Emergency Medicine (Physician) - Whiteriver Indian Health Service Hospital - Personal Services Contract (PSC)

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services prepared in accordance with Part 12. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Quotes are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued.
This acquisition is a Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) set aside. This solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses by reference. The full text of provisions and clauses may be accessed electronically at https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/far-part-deviation-guide and www.acquisition.gov/hhsar.

The purpose of the Emergency Medicine (EM) Physician - Personal Services Contract (PSC) is to provide ad hoc, personal services to the federal Indian Health Service (IHS) Phoenix Area – Southwest Region, Whiteriver Service Unit, Clinical Services Division, Emergency Department. See attachments for more details.

Q&A Statement:                                                                                                                                                                   Offerors are responsible for reviewing, understanding, and applying all Government responses and updates issued in connection with this solicitation. Offerors shall ensure that their submissions reflect and comply with the most current Government guidance and requirements prior to submitting an offer which includes the below Government responses.

The Government has determined that the responses to the questions below are clarifications only and did not change the terms, conditions, requirements, provisions, or clauses of the solicitation. Accordingly, no formal solicitation amendment is required as a result of these questions and responses.

Q&A as of 9-14-26

Question 1. 

Could you please confirm whether there is a current incumbent contractor providing these services? If so, would you also provide the incumbent contractor’s name and the associated contract number?

Government Response: There is no incumbent. This is a new requirement. Please note the intent of this solicitation is a contract for an individual and not a company.

Question 2 -  

Is it the government's intention to contract directly with a physician, or are you looking for a solution to provide PRN coverage?

Government Response: We are looking to contract directly with a physician (individual) who will provide services on an as-needed basis at the government's request. 

Q&A - 9-15-26  - 9-16-26 

Question 1 – Eligibility of ISBEE Firms

Contractor Question: Solicitation 75H70426R00007 is a 100% ISBEE set-aside under the Buy Indian Act and HHSAR Subpart 326.6. The Government’s prior Q&A stated that “the intent of this solicitation is a contract for an individual and not a company” and that IHS is “looking to contract directly with a physician (individual).” Please clarify whether eligible ISBEE firms may submit offers proposing a named, fully qualified Emergency Medicine physician to perform the required services.

Government Response: No. Solicitation No. 75H70426R00007 is being conducted as a 100% ISBEE set-aside with an individual. An eligible ISBEE individual who will personally perform the required services as an Emergency Medical Physician may submit an offer. The physician must satisfy all qualification, licensing, credentialing, experience, availability, interview, reference, and other applicable requirements of the solicitation.

Question 2 – “Open To: All U.S. Citizens”

Contractor Question: If this requirement remains an ISBEE set-aside, please clarify the statement in Section A that the position is “Open To: All U.S. Citizens,” since participation in the acquisition is restricted by the ISBEE set-aside requirements.

Government Response: The phrase “Open To: All U.S. Citizens,” indicates the citizenship requirement applicable to the ISBEE individual physician performing the services..

Question 3 – Personal Services Contract Authority

Contractor Question: Attachment 2 cites P.L. 103-332 / 25 U.S.C. § 1638c as authority for this personal services contract. Because that authority permits personal services contracts with entities, including individuals or organizations, please explain whether the personal-services structure prohibits an ISBEE organization from proposing the physician who will perform the work.

Government Response: In accordance with Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1995, Pub. L. 103–332, 108 Stat. 2499, 2527 (1994), The Indian Health Service has the discretion to decide whether to solicit from individuals, organizations, or both. This solicitation is directed specifically toward individuals. Individuals who are the single member of an ISBEE, such as a Sole Proprietorship, Single Member LLC, etc. will have preference in accordance with the Buy Indian Act. Organizations comprised of multiple individuals are not eligible for consideration under this Personal Service Contract. In accordance with the statutory requirements stated in HHSAR 326.501 this solicitation gives Indians preference for employment opportunities through an Indian Small Business Economic Entity (ISBEE) set-aside for an Indian individual (e.g. single member sole proprietorship or LLC or like business structure).

