J and A_Redacted.pdf

V797D-70023/75H70626F80022

Indian Health Services

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC)

RFO - FAR 6.103-2

1. Acquisition Title: SRSU CT Radiology Technologist

Division: HHS/IHS

Contracting Activity: Standing Rock Service Unit (SRSU), Fort

Yates IHS Hospital, Radiology Department

Author: Zachary Perman, DMD SRSU Chief of Staff

Basis for approval: Individual Basis.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action being Approved: The Standing Rock Service Unit (SRSU), Fort Yates Indian Health Service (IHS) Hospital, requires a short-term, firm-fixed-price acquisition for non-personal healthcare services to provide continuous CT-capable Radiologic Technologist coverage.

The proposed action is a four-month bridge acquisition with RAPID TEMPS LLC for the period September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. The bridge period is necessary to maintain uninterrupted diagnostic imaging services while the Government completes a longer-term acquisition utilizing applicable competitive procedures.

Proposed Contractor: RAPID TEMPS LLC Period of Performance: September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026 Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price Estimated Total Dollar Value: $347,900.00 Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE): $347,900.00

The proposed period of performance is limited to the minimum period necessary to address the immediate staffing requirement and provide sufficient time for the Government to complete the longer-term acquisition.

3. Description of Supplies and/or Services: 2 Fort Yates IHS Hospital requires qualified CT-capable Radiologic Technologists to support continuous diagnostic imaging operations. The required personnel provide comprehensive radiology services, including plain-film radiography and computed tomography (CT), in support of outpatient, inpatient, and emergency department operations.

The Radiology Department requires coverage sufficient to support continuous hospital operations. Recent staffing changes, including the unexpected resignation of a federal employee, have resulted in a significant vacancy rate within the department. The department currently has only two federal employees available to support a function requiring continuous coverage.

Without supplemental contracted staffing, SRSU would be unable to maintain adequate CT and radiology coverage. An interruption in diagnostic imaging capability would directly affect the hospital's ability to support emergencies, inpatient, and outpatient medical services.

Fort Yates IHS Hospital serves patients throughout the Standing Rock Reservation and surrounding rural area. The availability of alternative emergency and diagnostic imaging services is limited, and patients may be required to travel significant distances to obtain comparable services. Delays in diagnostic imaging may adversely affect the timely diagnosis and treatment of patients presenting with trauma and other emergent or acute medical conditions.

The required services are therefore essential to maintaining continuity of hospital operations and patient care.

4. Statutory Authority Cited and Rationale:

RFO – FAR 6.103-2, Unusual and Compelling Urgency

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(2)

Use of other than full and open competition is justified based on unusual and compelling urgency.

The Government's need for qualified CT-capable Radiologic Technologists is sufficiently urgent that the time required to complete a competitive acquisition and allow a new contractor to recruit, credential, onboard, and place qualified personnel would be inconsistent with the Government's immediate need to maintain uninterrupted diagnostic imaging services.

SRSU has experienced an unexpected reduction in federal Radiology Department staffing, leaving only two federal employees available to support continuous operations. Without additional qualified personnel beginning September 1, 2026, the Service Unit faces a substantial risk of interruption to CT and other diagnostic imaging services.

Such an interruption would adversely affect the Fort Yates IHS Hospital Emergency Department, inpatient services, and other clinical operations that depend upon timely diagnostic imaging.

The rural location of Fort Yates IHS Hospital and the distance to alternative facilities further increase the operational and patient-care consequences of an interruption in radiology services.

Market Research and Availability of Sources

The Government conducted market research to identify potential sources capable of satisfying the immediate requirement.

An Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) Sources Sought notice was issued on August 7, 2026, and closed on August 12, 2026. The Government received nine (9) responses, consisting of eight (8) IEE responses and one (1) non-IEE response.

The responses were forwarded to the program office for technical review to determine whether the respondents could satisfy the Government's technical and staffing requirements and provide qualified personnel within the timeframe necessary to prevent an interruption in services.

On August 14, 2026, the program office completed its technical assessment and determined that none of the nine (9) respondents could satisfy the Government's immediate requirement within the required timeframe.

Based on market research and technical assessment, the Government determined that none of the IEE sources identified through the Sources Sought could provide qualified personnel within the timeframe necessary to maintain uninterrupted CT radiology services.

RAPID TEMPS LLC is the incumbent contractor currently providing the required services. Due to the immediate staffing requirement, credentialing and onboarding timelines, and the need to maintain continuity of services, RAPID TEMPS LLC was identified as the only source reasonably capable of providing qualified personnel within the timeframe required to prevent a disruption in diagnostic imaging services.

Accordingly, a deviation from applicable Buy Indian Act acquisition requirements was [requested/approved] based on the documented market research and the inability of the IEE sources identified through that research to satisfy the Government's immediate requirement within the required timeframe.

The Government therefore determined that limiting competition for this short-term bridge action is necessary to address the unusual and compelling urgency.

The four-month period of performance, September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, is limited to the time necessary to address the immediate requirement and allows the Government to complete a longer-term acquisition using applicable competitive procedures.

5. Special Considerations for Certain Contract Extensions or Bridge Contracts:

The Service Unit had been developing a longer-term acquisition package for CT Radiology Technologist services. However, an unexpected resignation within the Radiology Department materially changed the immediate staffing requirement and increased the urgency associated with maintaining continuous diagnostic imaging coverage.

The longer-term acquisition package also required revision to address the Service Unit's current staffing needs and applicable acquisition requirements.

The proposed four-month bridge action is not intended to replace the longer-term acquisition. Rather, it provides the minimum period considered necessary to maintain essential services while SRSU and the Great Plains Area complete the follow-on procurement.

The period of performance has therefore been limited to September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.

6. Actions to Increase Competition:

The Government intends to maximize competition for the follow-on requirement.

SRSU and the Great Plains Area are developing the longer-term acquisition package for services required after expiration of this bridge action. The follow-on acquisition will be conducted using applicable acquisition procedures and will provide sufficient time for prospective sources to review the requirement, submit questions, prepare responses, and, if selected, complete necessary recruiting, credentialing, onboarding, and transition activities.

Market Interest

The August 2026 Sources Sought notice demonstrated market interest in the requirement.

Nine (9) vendors responded, including eight (8) IEE concerns. Although none of the respondents were determined capable of satisfying the Government's immediate requirement within the timeframe associated with this bridge action, the responses demonstrate the existence of potential sources for a longer-term acquisition when adequate solicitation, recruiting, credentialing, and transition time is available.

Actions to Foster Competition for Future Requirements

For the follow-on acquisition, SRSU and the Great Plains Area intend to:

• Develop and submit the acquisition package sufficiently in advance of the required start date;

• Conduct appropriate market research, including consideration of qualified Indian Economic Enterprises in accordance with applicable Buy Indian Act requirements;

• Provide prospective sources adequate time to review and respond to the solicitation;

• Allow sufficient lead time for recruiting, credentialing, onboarding, and transition of personnel; and

• Conduct the acquisition using applicable competitive procedures.

Any required notice or justification associated with this bridge action will be posted in accordance with applicable acquisition requirements.

7. Procurement History:

Contractor: Rapid Temps Contract or Order Number: 75H70625P00343 Award Date and Period of Performance: 9-1-25 to 8-31-26 Value (including all options): $732,000 Competitive Status: Sole Source Authority formerly relied upon if Not Competed: FAR 6.103-2

Contractor: ICYBones