MEDICAL PHYSICS TESTING SERVICES

Sources Sought: Medical Physics Testing Services for Radiology Department at the Wagner IHS Healthcare Center

Sources Sought Notice Number: IHS-WAG-26-1525908

This Sources Sought Notice is for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation, an obligation or commitment by the Indian Health Service.

This notice is intended strictly for market research to determine the availability of Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE).

Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. The anticipated applicable NAICS code for this acquisition is 541690, Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services $19.

1. BACKGROUND

This is a non-personal services contract to provide medical physics services for the Wagner IHS Health Center. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.

2.0       OBJECTIVE

Locate eligible and qualified IEE vendors able to provide Firm Fixed-Price, Non-Personal Healthcare Services, medical physics testing services for the Wagner IHS Healthcare Center in Wagner, SD. Utilize the information received with future acquisition planning efforts and potential Buy Indian set aside. 

1. 1.         SCOPE

1. 1. The contractor shall conduct the “Optimizing Patient Dose” and “Staff Exposures” activities listed in Table 2, including but not limited to:
      1. Review, recommend improvements, provide examples if needed, and evaluate compliance with each radiology program’s policies, procedures, and protocols to ensure the program has policies in place consistent with their scope of work that are sufficient to protect staff and patients and minimize patient dose and are reviewed annually. Policies on the following minimum topics should be in place and implemented:
         1. Imaging referral justification and verification
         2. Pre-procedure screening and patient condition assessment
         3. Safe use of sedation and anesthesia (if in use)
         4. Staff qualifications
         5. Continuing education (radiology staff, and medical providers)
         6. Equipment maintenance process and documentation
         7. Personnel monitoring and means to prevent/reduce exposure
         8. Appropriateness and ALARA in imaging; Decision Support Systems (if in use)
         9. Patient dose estimation, documentation, and reporting
         10. Protection of pregnant patients and workers; fetal protection and dose calculation
         11. Equipment Performance Monitoring
         12. Protective equipment inspection
         13. Quality Assurance/ Performance improvement
         14. Patient rights, education, and consent; and medical over-ride
         15. Annual imaging program evaluation
         16. Management of imaging records
         17. Equipment planning Infection control (including housekeeping, standard and Transmission-based precautions)
         18. Chemical hygiene and hazardous material/waste handling
         19. Radiation Safety Officer appointment and scope of responsibilities
         20. Patient incident and over-exposure reporting and analysis.

1. 1. 1. Contactor shall provide consultation to assure an optimized balance between image quality and patient dose by ensuring the optimum technique factors are utilized by the facility
      2. Contractor shall evaluate patient dose/Entrance Skin Exposure with comparison to FDA NEXT or equivalent diagnostic reference levels via patient dose estimates using appropriate phantoms.
      3. Verify optimization process (whether they have a Clinical Decision Support mechanism/software in place, and if so, how well it was being implemented to limit patient dose) and dose documentation in the medical records while conducting the Appropriateness Criteria Audit (Section A above).

1. 1. Contractor shall conduct “Device Performance” and “Quality Control Measures” activities listed in table 2 and according to AAPM Report 74 (http://www.aapm.org/pubs/reports/rpt_74.PDF) and consistent with the below cited references and will assist in establishing a facility radiology quality assurance program. Table 3 lists the equipment by location.

1. 1. The contractor will provide details to the local site contact on any equipment that is not in proper working condition, or any environmental condition negatively impacting patient safety/privacy or program operations. The local site contact will follow up on necessary service calls or maintenance under a separate purchase order through proper acquisition channels. It is not expected that the contractor bidding will provide any maintenance services, just recommendations for repair or servicing.

1. 1. The contractor will provide acceptance testing for new x-ray devices installed during the contract period when directed by a properly executed supplement agreement/change order.
   2. The contractor shall include additional equipment and Radiation Shielding Surveys under this contract when directed by a properly executed supplement agreement/change order.

1. 1. The contractor shall consult with the Lead X-Ray Technologist concerning patient and fetal dose determinations under this contract when needed. This will be charged at the contracted hourly rate.

1. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS/ AND PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS (IF APPLICABLE)

The Contractor shall perform the following tasks:

1. 1. Medical Physicist Certification Requirements: The Services shall be performed by a certified qualified medical physicist meeting the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) definition. AAPM defines a qualified medical physicist as, “an individual with the following credentials:

1. Has earned a master's or doctoral degree in physics, medical physics, biophysics, radiological physics, medical health physics, or equivalent disciplines from an accredited college or university; and
2. Certification has been granted in the specific subfield(s) of medical physics with its associated medical health physics aspects by an appropriate national certifying body and abides by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. (AAPM, 2012)

1. 1. These certification requirements are consistent with the national practice guidelines referenced in Table 1. Medical physicist performance monitoring reports shall include verification of professional certification. For the subfield of Diagnostic Medical Physics, AAPM recommends certification by the American Board of Radiology; or the American Board of Medical Physics; or the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine. (AAPM, 2012).

1. 1. Radiation Safety Surveys - Performance Monitoring and Testing of Medical and Dental Imaging Equipment: Services to meet the most recent nationally recognized standards of practice regarding x-ray equipment performance monitoring and testing according to the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP) Technical Standards. Contractor shall provide all supplies, kits, test equipment, tools and parts required to perform monitoring and testing services. All required services as noted below will be conducted.

