36C24123Q0685.docx

SUBJECT*

First Fill Action Type BPA (VA-24-00001894)

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

VAMC Bedford

200 Springs Road Bedford MA 01730

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Harold Nice Harold.Nice@VA.Gov

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

718 Smyth Road

Manchester, NH

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

DESCRIPTION

Sources Sought Notice

This is a Sources Sought notice only. This is not a request for quotes and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. The Government will not provide any reimbursement for responses submitted in response to this Source Sought notice. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.

If a solicitation is issued it shall be announced at a later date, and all interest parties must response to that solicitation announcement separately. Responses to this notice are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation The purpose of this announcement is to perform market research to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 524114, with a size standard 47.0 million The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1) is seeking to identify any vendor capable of providing a requirement for First Fill (Emergency) prescription fulfillment services per the Statement of Work below.

This Sources Sought notice provides an opportunity for respondents to submit their capability and availability to provide the requirement described below. Vendors are encouraged to submit information relative to their capabilities to fulfill this requirement, in the form of a statement that addresses the specific requirement identified in this Sources Sought. Information received from this Sources Sought shall be utilized to facilitate the Contracting Officer’s review of the market base, for acquisition planning, size determination, and procurement strategy.

Submission Instructions: Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to provide First Fill (Emergency) prescription fulfillment services are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by 1500 EST, (26) (5), (2023). All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be emailed to Harold.Nice@va.gov with Sources Sought # 36C24123Q0685 in the subject line. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.

Interested parties should complete the attached Sources Sought Worksheet. Parties may submit additional information related to their capabilities, provided it contains all the requirements contained in the Sources Sought Worksheet. Responses to this Sources Sought shall not exceed 8 pages. In addition, all submissions should be provided electronically in a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

Attachment 1 Sources Sought Worksheet

QUALIFICATION INFORMATION:

Company / Institute Name: _______________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________ Phone Number: ________________________________________________________________ Point of Contact: _______________________________________________________________ E-mail Address: ________________________________________________________________ Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) #: ___________________________________________________ CAGE Code: __________________________________________________________________ SAM Registered: (Y / N) Other available contract vehicles applicable to this sources sought (GSA/FSS/NASA SEWP/ETC): __________________________________________________________________

SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS:

VIP Verified SDVOSB: (Y / N) VIP Verified VOSB: (Y / N) 8(a): (Y / N) HUBZone: (Y / N) Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business: (Y / N) Women-Owned Small Business: (Y / N) Small Business: (Y / N) NOTE: Respondent claiming SDVOSB and VOSB status shall be registered and Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) verified in VetBiz Registry www.vetbiz.gov.

BASED ON THE RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/MARKET RESEARCH, THIS REQUIREMENT MAY BE SET-ASIDE FOR SDVOSB, VOSB, SMALL BUSINESSES OR PROCURED THROUGH FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.

CAPABILITY STATEMENT:

Provide a brief capability and interest in providing the (service) as listed in Attachment 2 (STATEMENT OF WORK) with enough information to determine if your company can meet the requirement. The capabilities statement for this Sources Sought is not a Request for Quotation, Request for Proposal, or Invitation for Bid, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach, but rather the Government is requesting a short statement regarding the company’s ability to provide the services outlined in the (SOW). Any commercial brochures or currently existing marketing material may also be submitted with the capabilities statement. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government will not pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.

Attachment 2 Statement of Work

Background:

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Region (VISN) 1 Medical Centers, Community Based Out-Patient Clinics (CBOCs) and Mobile Coach Locations have a requirement for First Fill (Emergency) prescription fulfillment services. The intent is for a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with a performance period of five years from date of award.

Historical Quantities:

The VISN 1 Stations, in one historical contract year, had the following numbers of prescriptions filled on an urgent/emergent basis.

Scope of Service:

1. The contractor shall provide pharmaceutical products and services to VA beneficiaries seen at VISN1 Medical Centers to include their Emergency Rooms, Urgent Care, CBOCs and Mobile Coaches during periods when an Outpatient Pharmacy is unavailable. The locations are as specified below.

a. These services shall include the dispensing of pharmaceuticals listed on the VA National Drug Formulary (https://www.vanf.app/) when clinic professional staff determine that the need for pharmaceutical(s) is emergent, and it is in the best interest of patient care.

· Patient must be prescribed a medication by a VA Provider.

· Only new prescriptions shall be filled.

· Patients must pick up the prescriptions at the contracted pharmacy.

· Contractor shall not mail or deliver filled prescriptions to the patient.

b. Only prescriptions from VA authorized practitioners may be filled under the BPA.

· The contractor must review all prescriptions to ensure that the prescriber is a VA authorized practitioner.

· Prescriptions from non-VA authorized practitioners may not be filled under the BPA and will not be reimbursed.

· Herbal products or non-formulary over-the-counter products will not be reimbursed.

· The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for each of the VISN 1 Station locations, as numbered below, will provide a list of providers authorized to prescribe for supported locations.

c. Prescriptions will be filled for only drugs listed in the VA National drug formulary.

