NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE SOLE SOURCE AWARD

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Indian Health Service (IHS), Bemidji Area intends to award a Firm Fixed Priced Contract on a sole source basis to Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative for Cass Lake Indian Hospital, Cass Lake, MN. The anticipated period of performance will include a base plus 4 option years.

This Intent to Sole Source is in accordance with FAR Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Items and FAR Subpart 13. 5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. Under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other will satisfy agency requirements, the Government intends to award a Firm-Fixed price Sole Source contract to Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative as only one source reasonably available.

Telecommunication infrastructure necessary exists on site, the cost and downtime of introducing a new vendor to bring in new lines for the connection will ultimately cost the Cass Lake Hospital more than the annual cost of the contract. It would also disrupt service to Bemidji Area Office until the connection is tested and reestablished. Also, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is on the Metro connection and uses it to connect to our router, in order to conduct business. The router is set up and configured, it would take some time to reconfigure it if a new Internet provider were to be introduced.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 517111, Wired Telecommunications Carrier with a size standard of 1,500 employees.

Points of contact for this acquisition are the Contract Specialist, Mary Simon at mary.simon2@ihs.gov. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit a quote to Contract Specialist, Mary Simon at mary.simon2@ihs.gov or Purchasing Agent, De’Lana Tangren at Delana.Tangren@IHS.gov.

Information received in response to this notice will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. In doing so, interested sources must submit technical capabilities, and other information that demonstrates their ability to meet the Government's needs.