Pueblo Pintado Staff Quarters Design Build

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is conducting a SOURCES SOUGHT/REQUEST FOR INFORMATION for Planning Purposes as outlined in FAR 5.101(c) to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities, and qualifications of firms especially small businesses including: Native American/Indian-Owned Businesses (Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE)), 8(a) Certified Small Businesses, Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUB-Zone) Small Businesses, Women Owned Small Businesses, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB), and Veteran Owned Small Businesses.

Government Intent Regarding the Project Labor Agreement (PLA): IHS currently intends to require a PLA for this project. The PLA will be submitted only by the awardee after contract award. A PLA Market Survey is requested as part of this RFI in order to determine the applicability of a PLA. Additional information and survey questions are provided in the PLA section below.

NO PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED OR ACCEPTED WITH THIS RFI. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on this notice. Respondents will NOT be notified of the results of this notice. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this notice or any follow-up information requested.

Market research is being performed pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 to identify businesses capable of performing the functions described herein and to support acquisition planning.

SUMMARY OF SCOPE

The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, materials, services, facilities and shall perform all work necessary to provide a comprehensive community guided by LEED Neighborhood design and construct 82 new LEED certified staff quarters and necessary amenities in Pueblo Pintado, NM, for housing the medical and operational staff of the new Pueblo Pintado Health Center currently under construction. The design and construction shall provide for a variety of bedroom configurations, primarily within multifamily dwellings or clusters, including a single 24-unit apartment style building. Total estimated Gross Conditioned Area is approximately 109,410 GSF. Total estimated Gross Unconditioned Area is approximately 32,786 GSF.

Pueblo Pintado is a community in the Crownpoint Service Unit located in the center of New Mexico on the Navajo Nation, approximately 100 miles northeast of Gallup New Mexico, and 100 miles northwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Housing will be co-located with the health center, currently under construction, on a single, dedicated plot of land with a common approach and shared roadway. Housing units will be composed of a mix of occupancies and configurations to best utilize the site and to support recruitment and retention of non-local medical and operational staff. Emphasis will be placed on developing the housing to incorporate specific sustainability goals, operational maintainability, community features, and how the site layout, massing, and organization enhances the public and staff functions of the Health Center environment; specifically the unique, remote location and cultural setting of this project.

In addition, the following items are anticipated to be included in the design/construction of this project, either as Base items or as Option CLINs:

• All site work including utility infrastructure (underground) and distribution to all housing clusters
• Fire hydrants providing protection to all structures
• Roads, curbs, paving, striping
• Sidewalks, paths, trails
• Park spaces and equipment - one primary and two secondary
• 4 covered picnic areas
• Street, parking lot, sidewalk, and pathway lighting
• Security elements and infrastructure
• School bus shelter
• Model / construction mockup duplex unit (included in the total unit count)
• Road and community signage, lighted monumental entry signage
• Housing Support Building
• 6 developed RV sites with paved RV sites and roads, adjacent outdoor area with gravel and cover for each site, all utilities including sewer and paved adjacent parking spot for 1 vehicle.
• Low maintenance landscaping - no potable irrigation
• Two outdoor basketball courts
• One outdoor tennis court
• Three playgrounds

Additional work requirements will be provided in the finalized Statement of Work.

The design shall be completed in accordance with the 2025 A/E Design Guide. Design shall include the full design for Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FF&E) requirements in order for a separate FF&E contractor to provide and install FF&E. FF&E will NOT be purchased/installed as part of the design or construction portion of the project.

In accordance with the Disclosure of the Magnitude of Construction Projects, the anticipated project magnitude is between $50,000,000 and $100,000,000.

The contract is anticipated to commence in late spring/early summer of 2027 with an approximate performance period of two years after receipt of Notice to Proceed. Navajo Preference in Employment Act (NPEA) is applicable.

The type of work to be performed will be categorized under PSC code Y1FA, Construction Of Family Housing Facilities and NAICS code 236116, New Multifamily Housing Construction with a size standard of $45 million.

The proposed project is anticipated to be procured as a competitive, firm-fixed-price, two-phase design-build contract in accordance with FAR Part 15 and FAR 36.101-2, using a best-value tradeoff process. Following evaluation of Phase I proposals, only the most highly qualified offerors will be invited to submit Phase II proposals.

PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT (PLA) - GOVERNMENT INTENT AND SURVEY

In accordance with Executive Order 14063 and FAR Subpart 22.5, IHS currently intends to require the use of a PLA for this project. The PLA will be submitted only by the awardee after contract award. Any resulting PLA must allow all contractors and subcontractors to compete for contracts and subcontracts without regard to whether they are otherwise parties to collective bargaining agreements.

A PLA is a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project, as described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f). See FAR 52.222-33, Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement, and FAR 52.222-34, Project Labor Agreement.

