SS-26-IHS1524163.pdf

“Voice/ Data Services to Dzith-Na-O-Dith-Hle Health Center” SS-26-IHS1524163

1. Introductory

This is a Sources Sought set aside for Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) and Indian Small Business

Economic (ISBEE). This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The objective of this Sources Sought # IHS1524163 is to identify potential IEE and ISBEE vendor that can provide telecommunication services – Voice POTs and fax lines, Primary Rate Interface (PRI), Internet -

250 Mbps or higher bandwidth Dedicated Internet Access.

2. Background:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Indian Health Service (IHS), is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The provision of health services to members of federally recognized tribes grew out of the special government to government relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes. The IHS is the principal federal health care provider and health advocate for the Indian people. The goal is to assure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

The IHS currently provides health services to approximately 1.5 million American Indians and Alaska

Natives who belong to more than 557 federally recognized tribes in 34 states.

The telecommunication services cover the Eastern Navajo Area, including Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle Health

Center (DZHC), Physical address: 6 Road 7586. DZHC is in a checkered board area encompassing fee lands, reservation lands, and BLM lands. This results in the potential source provider having the need to demonstrate the unique qualifications as the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) for the area.

3. Requirements:

The telecommunication contractor shall continue to provide the following service numbers immediately upon award:

Primary Rate Interface (PRI): DIOD numbers (505) 960-7800 through (505) 960-7899 and DIOD numbers (505) 960-6200 through (505) 960-6219.

Voice POTs Group:

(505) 960-1801 through (505) 960-1812

Dedicated Internet Access (DIA): 250 Mbps or higher bandwidth

4. Duties and Responsibilities:

4.1 The Telecommunication contractor will provide the following services:

Secure and ensure fix wireless and fiber circuit connectivity between DZHC and NNMC.

POTs and fax lines, PRI DIOD and Internet DIA features to support DZHC telecommunication services.

Ensure availability of DIA, Voice POTs, and PRI DIODs are always achieved.

Ensure 99.9% service level agreement for circuit availability.

Quick response to accidental circuit outages caused by indirect-related telecommunication personnel.

Circuit studies completed upon request on slow transmission rates.

4.2 Security and Privacy:

The contractor shall ensure proper security measures are in place to protect the equipment from damage or theft and to protect voice landline, PRI, and internet service disruption.

The contractor agrees to abide by all protocols, patient confidentiality, and record keeping is consistent with the HIPM Privacy Act, and JCAHO regulations.

5. Period of Performance:

The period of performance will be from 07/01/2026 through 12/31/2026.

6. Work Hours and Other Workplace Conditions:

Onsite work at DZHC, the Government shall provide access to the Main IDF closet where equipment is housed for official use.

The contractor shall notify MIS and obtain authorization before dispatch. The contractor should wear an identification badge provided by the company. The contractor shall adhere to Health Safety Rules when entering the facility.

The contractor must sign in with Security at the facility entrance and receive a visitor badge.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA):

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is required to comply with the HIPAA in the provision of health care to

IHS patients. HIPAA was implemented by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of

Civil Rights, under the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 160 and 164.

5. Scope

The Contractor shall deliver standard or custom reports upon request and/or via dashboard, to allow for monitoring monthly usage of the following:

Claims Submissions

Claims Status Checks

Eligibility Checks

Insurance Searches

6. Eligible Vendors

Businesses must be Indian Economic Enterprises (IEEs) (at least 51% Indian owned and controlled).

Business size and type of business (e.g., ISBEE/IEE, 8(a), SDVOSB, etc.). All respondents should be registered on the System for Award Management (SAM) located at https://www.sam.gov. Submission of

Invoices: The contractor will submit invoices in accordance with FAR 52.212-4(g) on a monthly basis.

7. Place of Performance

Dzilth-na-o-dith-hle Health Center

Bloomfield, New Mexico 87413

8. Compliance Requirements:

The Contractor shall adhere to all official coding and billing rules as published by the American Hospital

Association (AHA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations and guidelines to ensure the highest levels of integrity, compliance, and ethics.

The Contractor shall maintain records of confidentiality in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Privacy Act of 1974, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and other pertinent Federal regulations.

9. Deliverables https://www.acquisition.gov/diar/part-1480-acquisitions-under-buy-indian-act https://www.sam.gov/

The Contractor shall deliver standard or custom reports upon request and/or via dashboard, to allow for monitoring monthly usage of the following:

Claims Submissions

Claims Status Checks

Eligibility Checks

Insurance Searches

10. Security and Privacy:

The contractor shall ensure proper security measures are in place to protect the equipment from damage or theft and to protect voice landline, PRI, and internet service disruption.

The contractor agrees to abide by all protocols, patient confidentiality, and record keeping is consistent with the HIPM Privacy Act, and JCAHO regulations.

11. Safety:

The contractor shall ensure circuits (Voice POTs, PRI, Internet access) services are available at all times, and in the event of a power or network outage, the contractor shall contact the local power company of the power outage for power restoration or restore any cut copper or fiber lines which might affect the above mention services.

12. Experience

The Contractor shall possess knowledge, skills and abilities to maintain and provide software licensing and support services on a monthly basis.

The contractor shall define license and all relative documents. Licensing and Service:

Inspection: all services rendered will be inspected, reviewed, and monitored by the

COR.

13. Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

Contracting Officer Representative: TBD

SMALL BUSINESS STATUS: Provide business size and socioeconomic status (e.g., ISBEE, IEE), along with your UEI, organization name, address, and point of contact. The anticipated NAICS code for this requirement is 518210 - Other Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting and

Related Services.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Provide any additional information that may assist the Government in refining its acquisition strategy or determining whether a competitive set-aside or other RFO-aligned commercial approach is appropriate.

CLOSING STATEMENT: Point of Contact: John Otubu, Contract Specialist, at john.otubu@hhs.gov.

Submission Instructions: Interested parties shall submit capability statement via email to john.otubu@hhs.gov. Must include Sources Sought Number SS-26-IHS1524163 in the Subject line and complete the attached IEE Representation Form. The due date for receipt of statements is June 22ND, 2026, 10:00 AM, EST. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. Late responses and responses from sources other than IEE, ISBEE will not be accepted. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of HHS. HHS/OMAS does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. As a result of this notice, HHS/OMAS may issue a Request for Quote (RFQ). THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

mailto:john.otubu@hhs.gov

However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against HHS shall arise as a result of a response to this notice or HHS’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or 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 in SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Information Submission Instructions

Interested companies should review the attached and then submit a response that provides feedback, if any, on the attached and that addresses all of the information listed under “Capability Statement/Information

Sought”.

Capability statements and responses shall be submitted via email to john.otubu@hhs.gov no later than

10:00 AM EST on June 22nd, 2026. The subject line for the email heading shall be “Voice/ Data Services to

Dzith-Na-O-Dith-Hle Health Center” SS-26-IHS1524163.

Please add a cover letter to your response with the following information:

Company Name

Company Unique Entity ID number

Company points of contact, mailing address, telephone and website address

Any Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule vehicle, or other available procurement vehicles your company maintains that could meet this requirement

Business Size relative to NAICS code for this requirement is 518210 - Other Computing Infrastructure

Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting and Related Services.

Type of Company (e.g., large business, small business, 8(a), woman owned, veteran owned, etc.) as registered in the System for Award Management (SAM)

Identify any/all teaming arrangements

Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) Representation Form providing Native American Indian representation.

Disclaimer and Important Notes:

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by the 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.

Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. 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.

Any solicitation resulting from the analysis of information obtained will be announced to the public in SAM in accordance with FAR Part 5. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate to 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).