# SAM #ACQ-IHS-2026-U-01028

Sources Sought Notice for After-Hour Nurse Triage Services at Jicarilla Indian Health Center

**Buyer:** Albuquerque Area Indian Health Service
**Posted:** September 15, 2026
**Respond By:** September 25, 2026
**Identifier:** ACQ-IHS-2026-U-01028
**NAICS:** 621399, 621610

This opportunity is a market research notice from the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Service, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, seeking vendors for After-Hour Nurse Triage Services at the Jicarilla Indian Health Center in Dulce, New Mexico.
- Government Buyer:
  - Department of Health and Human Services
  - Indian Health Service (IHS)
  - Albuquerque Area IHS
  - Jicarilla Indian Health Center
- Services Requested:
  - After-Hour Nurse Triage Services
    - Up to 7,500 hours per year
    - Includes receiving inbound patient calls, symptom assessment using standardized clinical protocols, medical guidance, and escalation as needed
    - Coverage required for weekdays after clinic hours, weekends, federal holidays, and unexpected early closures
- Requirements:
  - Vendors must have professional licensure, certification, clinical experience, and credentials to independently provide nurse triage services
  - Preference for Indian Economic Enterprises (IEEs) and Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs) under the Buy Indian Act, if practicable
- No specific OEMs or vendors are named in the notice
- Period of performance is anticipated to be one base year with four one-year option periods
- The notice is for market research and acquisition planning, not an award or contract announcement

### Description

<p>This Sources Sought Notice is being posted for market research and acquisition planning purposes only. The purpose of this notice is to identify qualified businesses capable of satisfying the requirement described below and to assist the Government in determining whether the requirement can be fulfilled through a Buy Indian Act set-aside for Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs) or Indian Economic Enterprises (IEEs), or, if a Buy Indian Act set-aside is not practicable, through a Total Small Business Set-Aside.</p>

<p>This notice is not a solicitation, Request for Quotation (RFQ), or Request for Proposal (RFP), and responses to this notice are not offers. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with preparing or submitting information in response to this notice.</p>

<p><em>Pursuant to 48 CFR Part 326, Subpart 326.603-3 and IHM 5-5.6, the 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 (IEEs) when authorized and practicable.</em></p>

<p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>

<p>The Albuquerque Indian Health Service is conducting market research pursuant to FAR 10.001 to identify businesses capable of providing the [services/supplies] described below.</p>

<p><strong>1. NAICS Code: </strong>621399 &ndash; Office of all Other Miscellaneous Health Practitioners</p>

<p>a. If a different NAICS code is suggested, please provide the proposed NAICS code and rationale.</p>

<p><strong>2. Description of Requirement:</strong></p>

<p>The Indian Health Service (IHS), Albuquerque Area Office, Jicarilla Service Unit, is conducting market research to identify qualified vendors capable of providing After-Hour Nurse Triage Services to provide non-personal healthcare services at Jicarilla Indian Health Center located in Dulce, New Mexico.</p>

<p>The contractor shall provide after-hours nurse triage services and call handling for patients of the Jicarilla Service Unit. Services shall include receiving inbound calls, assessing patient symptoms using standardized clinical protocols, and providing appropriate medical guidance or escalation. The contractor shall provide services during the following times:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Weekdays: After clinic hours</li>
	<li>Weekends:24 hours</li>
	<li>Federal holidays:24 hours</li>
	<li>Unexpected early closures calls will switch over for calls</li>
</ul>

<p>The Nurse Triage Services will be required to possess the applicable professional licensure, certification, clinical experience, and credentials necessary to independently provide the required services.</p>

<p>Services are anticipated at up to 7,500 hours per year, generally Monday through Friday after regular clinic hours, 48-hour weekends, 24-hour Government holidays, and unexpected early closure days. The anticipated period of performance is one base year with four one-year option periods.</p>

<p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>

<p>Responses to this notice should include the following:</p>

<p><strong>1.) Company Information and SAM Registration</strong></p>

<p>Company name and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Respondents should have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov. The Government will use the UEI provided to verify the respondent&#39;s SAM registration status. If the respondent&#39;s SAM registration is not currently active, the response should identify the status of its registration.</p>

<p><strong>2.) Business Size and Socioeconomic Status</strong></p>

<p>Identify the company&#39;s business size and applicable socioeconomic status under NAICS Code 621399, including, as applicable:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE);</li>
	<li>Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE);</li>
	<li>Small Business;</li>
	<li>HUBZone Small Business;</li>
	<li>Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB);</li>
	<li>Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB); and/or</li>
	<li>Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>3.) IHS IEE Representation Form</strong></p>

<p>Complete the attached form titled &ldquo;IHS IEE Representation Form&rdquo; and indicate whether the company &ldquo;does&rdquo; or &ldquo;does not&rdquo; meet the definition of an Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE). This information will be used for market research purposes.</p>

<p><strong>4.) Capability Information</strong></p>

<p>Provide a capability statement and any relevant past performance information demonstrating the company&#39;s capability to provide the required After-hour Nurse Triage Services. The response should contain sufficient information for the Government to determine the company&#39;s capability to perform the requirement described in this notice.</p>

[View original listing](https://sam.gov/opp/3d76790402324cc0994337b6636aa66d/view)
