Buy Indian and Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) Federal Contract Opportunities

What are Buy Indian and IEE set-asides?

Buy Indian set-asides come from the Buy Indian Act, which lets the Indian Health Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs restrict competition to Indian Economic Enterprises — businesses at least 51% owned by one or more American Indians or Alaska Natives. An Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) is an IEE that also meets the small-business size standard for the work, and it sits at the top of the preference order these agencies apply.

Eligibility here is represented by the offeror rather than certified by a third party, but the representation is enforceable and the ownership, control and size tests all have to hold at the time of offer and again at award. Because the authority belongs to specific agencies rather than the whole government, the notices below cluster around IHS and BIA: health services, facilities work, and construction on and near tribal lands.