal waste disposal, standardized, non-standardized, and hazardous waste services.

This is required by The Joint Commission Standard EC.02.02.01, Federal regulations, such as the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which is enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate medical and pharmaceutical waste disposal. NSSC and IHS' mission and commitment are to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level, and to ensure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available to American Indian and Alaska Native people.

2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall provide a licensed and certified service for the safe removal of regulated medical waste (RMW), hazardous waste, and universal waste disposal for the NSSC. Permits, licenses, manifests, and safety data sheets are required by law and regulation. The contractor shall pick up and dispose of hazardous, universal, and regulated medical waste (RMW) containers. The contractor shall provide NSSC with proof that the employees working for the Contractor have received adequate training in handling RMW and other waste generated by NSSC.

The contractor shall perform the following:

• Provide a certificate of destruction within 24 hours of pick-up.

• Provide an accurate invoice that reflects the date of pick-up.

• Billed at a per-pound rate for hazardous and non-hazardous waste materials.

• Provide pickup and disposal services on an as-needed basis, with a response time of up to 3 business days upon request.

• Supply leak-proof, disposable waste containers with lids for RMW, waste types as needed, in accordance with Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines. The type, number, and size of containers required will be determined with each pick-up.

• Properly label any containers packaged or received by the contractor, including any required DOT labeling.

• Provide accurate, signed manifests for all collected waste, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements after each pickup. When a requested pickup involves multiple trucks, only one consolidated, signed manifest covering the entire pickup is required.

• Provide containers capable of accommodating approximately 10,000 pounds. The number of containers required will be determined with each pick-up.

• Provide D.O.T. Manifest training for EBS staff and Manifest records on an online site.

• Ensure all services comply with local, state, and federal regulations, including those from OSHA, EPA, and

DOT.

• Submit the reports on waste management activities, including volumes of waste collected, treated, and disposed of, along with any incidents or compliance issues.

• Disposal services are required at the following locations:

,,i-�" ,£RV1css.v s., Department of Health and Human Services i J (? Indian Health Service 1-1 fj \ � � National Supply Service Center (NSSC) � tt;

facilities and logical access to the IHS Information Technology (IT) networks and systems must obtain an HSPD-12-compliant access card. Individuals will be issued an access card upon meeting the HSPD-12 requirements and a favorable background investigation.

5.2. The US PHS National Supply Service Center (NSSC) is a tobacco/smoke-free environment (buildings and grounds). No tobacco/smoking use will be tolerated during service.

5.3. Security Requirements: Contractor personnel will be required to contact the government-designated point of contact upon arrival when reporting for service calls or delivery supplies. The contractor shall be responsible for the security of all organizational information. Current rules and regulations applicable to the premises, where the work shall be performed, shall apply to the contractor and its employees while working on the premises. These regulations include, but are not limited to, escort by a National Supply Service Center (NSSC) official, presenting valid identification, smoking restriction, and any safety procedures.

5.4. The contractor shall not disclose or cause to be disseminated any information concerning the operations of the National Supply Service Center (NSSC). Such action(s) could result in a violation of the contract and possible legal actions.

5.4.1.All inquiries, comments, or complaints arising from any matter observed, experienced, or learned of as a result of or in connection with the performance of the contract, the resolution of which may require the dissemination of official information, shall be directed to the government's designated representative.

5.5. Termination Amortization Schedule: A termination amortization schedule shall be included as an attachment to the awarded contract. If the Government does not exercise any of the options listed in the price/cost schedule, the Government's not exercising the options will have the same effect as if the government terminated for convenience. All remedies afforded to the contractor in regards to a termination for convenience shall be available to the contractor.

6. DELIVERABLES AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

6.1. Delivery/Pick-Up: The contractor will coordinate pick-up date with the designated government employee.

The government will provide the contractor with dock access and building access for this sole purpose. The designated government employee will work with the pertinent government agency(ies) to secure the needed dock access. Driver needs a valid ID.

6.2. Contractor Point of Contact: The contractor shall furnish one designated point of contact (POC) to the government's designated representative for coordination of supplies, delivery, and/or maintenance. The POC will be empowered to make daily decisions to ensure that the contract implementation and day-to-day maintenance meet the terms and conditions of this contract.

6.3. Contractor's Phone Numbers: The contractor shall provide a toll-free telephone number for service calls, which must be answered during at least eight working hours, between 7 :00 am and 3 :30 pm, Monday through Friday.

7. GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY, FACILITIES, AND SERVICES

Andrea L.

Klimo -S

Digitally signed by Andrea L.

Klimo -S Date: 2025.07.16 12:28:47 -05'00'

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service

Office of Management Services Division of Acquisition Policy (DAP)

5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE

BUY INDIAN ACT

INDIAN ECONOMIC ENTERPRISE

REPRESENTATION FORM

SOLICITATION/SOURCES SOUGHT/RFI #: _________________________________________________

PROJECT TITLE: ________________________________________________________

DATE: ___________________________________________________________________

In accordance with 25 U.S.C. 47 the Buy Indian Act, the signature below constitutes self-certification that the Offeror meets the definition of an “Indian Economic Enterprise” (HHSAR 326.601) in response to this Sources Sought Notice, Request for Information (RFI) or Solicitation and resultant contract.

The enterprise must meet the definition of “Indian Economic Enterprise” throughout the following time periods:

(1) At the time an offer is made in response to this solicitation;

(2) At the time of contract award; and

(3) During the full term of the contract performance period. At any point during these periods, if the Contractor no longer meets the eligibility requirements, the contractor must provide immediate written notification to the Contracting Officer.

Individual Contracting Officers may require documentation of eligibility before awarding a set-aside or sole source contracts under the Buy Indian Act and awards may be subject to protest if the eligibility of the successful Offeror is in question. In addition to the self-certification requirements, successful Offerors must also be registered with the System of Award Management (SAM).

Any false or misleading information submitted by an enterprise when submitting an offer in consideration of an award set-aside under the authority of the Buy Indian Act is a violation of the law and punishable under 18 U.S.C. 1001.

False claims submitted as part of contract performance are subject to the penalties enumerated in 31 U.S.C. 3729 to 3731 and 18 U.S.C. 287.

REPRESENTATION

The Offeror represents as part of its offer that it does _____, does not _____ meet the definition of an “Indian Economic Enterprise” with “Indian Ownership” under the authority of the Buy Indian Act.

Name of the 51% owner of IEE Firm

Certifying Signature

Print Name

Name of Federally Recognized Tribal Entity

Business Name

UEI Number