This is a Notice of Intent to Sole Source.

The Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Education has published a Notice of Intent to Sole Source for a TCRGP Research Project. The contract will be awarded to the University of Arizona for $38,400 over one year under NAICS code 541715 for Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences. This sole source procurement is funded by grant funds and is intended to establish a Land Grant University partnership with Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI). The notice was posted on September 12, 2025, with a response deadline of September 16, 2025. Jeff W. Morris serves as the designated Contracting Officer for this procurement action.

The primary objective of this contract is to support rural development and tribal community research through enhanced collaboration between academic institutions and tribal communities. The project aims to strengthen institutional infrastructure at SIPI while facilitating faculty collaborations with research institutions to address critical issues in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences within reservation communities. A key component involves providing research opportunities specifically for American Indian students. Since this is designated as a sole source contract to the University of Arizona, there are no competitive bidding opportunities or specific eligibility criteria for other contractors to participate. The initiative represents part of the broader TCRGP (Tribal Colleges Research Grant Program) effort to advance research capabilities and educational partnerships within tribal college systems.