Consistent with FAR 22.502, IHS is examining current market conditions in the project area (Crownpoint, New Mexico) to assess national, regional, and local interest in participating in a project requiring a PLA; the availability of union and non-union labor and contractors; and potential effects on competition, cost, economy, and efficiency. Input is requested from government entities, general contractors, subcontractors, labor unions and labor organizations, and qualified small businesses.

PLA Survey Questions. Please address the following, as applicable:

1.  Identify the type of entity you represent (government entity, labor union or organization, union or non-union contractor or subcontractor, and/or qualified small business).

2.  Describe any known use of PLAs on similar projects in the local area.

3.  Describe any skilled-labor shortages and the availability of union and non-union labor for the crafts needed to complete this project.

4.  Explain whether the site's remote location would impede the recruitment or retention of local union or non-union workers.

5.  Describe any known national, regional, or local interest among union and non-union contractors in participating in this project.

6.  Explain how a PLA requirement would affect your interest in competing for or otherwise participating in this project.

7.  Explain whether a PLA would advance the Federal Government's interest in economy and efficiency, including any anticipated effects on competition or project costs.

8.  Provide any additional information the Government should consider regarding the use or non-use of a PLA for this project.

PROSPECTIVE OFFEROR CAPABILITY RESPONSES - SUBMITTAL

Responses to this notice must be emailed to Matt Sanders at matt.sanders@ihs.gov and must be received no later than 2:00 pm PT, 21 August 2026. Prospective offeror capability responses must include Items 1 through 7 below. Respondents providing PLA market information should address the applicable survey questions in the preceding section.

1. Company Information: Company name, website, physical address, SAM UEI code
2. Point of Contact: Contact name, phone number, and E-mail address
3. If a solicitation is issued, will your firm/company be submitting a proposal? Indicate Yes or No
4. Type of Business: Native American-owned (IEE/ISBEE), SBA certified 8(a), SBA Certified HUB Zone, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), and/or Small Businesses (SB). For more information on the definitions or requirements for these small business programs, refer to http://www.sba.gov.
   1. Native American-owned (IEE/ISBEE) firms are hereby requested to submit the following two documents:
      1. Completed Attachment 1: IHS IEE Representation Form (Jan 2022)
      2. The controlling enterprise’s Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood documentation.

Failure to submit BOTH documents will result in your firm not being adequately confirmed as an IEE/ISBEE firm. Please note that there shall be no personally identifiable information (PII), such as social security numbers, included in the documentation submitted. Any PII shall be redacted prior to submission.

1. Bond Capacity: Information on the firm's bonding capability - specifically identify single and aggregate bonding capacities.
2. Experience Submission Requirements: Submit at least two (2) but no more than five (5) projects completed by your firm within the last six (6) years that are similar to the work that will be required under this project. Firms shall include the following information for each project:
   1. Indicate if your firm was the Prime Contractor or Subcontractor for each project submitted;
   2. Dates of construction for each project submitted;
   3. Contract value, location, completion date, and complexity of job for each project submitted;
   4. Indicate whether the project is a federal, state, tribal or other for each project submitted; and
   5. Project references/Agency point of contact (telephone number and email address) for each project submitted.
   6. If the entity responding to this sources sought is submitting experience information from any entity that does not match the name, CAGE code, and/or UEI exactly as stated on the submitting entity’s SAM record (e.g. affiliates, subsidiaries, parent companies, sister companies, etc.) the submission shall clearly demonstrate how that entity will have meaningful involvement in the performance of the contract and specifically address which resources would be committed to the contract. Failure to comply with this requirement or failure to adequately demonstrate meaningful involvement and commitment of resources on behalf of that entity may result in that experience information to be considered not relevant.
   7. Along with the project experience submission, the following questions shall be answered in your firms’ submission:
      1. How is your company structured to handle quality control of the various disciplines of a design-build construction project? (i.e., what position(s) (full-time/part-time) are employed under your company to perform QC?)
      2. Does your company primarily have design-build experience with residential design and construction on residential projects in excess of $20M?
      3. Does your company self-perform any of the design and/or construction disciplines, if so, what are those disciplines?  What disciplines does your company anticipate self-performing for this specific project?

All information received in response to this source sought that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Documents and/or information other than what is requested will not be reviewed.  Information submitted beyond what is requested will not be considered.

INDIAN ECONOMIC ENTERPRISE INFORMATION:

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) capable of performing the subject requirement. Any firm responding to this notice should submit their capability statement as well as the Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form (attached) AND the firm’s Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood documentation.

Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs) as well as other small business are highly encouraged to respond to this notice. However, firms should understand that generic capability statements are not sufficient for effective evaluation of their capacity and capability to perform the work required. Please note that a decision not to submit a response to this request for information will not preclude a firm from participating in any future solicitation.

QUESTIONS:

Questions regarding this sources sought may be emailed to Matt Sanders at matt.sanders@ihs.gov or Andrew Hart at Andrew.hart@ihs.gov.