Telecommunications Service

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 # IHS1522020 is to identify potential IEE and ISBEE vendor that can perform  telecommunications services for the Kayenta Service Unit. The purpose of this procurement is to maintain telecommunication service continuity of critical and timely services between Kayenta Service Unit, all NAIHS facilities, non-IHS facilities, patients, and Area Office customers in healthcare, financial and cooperative relationships with partners and agencies on and off the Navajo Reservation.

1. Project Description

B.1 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.

Kayenta Service Unit represents three outpatient health care facilities, Kayenta Health Center, Inscription House Health Center and the Dennehotso Health Station – all located in the remote northeast region of Arizona and the Navajo Nation. Kayenta Service Unit is staffed and maintained by the U.S. Federal government; Kayenta Service Unit is also a member of a larger organization called the Navajo Area Indian Health Service (NAIHS). Presently, Kayenta Service Unit relies on telecommunication services through Frontier Communications as the service provider for voice and data communications.

B.2 Requirements:

The Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Mission Acquisition Solutions (OMAS) is conducting market research to prepare for the continued requirement of providing telecommunications services to the Indian Health Service (IHS). The Contractor shall provide telecommunication services for the Kayenta Health Center, Inscription House Health Center and the Dennehotso Health Station. The purpose of this procurement is to deliver services over standard circuit-switched systems and digital circuit services for Kayenta Health Center, Inscription House Health Center and Dennehotso Health Station. This request will also include minor hardware and software changes/installation required to support the changing business role of Kayenta Service Unit, minor maintenance to hardware supporting the operations of telecommunication services for the Service Unit and for continued support of the system.

1. 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.

1. Anticipated Period of Performance:

The anticipated start of performance is for a base + 4 years. The estimated start date for the base period of performance is June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027.

D.1 Place of Performance

Three Locations:

1. NAIHS / Kayenta Service Unit / Kayenta Health Center

Supervisor Point of Contact: TBD

Mailing Address: PO Box 368

Physical Address: HWY 160 M.P. 394.3

Kayenta, Arizona 86033

2. NAIHS / Kayenta Service Unit / Inscription House Health Center

Point of Contact: TBD

Division of Information Technology

Mailing Address: PO Box 7397, Shonto, AZ 86054

Physical Address: HWY 98 & Navajo Route 16, Tonalea, AZ 86044

3. Dennehotso Health Station

Supervisor Point of Contact: TBD

Division of Information Technology

Mailing Address: PO Box 368 / Kayenta, Arizona 86033

Physical Address: HWY 160 BLDG DE-2000, Dennehotso, Arizona 86535

1. Compliance Requirements:

The ISP must comply with:

• All FCC and telecommunications regulations
• IHS cybersecurity requirements for static IP services
• HIPAA-related expectations for transmission security

1. Required Services and Deliverables

The Contractor shall deliver the following:

• Continuity and resiliency in telecommunication services for voice and data networks for the following accounts and new accounts/services:

o 928-697-4000

o 928-197-0711

o 928-672-3000

o 928-658-3377

• Monthly invoicing via United States mail OR electronic mail delivery OR IPP

• Availability for technical support and billing staff for inquiries

• Hardware or software assessments, replacement and repair when called upon

F.1 Government Furnished Property and Equipment

The following equipment and supplies are present at the indicated place of performance and will be available to the contractor, items not listed shall be provided by the contractor to successfully complete projects, mitigate risk, and reduce impact to the production and services:

• Network cabling and network access within Indian Health Services in support of IHS owned property

• Internet and Telephony services

• Building electrical power in support of IHS owned property

• IHS Technical Documents and SOPs

1.  Information Technology Task

The contractor will provide voice and data communication services and supplies to meet the Navajo Area Strategic Plan requirements. The service provider will continue to provide new and on-going telecommunication services to Kayenta Service Unit:

• Provide an available telecommunication infrastructure for the delivery of services surrounding Kayenta Service Unit Programs

• Offer type, level and capacity of dedicated high-bandwidth voice and data communication services (T1, DSL, Point-to-Point, MSDN, etc.)

• Deliver digital channel service, direct inward dialing, exchange telephone service, Navajo local calling plans, local-calling and long-distance services, access services, calling services, line extensions-transport, routing, security, data path and origination/termination points.

• Provide and respond to Kayenta Service Unit for technical support in

• communication equipment, maintenance, and technical repair on Provider’s network
• Fiber optic maintenance and repair on Provider’s network
• Microwave and radio communication equipment, maintenance and repair on Provider’s network

G.1 Experience:

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

The Contractor shall be in full compliant with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

The contractor shall define license and all relative documents.

Government Furnished Information, Property and Services:

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

              Contracting Officer Representative (COR): TBD

                            Department Point of Contact: TBD

H.  Security Requirements

The contractor shall contact the Division of Information Technology of Kayenta Service Unit and Place of Performance for arrangements for project planning, schedules, discussions, escort and assistance during the performance period of the work. When the contractor(s) is required to be present on U.S. Government property, the contractor shall notify the Information Technology department before entry and may be occupied by Federal staff when access is required to sensitive areas of computer and network equipment.

1. 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 (ENTER HERE) - Other Computer Related Services-Information Technology Value Added Resellers.
2. 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.
3. CLOSING STATEMENT: Point of Contact: Maliaka Pinkney, Contract Specialist, at maliaka.pinkney@hhs.gov. Submission Instructions: Interested parties shall submit capability statement via email to maliaka.pinkney@hhs.gov. Must include Sources Sought Number SS-IHS1522020 in the Subject line and complete the attached IEE Representation Form. The due date for receipt of statements is May 23, 2026, 12:00 PM, EST. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. 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. 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

Questions regarding the contents of this Sources Sought shall be submitted via email to: maliaka.pinkney@hhs.gov no later than 9:00am EST on May 18, 2026. Phone calls will not be accepted. The Government reserves the right to respond to some, all, or none of the questions that will be submitted.

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 maliaka.pinkney@hhs.gov no later than 12:00 PM EST on May 23, 2026. The subject line for the email heading shall be “Telecommunications Services”– SS-26-HHS-1522020. Please provide succinct detail and depth to enable Government review and assessment. Please limit responses to ten (10) pages (8 ½ x 11, single-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font, ¾ inch margins).

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

1. Company Name
2. Company Unique Entity ID number
3. Company points of contact, mailing address, telephone and website address
4. Any Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule vehicle, or other available procurement vehicles your company maintains that could meet this requirement
5. Business Size relative to NAICS code 517810 – All Other Telecommunications
6. 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)
7. Identify any/all teaming arrangements
8. Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) Representation Form

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. Respondent 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).