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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 other category of vendor 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

NAICS:

424410 – General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesale

Size Standard: 250 employees

Duration:

One (1) Year with Four (4) Option Years

Work Schedule:

CSU requires a once weekly food order, however under certain circumstances, the CSU may require two food deliveries in a week.

Unique Requirements:

Crow Northern Cheyenne Hospital (CNCH) is a 24-bed hospital which provides healthcare for the service population on the Crow Indian Reservation, located in southeast Montana. CSU provides meals for patient care and the employee lunch program, which requires food, dietary and kitchen supplies on a regular basis. The CNCH requires routine, weekly delivery of food and supplies.

Services needed include but are not limited to the following:

1. Provide a five-week cycle menu (3 meals per day with an evening snack) to include: nutrient evaluation for the meals & snacks; recipes for 25, 50, 75, 100 & 125 servings except for pureed & slurry recipes which are for 5, 10, 15, 20, & 25 servings; the Critical Control Point (CCP) for the recipes; pan size, serving size, cooking temperature & serving utensil to be used for the recipes. Electronically modifiable menu substitutions which includes recipes for substituted menu items & various serving sizes with the above criteria in #10; Nutrient evaluation to include: calories, protein, fat, carbohydrate, saturated fat, cholesterol, total dietary fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, sodium, potassium, vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B 6.

1. Provide necessary foods to comply with physician ordered diets for patients.

1. A good working knowledge of the electronic ordering system used to track product shelf life, place orders, includes product information, purchase history, invoice history, and pricing is required. An electronic menu system that allows for customizing menus is required.

1. Provide a five-week cycle menu with nutrients & recipes listed for the following diets (modified menus):

1. Mechanical Soft


2. Puree


3. Low Fat / Low Cholesterol


4. 5-12 year old


5. Diabetic Predialysis Renal


6. 1,200 calorie diabetic


7. 1,800 calorie diabetic


8. 2,500 calorie diabetic


9. 1,500 calorie diabetic


10. 2,000 calorie diabetic


11. Diabetic Renal


12. Soft


13. 3,000 calorie diabetic


14. 2 Gm Sodium

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 routine food service delivery and customizable menus to healthcare facilities


• List of past jobs/contracts of providing routine food service delivery and customizable menus to healthcare facilities


• 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: Brittany.Bends@ihs.gov and Kristen.Smith@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 in the subject line.

Sources Sought ID: SS-75H709-CR23Q-022. Responses received to this notice will assist in determining the acquisition strategy of the requirement.

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