Question 4 – Buy Indian Act Set-Aside / Deviation

Contractor Question: If the Government intends to award only to an individual physician regardless of tribal affiliation, will the Government remove the ISBEE set-aside and obtain the applicable Buy Indian Act deviation?

Government Response: The Government does not presently intend to remove the ISBEE set-aside. Therefore, a deviation from the Buy Indian Act is not being pursued for this acquisition. Individual offerors must satisfy the ISBEE eligibility and representation requirements established by the solicitation.

Question 5 – Conflicting Closing Dates

Contractor Question: The SF 1449, Block 8, identifies September 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET as the closing date, while Section L identifies September 18, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Please identify the controlling closing date.

Government Response: The Government acknowledges the discrepancy. A solicitation amendment will establish a single controlling date and time for receipt of offers. Offerors shall follow the date and time stated in the amendment. The deadline is September 18, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Question 6 – Extension of Due Date

Contractor Question: Will the Government extend the due date to allow offerors sufficient time to prepare or revise submissions after the solicitation inconsistencies are resolved?

Government Response: The due date will not be extended as there are no material changes to the solicitation or its terms and conditions.

Question 7 - Minimum qualifications — emergency medicine board eligibility.

Attachment 2, paragraph V(c), requires that a candidate be "board eligible or board certified in emergency medicine." Paragraph V(d) separately permits, in two places, "progressive experience equivalent in breadth and intensity" in place of completion of formal emergency medicine residency training.

We have a physician with eleven years of continuous emergency department practice across seven hospitals, including service as Emergency Room Medical Subdirector, who is currently licensed and in active emergency department practice. He has not completed an ACGME-accredited emergency medicine residency, and American Board of Emergency Medicine eligibility is therefore not available to him.

Would the Government consider progressive emergency medicine experience of that kind as satisfying the minimum qualifications under paragraph V(d), or is completion of emergency medicine residency training a firm screening requirement notwithstanding the equivalency language at (d)?

Government Response: The requirement of board eligible or board certified in Emergency Medicine remains a firm requirement.

Question 8 - Scope of CLIN X003.

Attachment 1 establishes CLIN X003 at $65,237 per period, not to exceed, reimbursable at cost, and Section L directs offerors not to price it. Sections B.5.2 and G.5 provide for reimbursement of authorized travel at actual cost under FAR 31.205-46, including lodging, meals and incidentals not to exceed Federal Travel Regulation rates.

Please confirm that CLIN X003 is intended to cover the proposed physician's travel to and from Whiteriver and lodging while performing scheduled shifts, rather than only travel undertaken from Whiteriver in the course of performance — for example consultation at Cibecue Health Center, or assignment to other service units as described in Attachment 2.

We ask because the answer determines whether those costs are recovered under CLIN X003 or must be built into our Direct Labor rates under CLINs X001 and X002.

Government Response: CLIN X003 is intended to cover the proposed physician's travel to and from Whiteriver and lodging while performing scheduled shifts and other local travel as necessary.

Question 9 - Number of candidates per offeror.

Section A states that the number of positions is multiple as needed, and that the solicitation remains valid for one year from the posting date and may be used to hire additional Personal Services Contractors.

May an offeror propose more than one physician? If so, should each candidate be submitted as a separate and complete set of Volumes I through III, or as a single submission containing multiple resumes?

Government Response: At this time IHS only has funding available to award one PSC contract.

Question 10 -

Is it the government's intention to contract directly with a physician, or are you looking for a solution to provide PRN coverage? 

Government Response: It is the Government's intention to contract directly with a physician (individual) who will provide services on an as-needed basis at the Government's request. 

 Question 11 -

Could you please confirm whether there is a current incumbent contractor providing these services? If so, would you also provide the incumbent contractor’s name and the associated contract number?

Government Response: There is no incumbent. This is a new requirement. Please note the intent of this PSC solicitation is a contract for an individual (e.g. single-member sole proprietorship or single-member LLC or like business structures).