The contractor must review all prescriptions to ensure that the product is listed on the formulary.

The VA reserves the right to add or delete drugs from the formulary.

The VA shall not be responsible for payment for drugs not on the VA National formulary even if ordered by a VA authorized practitioner. If a VA authorized practitioner prescribes a drug not on the formulary, the contractor pharmacist shall inform the patient that the prescription is not covered and that the patient will be responsible for the cost, payable at that time.

d. Requests to review retroactive requests for exceptions will only be accepted if the emergent prescription need was presented at the contract pharmacy during the hours that the VA Medical Center Outpatient Pharmacy was closed.

2. Deliverables:

a. The contractor must have Pharmacy Locator list available on website, non-priced (NP)

b. The contractor must have Formulary List available on website, non-priced (NP)

c. The contractor must have Prior Authorization Form available on website, non-priced (NP)

d. The contractor must provide training/ education to VISN1 prescribers no later than 3 months after BPA has been established, non-priced (NP).

e. The contractor must be able to activate a disaster response plan. Disaster plan should be inactivated within 4 hours of request. Additional funding will be within scope of BPA at rates set forth in formulary. Disaster plan will be inactivated by Chief of Pharmacy or designee.

f. Medications at no cost, transaction fee for treatment dispensing requiring Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) at rates set in formulary.

g. The minimum guaranteed award for this BPA is $ . The minimum is applicable to the first year of BPA and is a onetime guarantee. The maximum aggregate value of orders for the five-year period of performance under this BPA is $ .

Item Information for Formulary Prescriptions:

Item Information for Disaster Response Plan:

3. Prescription fills for authorized drugs shall be limited to a maximum of a 7-day supply. Exceptions: 1) Antibiotics may be filled with up to a 10 day supply. 2) Any instance where the minimum dispensing unit (vial, inhaler) as prescribed, exceeds the limit. 3) VA formulary Class II prescriptions are limited to a 3 day supply.

4. Prescriptions should be filled within two (2) hours but shall not incur a more than a twenty-four (24) hour delay when necessary to obtain the drug. The prescription must be picked up by the patient and may not be mailed or delivered.

5. Prescriptions filled under this BPA must be filled using the least expensive AB rated generic equivalent drug product the pharmacy has in stock.

a. The Contractor shall, to the greatest extent practicable, use generic medications. Brand name drugs shall be issued only if generic versions are not available. Generic drugs shall be FDA AB rated, have identical active ingredients, dosage, safety, strength, usage directions, quality, performance and intended use as brand-name versions. Generic drugs shall be dispensed, if in the professional judgment of the pharmacist, the product is safe, effective, of equal strength, quantity, quality and dosage as the brand name drug. Generic drugs shall meet all federal and state regulatory specification as brand name drugs. The generic name shall be displayed on all medication labels.

Any standing exceptions to the generic substitution requirement will be provided as applicable per covered location.

6. The filling of prescriptions will be inclusive of patient medication profile review and proper filling and labeling in accordance with standard pharmacy practices and state law/regulation/requirements.

7. Procedures will include appropriate patient education and counseling to the veteran or caregiver for each prescription filled. Counseling offered will be consistent with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) 1990 requirement to ensure appropriate use and optimal outcomes from drug therapy. Counseling at a minimum shall include the following information:

(a) Name, description and use of the medication

(b) Dose, dosage form and route

(c) Special directions and precautions

(d) Common side effects and action required if they occur

(e) Techniques for self-monitoring drug therapy

(f) Action to be taken if a dose is missed

(g) Proper storage

(h) What the patient can expect from the medication

(i) Food-drug interactions

The VA does not consider the signing of a prescription log appropriate counseling. The counseling shall include patient appropriate written information. An appropriate counseling area for patient privacy and counseling shall be provided. A pharmacist shall be available to answer any drug-related questions that a patient may have after the prescription is filled. Patient refusal, demonstration of patient understanding or any other pertinent issue such as “provided to the caregiver” shall be documented.

8. Medication errors, adverse drug reactions or allergy reactions related to medications dispensed under this BPA must be reported immediately to the VA provider who wrote the prescription. This communication must be documented in the Pharmacy’s patient prescription record and must include the name of the person contacted and the time and date the communication took place.

9. The contractor must have a pharmacy within a 10-mile radius of each VA covered location. Exceptions to the distance requirement may in specific circumstances be considered by the VA.

The pharmacy hours should cover at a minimum:

9:00 AM Through 9:00 PM (Monday through Friday)

10:00 AM Through 5:00 PM (Saturday, Sunday and Holidays observed by the federal and state governments)

The offeror shall provide a list of all pharmacies that meet these requirements for each of the covered locations. (See attachment in Section D for required format.)

10. Additional geographic locations for new CBOCs and/or Mobile Coaches may be added to the BPA. BPA terms and conditions for the added locations will be identical to existing locations.

