Question 1

What is the Indian Economic Enterprise program?

Accepted Answer

The IEE program is a Department of Interior set-aside program under the DOI Acquisition Regulation (DIAR) that reserves DOI contracts for businesses owned at least 51% by enrolled members of federally recognized Native American tribes or Alaska Native Corporations.

Question 2

What agencies use IEE set-asides?

Accepted Answer

IEE set-asides are exclusive to the U.S. Department of the Interior, including its major bureaus such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), and Bureau of Reclamation.

Question 3

Who qualifies under the IEE program?

Accepted Answer

Qualifying owners must be enrolled members of federally recognized Indian tribes as listed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or shareholders of Alaska Native Corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).

Question 4

Is IEE certification separate from SBA certification?

Accepted Answer

Yes. IEE status does not require SBA certification. Eligibility is self-represented in SAM.gov based on tribal enrollment documentation. However, the firm must still meet SBA size standards for the applicable NAICS code.

Question 5

Can a tribal enterprise qualify for IEE if it is incorporated off-reservation?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in most cases. Ownership and control by enrolled tribal members is the primary test, not physical location. However, specific DOI contracts may have geographic or operational requirements that affect eligibility.

Question 6

How does SamSearch help IEE businesses find contracts?

Accepted Answer

SamSearch indexes Department of Interior solicitations filtered by the IEE set-aside code, delivering a curated list of tribal-preference contracts to eligible firms without the need to manually search SAM.gov.

Question 7

What is the difference between the IEE program and the Buy Indian Act (BICiv)?

Accepted Answer

Both programs serve Native American-owned businesses but are administered by different agencies. IEE is a Department of Interior program governed by the DOI Acquisition Regulation (DIAR) and applies exclusively to DOI contracts. The Buy Indian Act (BICiv) is administered by HHS/Indian Health Service and applies to IHS healthcare and tribal health procurements. The ownership eligibility rules are similar, but firms must target the correct agency for each program.

Question 8

Can Alaska Native Corporation subsidiaries qualify for IEE set-asides?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Alaska Native Corporations and their wholly-owned subsidiaries qualify for IEE set-asides under the DOI Acquisition Regulation, provided the ANC meets the ownership and control criteria. ANCs were created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and are treated as meeting tribal ownership requirements under DIAR.

Question 9

What types of DOI contracts are most commonly awarded through IEE set-asides?

Accepted Answer

The most common IEE contract categories include natural resource management, environmental services, land surveying, construction and renovation of tribal facilities, IT services for tribal programs, fire management services, cultural resources management, and administrative support for Bureau of Indian Affairs programs.

Question 10

Is there a competitive threshold for IEE set-asides or can sole-source awards be made?

Accepted Answer

The DOI can make IEE sole-source awards when market research indicates that only one IEE firm is reasonably available to perform the work. There is no separate FAR threshold—the justification requirements follow DOI's internal DIAR procedures. IEE competitive set-asides apply when two or more qualified IEE firms are reasonably available.

Question 11

How do I target my BD efforts to maximize IEE opportunities?

Accepted Answer

Focus business development on DOI's major contracting bureaus: Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Attend tribal consultation sessions, DOI industry days, and submit capability statements directly to regional DOI offices that manage tribal programs.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Indian Economic Enterprise