RFQ IHS1548449 - Pandemic Preparedness Plan Evaluation Support.pdf

(1) General Information

a. This solicitation is prepared as a combined synopsis/solicitation in accordance with FAR Part 12, as restructured and implemented by FAR Class Deviation 2025-09, Amendment 2 (effective 04/24/2026), and the corresponding HHSAR Part 312 deviation.

Additional details are included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Quotes are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued.

b. Solicitation Number: The solicitation number is IHS1548449. This solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ).

c. FAC Applicability: The solicitation document incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2026-01.

d. HHSAR Deviation: This acquisition is also subject to HHSAR Class Deviation 2026-03, Revolutionary FAR Overhaul deviation to HHSAR Part 312 (effective 03/26/2026), which supplements the FAR Part 12 deviation referenced above.

e. Set-Aside & NAICS: This requirement is a 100% set-aside for Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs). This set-aside is conducted under the Buy Indian Act (25 U.S.C. 47). The NAICS code is 541611. The small business size standard is $24.5 Million.

(2) Requirement Description

a. Description of Services

The Indian Health Service (IHS) requires commercial consulting services. Please review the attached Statement of Work (SOW) for full details and requirements.

Performance Details: The period of performance will begin on the date of contract award and end on July 31, 2027.

All work must be performed entirely off-site at the contractor's facility or at a contractor-designated workspace. All work performed must take place within the United States.

b. Contract Line Item Structure

The Government intends to award a single Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract.

(3) Instructions to Offerors

FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as implemented by FAR Class Deviation 2025-09, Amendment 2 (RFO DEVIATION, effective 04/24/2026), applies to this acquisition.

ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-1:

1. Quote Organization: Offerors shall submit their quote in two separate volumes:

Volume I (Technical Quote) and Volume II (Price Quote and Administrative Documents). Volume I shall not contain any pricing information.

2. Volume I (Technical Quote) Instructions: The Technical Quote shall not exceed 15 pages. It must address: Factor 1 (Technical Approach), Factor 2 (Staffing and Management Approach), and Factor 3 (Past Performance) as described in the Evaluation Method section.

3. Volume II (Price) Instructions: Include a cover letter, FAR 52.212-3 (or active SAM.gov status verification), and Provide Total Firm-Fixed-Price for the full period of performance ending July 31, 2027. Use the following pricing table:

CLIN Description Qty Total Firm-Fixed-Price

0001 Administrative and General Management Consulting Services 1 $_____________

4. A signed copy of the IHS Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) Representation Form must be submitted as a separate document.

(4) Evaluation Method

FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation—Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as implemented by FAR Class Deviation 2025-09, Amendment 2 (RFO DEVIATION, effective 04/24/2026), applies.

Contract Award:

The Government will use the streamlined evaluation procedures under FAR Part 12, as implemented by FAR Class Deviation 2025-09, Amendment 2, which incorporates simplified acquisition authorities formerly found in FAR Subpart 13.5.

Quotations will be evaluated using a tradeoff process approach considering Technical Approach, Staffing and Management Approach, Relevant Experience/Past Performance, and Price. Non-price factors, when combined, are significantly more important than price.

The Government reserves the right to award to other than the lowest priced quote.

Notice of Intent to Award Without Discussions:

Quoters are advised that the Government intends to evaluate quotations and make an award without conducting discussions. Initial quotes should be their best from a technical and price standpoint.

Evaluation Factor 1: Technical Approach

The quotation will be evaluated on the quoter’s technical understanding and approach for fulfilling the SOW requirements. Favorable consideration will be given to:

a) Detailed understanding of the scope

b) A technical approach that complies with all SOW tasks

c) Plans for mitigating difficulties, including the offeror's approach to ensuring Section 508 accessibility compliance for all deliverables.

d) Approach to quality control, consistent with the Quality Control Plan requirements in PWS Section 3.8

Evaluation Factor 2: (Staffing/Management)

Detail proposed labor categories, personnel qualifications, schedule management, and approach to coordinating with Government SMEs. Include an unpriced staffing matrix showing proposed labor categories and estimated hours. The quotation shall demonstrate that the proposed Project Manager and Lead Evaluator/Senior Analyst meet or exceed the minimum qualifications set forth in PWS Section 3.7, including the Lead Evaluator/Senior Analyst's required experience leading or materially supporting at least two discussion-based exercises, simulations, tabletop exercises, or comparable readiness assessments.

The quotation shall also detail the offeror's approach to managing the deliverable schedule set forth in PWS Section 2.2, including the concurrent planning demands of two discussion-based exercises within the required timeframes.

Evaluation Factor 3: Relevant Experience and Past Performance

Evaluated on recent and relevant experience performing projects of similar scope, size, and complexity.

