# IHS Billings Area Office Telecommunication Service Canonical: https://abierto.us/opportunities/ss75h709bao25q001 - Solicitation number: SS-75H709-BAO25Q-001 - Notice type: Sources sought - Status: Closed. Deadline was April 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM EDT - Department: Department of Health and Human Services - Agency: Indian Health Service - Contracting office: Billings Area Indian Health SVC (75H709) - NAICS: 517111 Wired Telecommunications Carriers - Product or service code: DG11 Telecom access and other usage billing services. Includes satellite communications access, internet, cellular services, landline and telephone services. Transport services for data and voice network circuits and associated access facilities and services; includes dedicated and virtual data networks. - Set-aside: Indian small business economic enterprise - Place of performance: Billings, Montana - County: Yellowstone County (FIPS 30111). https://abierto.us/counties/yellowstone-county-mt-30111 - City: Billings. https://abierto.us/cities/billings-mt-3006550 - First posted: April 3, 2025 - Last posted: April 3, 2025 - SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/f3e16918faed45c4a10659481174090a/view ## Description SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. Pursuant to 48 CFR Part 326, Subpart 326.603-3 and IHM 5.5-6, Indian Health Service must use the negotiation authority of the Buy Indian Act, 25 U.S.C. 47, to give preference to Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE) whenever the use of that authority is authorized and practicable. The Government is seeking to identify Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs), Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE), and any business, including all small businesses to include 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, HUBZone, and Women-Owned Small Business concerns capable of performing the below Indian Health Services (IHS) requirement. Any vendor responding to this notice should submit their capability statement as well as the Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form (attached). Consistent with the revised Buy Indian Act, HHS/IHS adopted the definition of an Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) set forth in 48 CFR 1480.201. This definition includes the following requirement, amongst others: “the Indians or Indian Tribes must, together, receive at least a majority of the earnings from the contract.”. Instructions for submission are outlined further below. **DEFINITIONS INDIAN ECONOMIC ENTERPRISE (IEE):** Any business activity owned by one or more Indians, Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, or Alaska Native Corporations provided that: The combined Indian, Federally Recognized Indian Tribe or Alaska Native Corporation ownership of the enterprise constitutes not less than 51%; The Indian, Federal Recognized Indian Tribes, or Alaska Native Corporations must, together, receive at least 51% of the earnings from the contract; and The management and daily business operations must be controlled by one or more individuals who are Indians. **DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT Local Wired Telecommunication Service NAICS:** **517111 Wired Telecommunications Carriers Small Business Size Standard:** **1250 Unique Requirements:** The Billings Area Office requires telephone communication services to include blocks of dedicated land line, fax and cell phone numbers per Department. The service shall support internal person to person communication and long distance calling to meet operational needs. The objective of this acquisition is to continue the telecommunication services already in place at the B.A.O, without interruption, in order to continue to offer quality health care services. The contractor shall provide hardware, software and telecommunication services to include: 2 T1 PRI Circuits 206 Non-sequential DID Numbers 26 POTS Lines INSTRUCTIONS TO INDUSTRY ISBEEs are highly encouraged to respond to this notice. However, firms must also understand that generic capability statements are not sufficient for effective evaluation of their capacity and capability to perform the work required. To be considered a capable source, responses must directly demonstrate the company’s capability, experience, and ability to provide services as shown below. Your response must include but is not limited to the following: Number of years of experience in providing this requirement. List of past jobs/contracts of providing this requirement. Demonstrate how your company meets the definition for Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) in consideration to this requirement. Demonstrate how your company will receive at least 51% of the earnings from the awarded contract. If identifying a partnership with a subcontractor that is a similarly situated entity, demonstrate how together with the subcontractor you will receive a combined 51% of the earnings from the contract. If identifying a partnership with a subcontractor that is NOT a similarly situated entity, demonstrate how you will receive 51% of the earnings from the contract. Demonstrate how the prime IEE, or together with the subcontractor, will conduct management and daily operations to be controlled by one or more individuals who are Indians. Failure to address these items in your capability statement could exclude your firm from being determined a capable IEE/ISBEE source. SUBMISSION Interested parties capable of performing the required services may submit a response via email to: Vincent Hansen at Vincent.Hansen@ihs.gov no later than 15 days from the date of the sources sought announcement. Interested parties shall submit their capability response as instructed above and include a copy of the Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form. It is recommended to include the sources sought ID SS-75H709-BAO25Q-001 in the subject line. Responses received to this notice will assist in determining the acquisition strategy of the requirement. ## Publications - April 3, 2025: Sources sought, due April 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM EDT. Notice f3e16918faed45c4a10659481174090a. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/f3e16918faed45c4a10659481174090a/view ## Points of contact - Vincent Hansen, Vincent.Hansen@ihs.gov --- Source: SAM.gov Contract Opportunities bulk extract. Confirm deadlines on SAM.gov before responding. Cite https://abierto.us/opportunities/ss75h709bao25q001.