Sources Sought Notice: IHS Produce Prescription Pilot Program

The Indian Health Service (IHS), a civilian agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, is conducting market research for the Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention (DDTP) to support the Produce Prescription Pilot Program (P4) evaluation activities addressing food insecurity in Native communities. The agency seeks small businesses, including veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, HUBZone, small disadvantaged, women-owned, and local businesses, as well as Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE) and Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEE) to provide comprehensive evaluation services. The contractor will be responsible for developing a P4 evaluation framework, creating a Theory of Change method, collecting and analyzing data from five tribal grantee programs, facilitating monthly evaluation planning meetings, and organizing nutrition security training activities. Interested parties must submit capability statements no larger than 20 pages via email to Christopher.McGucken@ihs.gov by 4:00 PM Eastern Time on December 13th, 2024, using a specific email subject line format. The primary evaluation criteria will focus on the organization's capability to manage a complex, multi-phase program evaluation across Native community settings.

This Sources Sought notice does not currently include a specific set-aside designation, though the market research may inform future set-aside decisions. Each of the five tribal grantee programs was previously awarded $500,000 in 2023, which provides context for the potential contract scale. The evaluation project will span three distinct phases: Process Evaluation, Process Evaluation (repeated), and Outcome Evaluation, with key deliverables including evaluation documentation tools, data files, infographics, and comprehensive evaluation reports. Contractors must be registered in the System of Award Management (SAM) and may need to provide additional documentation to demonstrate eligibility, particularly for Indian Economic Enterprise qualification. The project aims to support nutritional health interventions in Native communities by systematically documenting and analyzing the impact of produce prescription programs, with a specific focus on diabetes prevention and food security initiatives.