Evaluation of Price:

Proposed prices will be evaluated for reasonableness. The Government will evaluate the total Firm-Fixed-Price using one or more price analysis techniques, including comparison of proposed prices received in response to the solicitation, comparison to the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), or comparison to historical prices paid for similar services.

(5) Provisions, Clauses, and Deviations

FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as implemented by FAR Class Deviation 2025-09, Amendment 2 (RFO DEVIATION, effective 04/24/2026), applies to this acquisition. The Offeror shall complete this provision in accordance with the RFO FAR Part 12 model deviation text, or reference its current annual representations and certifications in SAM.gov.

MANDATORY DEVIATION NOTICE: System updates may lag policy updates. The System for Award Management (SAM) may continue to require entities to complete representations based on provisions that are not included in agency solicitations. Examples include 52.222-25, Affirmative Action Compliance, and paragraph (d) of 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services.

FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as implemented by FAR Class Deviation 2025-09, Amendment 2 (RFO DEVIATION, effective 04/24/2026), applies to this acquisition.

FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as implemented by FAR Class Deviation 2025-09, Amendment 2 (RFO DEVIATION, effective 04/24/2026), applies to this acquisition. The applicable statutory/E.O. flow-down clauses will be included with the contract.

FAR 52.252-5, Authorized Deviations in Provisions, and FAR 52.252-6, Authorized Deviations in Clauses, apply to this acquisition. The following Department of Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR) clauses apply to this acquisition:

a. HHSAR 352.232-71 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests, as implemented by HHSAR Class Deviation 2026-07 (effective 04/23/2026) (RFO DEVIATION)

(a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Payment request means a bill, voucher, invoice, or request for contract financing payment with associated supporting documentation. The payment request must comply with the requirements identified in FAR 32.905(b), “Content of Invoices” and the applicable Payment clause included in this contract.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this clause, the Contractor shall submit payment requests electronically using the Department of Treasury Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) or successor system. Information regarding IPP, including IPP Customer Support contact information, is available at www.ipp.gov or any successor site.

(c) The Contractor may submit payment requests using other than IPP only when the Contracting Officer authorizes alternate procedures in writing in accordance with HHS procedures.

(d) If alternate payment procedures are authorized, the Contractor shall include a copy of the Contracting Officer's written authorization with each payment request.

b. HHSAR 352.226-4 (Notice of ISBEE Set-Aside)

(a) Under the Buy Indian Act, 25 U.S.C. 47, offers are solicited only from Indian Economic Enterprises (IEEs) that are also small business concerns. Any acquisition resulting from this solicitation will be from such a concern. Offers received from enterprises that are not both IEEs and small business concerns will not be considered and will be rejected.

(b) Any award resulting from this solicitation will be made to an Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE), as defined in HHSAR 326.601.

c. HHSAR 352.226-6 (Indian Economic Enterprise Subcontracting Limitations)

(a) The contractor shall not subcontract to other than Indian Economic Enterprises (IEEs) more than the subcontracting limits described in this clause. For this contract, the applicable subcontracting limitation is:

[X] (1) For services (except construction), at least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the IEE.

(b) The contractor shall maintain records demonstrating compliance with this subcontracting limitation. The Contracting Officer may require the contractor to submit these records for review.

d. HHSAR 352.226-7 (Indian Economic Enterprise Representation).

(a) The offeror represents as part of its offer that it [X] does meet the definition of an Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) as defined in HHSAR 326.601 and that it intends to meet the definition of an IEE throughout the performance of the contract.

https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipp.gov

(b) The offeror must maintain its IEE status throughout the life of the contract. Any false or misleading information submitted by an enterprise when submitting an offer in consideration for an award set aside under 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.

CRITICAL INSTRUCTION: Offerors MUST complete and submit the attached IHS Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) Representation Form as part of their response. Failure to provide this form will render the offeror ineligible for award.

e. DPAS Rating: The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) does not apply to this requirement.

(6) Submission Deadlines and Contact Information

Quotes are due by 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 14, 2026. All quotes must be submitted electronically to Marlene Milgram, Supervisory Contracting Officer, at marlene.milgram@hhs.gov and Andrei Howze, Contracting Officer, at andrei.howze@hhs.gov.

For questions regarding this solicitation, contact Andrei Howze, Contracting Officer, at Andrei.howze@hhs.gov.

(7) List of Attachments

The following documents are attached to this solicitation and incorporated herein:

1. Attachment A: Statement of Work (SOW)

2. Attachment B: IHS Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) Representation Form mailto:marlene.milgram@hhs.gov mailto:andrei.howze@hhs.gov mailto:Andrei.howze@hhs.gov