1. Radiation Safety Surveys will be conducted according to ACR and NCRP standards and equipment

manufacturers’ recommendations.

1. Performance Monitoring Tests and Services will be conducted according to the schedule noted in the table below, verify that new equipment meets manufacturer specifications and regulatory requirements, as well as identify any corrective maintenance or modifications to process or procedures that need to be addressed.

1. Contractor shall schedule visits with each site’s Lead Radiologist or X-Ray Technologist for medical x-rays and Dental Chief for dental x-ray tubes at least two weeks in advance of the proposed site visit.
2. With thorough testing and measurements, contractor shall verify that any new radiology equipment meets manufacturer specifications and regulatory requirements, as well as identify any problem areas that need to be addressed.

1. TYPE OF ORDER

This is a firm fixed price purchase order.

1. ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Period of Performance: 06/15/2026 through 05/31/2027.

1. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Wagner IHS Healthcare Center, 111 Washington Ave NW, Wagner, SD  57380.

7.   REPORT(S)/DELIVERABLES AND DELIVERY SCHEDULE

Complete deliverables schedule listed below.

All site visits will be conducted by the COR. All written deliverable products shall be submitted in draft format for review, comment and approval by the COR.  Final copies of approved drafts shall be delivered to the COR within five (5) business days after receipt of the Government’s comments.

All deliverables shall be sent electronically (Microsoft Word or Excel 2013, unless approved by the COR) per the following deliverable schedule:

DELIVERABLE

DELIVERABLE DESCRIPTION / FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

DUE DATE

Site Visit

#1 (Task 4.1)

Demonstrate lay out of meeting space, location of signage, and AV set up

3-5 days prior to meeting

9.0     PAYMENT

One-time payment in arrears after services provided.

The Contractor shall submit one invoice, monthly, for incurred charges related to medical waste collection. Invoice submission and payment:

In compliance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) M-15-19 memorandum Improving Government Efficiency and Saving Taxpayer Dollars Through Electronic Invoicing, directing Federal agencies to adopt electronic invoicing as the primary means to disburse payment to vendors. Invoices submitted under any award resulting from this solicitation will be required to utilize the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) in accordance with HHSAR 352.232-71, Electronic Submission and Processing of Payment Requests.

IPP is a secure, web-based electronic invoicing system provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRSTL). Respondents to this solicitation are encouraged to register an account with IPP if they have not already done so. If your organization is already registered to use IPP, you will not be required to re-register, however, we encourage you to make sure your organization and designated IPP user accounts are valid and up to date.

The IPP website address is: https://www.ipp.gov.

If you require assistance registering or IPP account access, please contact the IPP Helpdesk at (866) 973-3131 (M-F 8AM to 6PM ET), or IPPCustomerSupport@fiscal.treasury.gov.

The Contractor shall include the following information on each invoice in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act (5 CFR Part 1315.9(b)):

1. Contractor/Vendor Name
2. Mailing Address
3. Telephone Number
4. Tax Identification Number (TIN)
5. Invoice Date and Number
6. Purchase Order Number (in Block #3 of the OF-347 form)
7. Data Universal Number (DUNS)
8. Description of services provided, quantity, unit of issue, unit price, and total amount due.

Additional Information:  N/A

1.  Anticipated Period of Performance:

 Period of Performance: 06/15/2026 through 05/31/2027.

1. Capability Statement/Information:

Interested parties are expected to review this notice to familiarize itself with the requirements of this project. Failure to do so will be at your firm’s own risk. The following information shall be included in the capability statement:

1. A general overview of the respondent’s opinions about the difficulty and/or feasibility of the potential requirement, and any information regarding innovative ideas or concepts.

2. Information in sufficient detail of the respondent’s (a) current capability and capacity to perform the work; (b) prior completed events of similar nature/size; (c) organizational experience and management capability; and (d) examples of prior completed Government contracts and other related information.

3. Documentation on the floorplans available, photographs of the event space, room descriptions, equipment available, etc. To be considered capable of fulfilling this requirement evidence of an Offerors ability to fully satisfy the requirements described above must be provided.

4. The respondents’ DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc.) Pursuant to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code: 541690, Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services $19.

5. Any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the requirements of the potential acquisition.

6. The capability statement shall not exceed 10 single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, in either Microsoft Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), with 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper size, and 1 inch top, bottom, left and right margins.

7. All proprietary information should be marked as such. Statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement (preferably placed under the eligible small business concern’s name and address). Responses will be reviewed only by IHS personnel and will be held in a confidential manner.

F.   Closing Statement

Point of Contact: John Archambeau, Purchasing Agent, at john.archambeau@ihs.gov 

Submission Instructions:

Interested parties shall submit capability via email to John Archambeau, Purchasing Agent, at john.archambeau@ihs.gov.  Must include Sources Sought Number IHS-WAG-26-1525908 in the Subject line. The due date for receipt of statements is May 29, 2026, 12:00 p.m. Central Time.

All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered.

This notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of IHS.

IHS does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. As a result of this notice, IHS may issue a Request for Quote (RFQ).

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against IHS shall arise as a result of a response to this notice or IHS’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement.

Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not oblige the Government to award a contract or pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response.