Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services

SPECIAL NOTICE UNUSUAL AND COMPELLING URGENCY Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services Notice/Requirement No.: ACQ_IHS_2026_U_01033 NAICS: 561320 Temporary Help Services PSC: Q401 Medical Nursing CANCELLATION OF PREVIOUS SPECIAL NOTICE The Indian Health Service (IHS), Phoenix Area Office (PAO), hereby cancels the previously published Special Notice for Restricted Competition under Notice/Requirement No. ACQ_IHS_2026_U_01033. The previous notice stated the Government's intent to restrict competition based upon a determination that only one source was available. That notice is canceled and superseded by this Special Notice. Based upon further consideration of the Government's acquisition strategy and the market research previously conducted, IHS intends to pursue a competitive acquisition for its longer-term Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services requirement. In the interim, IHS has an immediate need to maintain continuity of the existing services. Accordingly, this Special Notice provides notice of IHS's intent to pursue a limited-duration bridge action based upon unusual and compelling urgency while the competitive follow-on acquisition is developed and conducted. NOTICE OF INTENT LIMITED-DURATION BRIDGE REQUIREMENT The Indian Health Service (IHS), Phoenix Area Office (PAO), intends to award a limited-duration contract for Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services necessary to maintain continuity of existing clinical support services while IHS conducts a competitive acquisition for its longer-term requirement. This acquisition is being conducted pursuant to FAR 6.103-2, Unusual and Compelling Urgency, and 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(2), as implemented under applicable HHS Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) class deviations. The Government's need for uninterrupted Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services is of such an unusual and compelling urgency that the time required to complete a full and open competitive acquisition before continuation of services is required would create an unacceptable risk of interruption to services supporting IHS beneficiaries. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT IHS requires contractor-operated Nurse Telephone Triage and Nurse Advice Line Services supporting eligible American Indian and Alaska Native beneficiaries served by Phoenix Area facilities, including: Colorado River Service Unit, Parker, Arizona; Elko Service Unit, Elko, Nevada; Fort Yuma Service Unit, Winterhaven, California; and Uintah & Ouray Service Unit, Fort Duchesne, Utah. The required services provide beneficiaries access to Registered Nurses (RNs) using evidence-based, nationally recognized, physician-approved clinical triage protocols. Based upon clinical assessment, services may include home or self-care guidance, education regarding non-emergent appointments or prescription-renewal processes, referrals, and direction to urgent or emergency medical care, as appropriate. The requirement is for continuous telephone triage/advice-line capability to ensure beneficiaries retain access to clinical guidance when facility personnel may not otherwise be immediately available. BASIS FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION IHS must maintain continuity of Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services while it conducts a competitive acquisition for the longer-term requirement. The Government previously conducted market research, including issuance of a public Sources Sought Notice, and received multiple responses demonstrating industry interest in the requirement. Based upon the results of that market research, IHS intends to pursue competition for its longer-term Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line requirement. However, the time presently available before continued services are required is insufficient to complete development of the competitive solicitation, provide an appropriate solicitation response period, evaluate offers, make award, and complete the implementation and transition activities necessary for uninterrupted performance. An interruption in these services would eliminate an existing mechanism through which beneficiaries obtain after-hours and other telephone-based clinical assessment and guidance, including clinical direction concerning whether symptoms may be addressed through self-care, require follow-up with a healthcare provider, or warrant urgent or emergency medical attention. Accordingly, IHS has determined that a limited-duration bridge action is necessary to maintain continuity of these services while the Government completes the competitive acquisition. INTENDED SOURCE AND BASIS FOR LIMITING SOURCES IHS intends to solicit Risen Video Production, LLC for this limited-duration bridge requirement. Risen Video Production, LLC currently provides Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services supporting Phoenix Area operations and has existing operational capability associated with the services. Given the limited period available to prevent interruption of services, IHS has determined that utilizing the existing operational capability for the bridge period avoids transition and implementation activities that could delay continuation of services while the competitive follow-on acquisition is conducted. This determination does not represent a finding that Risen Video Production, LLC is the only commercial source capable of providing Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services. Market research identified multiple interested sources, and IHS intends to use that market information in conducting the competitive follow-on acquisition. Rather, the basis for limiting competition for this action is the immediate need to maintain continuity of services during the period necessary to conduct and transition to the competitive follow-on acquisition. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The anticipated period of performance for this bridge action is six (6) months. The bridge period is limited to the time the Government presently anticipates is necessary to maintain uninterrupted services while IHS conducts the competitive acquisition and transitions to the resulting follow-on contract. IHS does not intend for this bridge action to replace the planned competitive acquisition. COMPETITIVE FOLLOW-ON ACQUISITION During the bridge period, IHS intends to proceed with a competitive acquisition for its longer-term Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services requirement. Information previously received in response to the Government's Sources Sought Notice will be maintained as part of the market research supporting development of the competitive acquisition. A separate solicitation for the competitive follow-on requirement will be publicized in SAM.gov in accordance with applicable acquisition regulations and procedures. RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE This notice is not a request for competitive proposals or quotations for the longer-term requirement. In accordance with FAR 6.103-2, the Government will consider information timely received from responsible sources regarding their ability to satisfy the immediate bridge requirement within the timeframe necessary to prevent interruption of existing services. Any responsible source that believes it can meet the Government's immediate continuity requirement without interruption to existing Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services may submit capability information for the Contracting Officer's consideration. Any such response should specifically address: the source's ability to begin full performance by the required start date; its ability to provide uninterrupted 24-hour, 7-day-per-week Nurse Telephone Triage/Nurse Advice Line Services for all required Phoenix Area locations; RN staffing and applicable licensure necessary to support the identified locations; clinical triage protocols and operational capability; implementation and transition activities required before full performance; systems, telecommunications, security, credentialing, or other infrastructure requirements affecting the performance start date; and the source's demonstrated ability to accomplish all required implementation and transition activities within the available timeframe. Capability information received will be considered solely for purposes of determining whether additional sources can practicably be solicited for the immediate bridge requirement under the circumstances. Responses shall be submitted electronically to: Ashleigh Yazzie Contract Specialist Indian Health Service, Phoenix Area Office of Acquisition Management Email: Ashleigh.Yazzie@ihs.gov Secondary Point of Contact: Ashley B. Velasquez Contracting Officer Indian Health Service, Phoenix Area Office of Acquisition Management Email: Ashley.Velasquez@ihs.gov Responses must be received by the date and time specified in SAM.gov. This Special Notice does not constitute a solicitation for the planned competitive follow-on requirement and does not obligate the Government to award a contract or reimburse respondents for costs incurred in…