11. The Contractor shall provide a monthly report (within 10 days following the last day of the month services were rendered) electronically by Excel spreadsheet to the COR(s) designated for the covered locations providing information regarding the prescriptions dispensed. The report will contain a summary and an itemized report, each containing information as described below for the billing period:

(a) Summary report: Per VISN 1 Station: the total number of UNIQUE VA patients utilizing this emergency prescription benefit; the total number of prescriptions filled, total drug cost, total filling fee, total processing fee, total of all costs by Medical Center, CBOCs and Mobile Coaches and grand totaled representing the full amount due to the contractor for the month.

(b) Itemized report: Per VISN 1 Station: patient full name; Rx number; drug name, strength and dosage form; quantity dispensed; provider name; unit cost; total cost; associated dispensing fee; date Rx was filled; date Rx was picked up by the patient and if the patient received medication counseling. The report must also include any adverse drug events, drug allergies or medication errors related to the prescriptions filled.

(c) Optional Reports: Covered locations may request reports specific to their location which would include tracking by provider, patient and/or medication.

12. Offeror shall quote the most favorable discounts from the Medispan average wholesale price (AWP) for Generic and Brand Name drugs and the most favorable dispensing fee. The total price charged to the VA shall not exceed that charged to the general public and shall not exceed the price charged by the Contractor’s lowest third party reimbursement plan. Veterans shall not be charged a prescription or medication co-pay.

13. Payments made by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall constitute payment in full of services provided by the Contractor. Contractor in no event shall bill, charge, collect deposit from, seek compensation, remuneration or reimbursement from, or have any recourse against the beneficiary, the beneficiary’s family, private insurer, Medicare or any other entity acting on the beneficiary’s behalf, for services provided pursuant to this contract.

14. Qualifications: The Contractor shall ensure all employees, agents, sub-contractors, or anyone acting for or on behalf of the Contractor, is properly licensed under applicable federal and state law.

15. Contract Monitoring Procedures:

The Chief of Pharmacy Service at each VISN 1 Station, unless another VA employee is designated, shall be the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and is the VA official responsible for verifying BPA compliance.

16. Special Conditions

The Contractor’s pharmacies shall agree to the following conditions:

a. On request by the applicable VISN 1 Station, or the patient, the Contractor’s pharmacy shall provide a hard copy of VA patient’s medication profiles to include all drugs dispensed and associated dosages, dispensing dates and quantities.

b. pharmaceutical care provided to beneficiaries under the BPA shall meet all standards applicable to Medicaid recipients in the state where the services are provided.

17. Confidentiality and Security

a. The contractor and its contract pharmacies shall ensure the confidentiality and security of all patient information. The contractor shall comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974.

b. In accordance with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA), the Contractor shall be required to enter into a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with the Department of Veterans Affairs. (See attachment in Section D2.)

18. Quality

a. The Contractor shall implement and maintain a program for performance monitoring throughout the life of the BPA. The program shall include a communication process for reporting, tracking and resolving performance issues. The quality process shall reflect standards that are usual and customary for commercial non-governmental entities. A written copy of the quality process shall be provided to the CO.

19. Invoices

a. Invoices shall be submitted in arrears following the last day of the month in which services are rendered. One invoice should be submitted per VISN 1 Station. The invoice shall include a separate line item for each of the covered locations within that VISN 1 Station.

VISN 1 Locations Covered:

1. Station 402 - VAMC Togus

VAMC TOGUS

1 VA Center Augusta, ME 04330-6796

CBOCs

Mobile Coach Location:

Bingham Clinic 241 Main St.

Bingham, ME 04920

2. Station 689 - VA Connecticut Healthcare System

CBOCs

New London, CT 06320

3. Station 650 - VAMC Providence VAMC Providence 830 Chalkstone Ave Providence, RI 02908-4734

CBOCs

New Bedford 175 Elm Street New Bedford, MA 02740

OTHER

The following two VAMC Providence related locations do not have CBOCs, however Pharmacy coverage is required.

(VA Choice providers are located on these islands and contact information for them will be provided by the COR subsequent to award.)

Martha’s Vineyard, MA Nantucket, MA

4. Station 631 - VA Central/Western Massachusetts

VAMC Northampton 421 Main Street Leeds, MA 01053-9764

CBOCs

Greenfield 143 Munson Street Greenfield, MA 01301

5. Station 523 - VA Boston Healthcare System

VAMC West Roxbury 1400 VFW Parkway West Roxbury, MA 02132-4927

CBOCs

Framingham 61 Lincoln Street, Suite 112 Framingham, MA 01702

6. Station 518 - VAMC Bedford VAMC Bedford 200 Springs Road Bedford, MA 01730-1114

CBOCs

Haverhill 108 Merrimack Street Haverhill, MA 01830

7. Station 608 - VAMC Manchester VAMC Manchester 718 Smyth Road Manchester, NH 03104-7007

CBOCs

Portsmouth, NH 03803

8. Station 405 -VAMC White River Junction

VAMC WRJ

215 North Main Street White River Junction, VT 05001-3833

CBOCs