Federal Upgrade to Gallup Hospital Fire Alarms Could Boost Safety

The Indian Health Service issued a formal solicitation on November 13, 2025 for a Fire Alarm Upgrade Construction project at Gallup Indian Medical Center, located at 516 E Nizhoni Boulevard in Gallup. The notice described a comprehensive redesign and installation of a new fire alarm system to meet current codes including NFPA 101, NFPA 99, and NFPA 72. Obsolete components will be removed and the contractor is expected to coordinate closely with hospital operations to minimize disruptions to patient care.

The procurement was posted on federal solicitation portals including HigherGov and SAM, and was listed as an Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise set aside under NAICS code 236220. The solicitation estimated a construction magnitude between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000. The performance window was defined as 180 calendar days from notice to proceed. The posted page included a response deadline in December 2025, with site visit details and portal submission instructions available in the request for proposals. The primary contact listed for the IHS solicitation was Joshua VanSkike, with an email address provided.

For McKinley County residents, the project touches on immediate safety and long standing infrastructure concerns. Upgrading fire alarm systems to current NFPA standards is a direct patient safety measure, reducing the risk of delayed detection and response during emergencies. Because the hospital serves a broad tribal and rural population the ability to maintain continuous operations during construction is critical to avoid disruptions in care for urgent and routine services.

Designating the procurement as an ISBEE set aside carries economic and equity implications for the community. The set aside restricts competition to eligible Indian small business enterprises, which can increase opportunities for local contractors and subcontractor workforce development. Local firms that can meet NAICS 236220 qualifications may gain work that circulates federal funds into the regional economy. The relatively short 180 calendar day performance window will require careful scheduling and close coordination with hospital leadership to balance speed with uninterrupted care.

The solicitation underlines broader systemic issues in tribal health infrastructure, where deferred maintenance and outdated systems have left facilities in need of modernization. Federal investments in these projects can improve safety and operational resilience, but they also raise questions about ongoing maintenance funding and capacity building for local firms to sustain upgrades over time.

Interested contractors or community stakeholders were directed to the federal solicitation portals for proposal instructions and site visit schedules. With the response deadline set for December 2025 the coming weeks will determine which firms pursue the work and how the hospital will phase upgrades to protect patients and staff while advancing needed safety improvements.