This Sources Sought opportunity from Department Of Health And Human Services was posted on June 17, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
Postage for Mail Machine
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
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AI Contract Overview
The Indian Health Service is seeking to identify qualified Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE) and Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEE) to supply postage stamps for Pitney Bowes mail machines at the Crow Service Unit in Crow Agency, Montana, and its two satellite clinics in Lodge Grass and Pryor, Montana. This is a Sources Sought notice under the Buy Indian Act, 25 U.S.C. 47, and is not a solicitation for proposals, but rather an effort to determine the availability of capable vendors that meet the stringent IEE criteria as defined by 48 CFR 1480.201. To qualify, an enterprise must be at least 51% owned by Indians, federally recognized Indian Tribes, or Alaska Native Corporations; must ensure that these same entities collectively receive at least 51% of the contract earnings; and must have management and daily operations controlled by one or more individuals who are Indians. Vendors must submit a capability statement that goes beyond generic information and provides specific evidence of their experience, including years of relevant work history and past contracts—despite the nature of the requirement being postage supply, the notice erroneously references “backup cluster equipment and support” as evaluation criteria, which may indicate a drafting inconsistency. All respondents must also complete and submit the official Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form and confirm their registration in the System of Award Management (SAM). The period of performance for any resulting contract is one year, from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with daily delivery required to maintain uninterrupted mailing services for critical patient, medical, credentialing, and billing correspondence. Responses must be emailed to Katrina Eaglefeathers by June 22, 2026, and failure to fully address the IEE compliance, earnings distribution, operational control, and experience requirements will result in exclusion from consideration. False or misleading claims regarding IEE status are subject to penalties under federal law, including 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 31 U.S.C. 3729 to 3731. The acquisition strategy will be informed by the responses received to determine the appropriate procurement path under the Buy Indian Act.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
Crow Agency, MT, 59022, USASet-Aside
Timeline
Submission Closed
Organization & Contact Information
Full 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 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:
459410 – Office Supplies and Stationary Retailers
Size Standard: $40 million
Duration:
Postage Stamps One (1) Year
Background/Purpose:
The government anticipates recurring purchases of postage stamps in various denominations for use with Pitney Bowes mailing systems located within our facility. Vendors must be able to supply official USPS stamps in rolls, books, or sheets and provide timely delivery.
The Crow Service Unit (CSU) in Crow Agency Montana and its two (2) satellite clinics in Lodge Grass Montana and Pryor, Montana require mail delivery services; Postage for the current mail meter machines.
Postage stamps are needed for Pitney Bowes mail machines at the Crow Service Unit, Lodge Grass Clinic and Pryor Health Station for day-to-day mailing of letters, flats, parcel, certified mail, priority, and express mail for patient appointments, medicine, water tests, credentialing of doctors, returns and billing.
• Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital, 1010 S 7650 E, Crow Agency, MT 59022
• Lodge Grass Clinic, 418 Harding Ave, Lodge Grass, MT 59050
• Pryor Health Station, 2 Pryor Gap Road, Pryor MT 59066
The Indian Health Service (IHS) plans to procure a supplier to replenish the postage for the mail meter machines.
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 backup cluster equipment and support
• List of past jobs/contracts of providing backup cluster equipment and support
• 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: katrina.eaglefeathers@ihs.gov no later than 5 calendar 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.
Responses received to this notice will assist in determining the acquisition strategy of the requirement.