It took a few months to get them rolling, but now the government’s first group of Buy Indian Act set-asides have come out.

      In the first six weeks of 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs released notifications for 16 actual or potential Buy Indian Act set-asides.

      That compares with only three such notifications in all of 2013.

      The new set-asides span a variety of tasks, including professional, administrative and management support services; special studies and analysis; utilities and housekeeping services; technology services; furniture and fuel.

      Several are requests for proposals, while others are “sources sought” notices in which the government seeks input from the contractor community to determine if there are enough eligible small vendors to justify a set-aside.

      The Buy Indian Act set-asides are designated for Indian economic enterprises, which are for-profit businesses that are at least 51% Indian-owned. The companies may be large or small, but they must be managed and controlled by tribal members.

      The Buy Indian Act was passed by Congress in 1910, but the regulations were not implemented until July 2013.

      Here are some of the first Buy Indian Act set-asides, all obtained from FBO.gov:

• R--Small Business Buy Indian Set Aside - EEO Services (Prof., admin & management services)
  Solicitation A14PS00207
  Response Date: Feb. 27
  Website: http://goo.gl/zQCDNl
• R--FAIR 60 (7) Rock Creek Bridge (237 -- Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction/237310 -- Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction)
  Solicitation A14PS00174
  Response Date: March 4
  Website:http://goo.gl/Qv0w6t
• R--Mental Health/Crisis Interventionist (Sources Sought notice; RFP may follow; 621 -- Ambulatory Health Care Services/621112 -- Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists)
  Solicitation A14PS00204
  Website: http://goo.gl/aoYBwK