P02_PWS 1 VACMOP TUCSON_DRAFT.docx

February 27, 2026

Southwest VA CMOP Performance Work Statement (PWS) – Tablet Counting Automation Upgrade and Additional New Back Order Finger

Tucson, AZ

Updated - DATE: 20 February 2025 Site: Southwest VA CMOP, Tucson, AZ - 85706

February 27, 2026 Southwest VA CMOP –System Description – Tucson, AZ iii

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

February 27, 2026

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

General Terms VA – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CMOP – Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy – VA’s high-volume prescription filling unit.

SW-CMOP – Southwest Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy Tucson, AZ VISTA/CERNER – VA’s central systems for veteran’s EHR information storage & processing CDB –Central Database hosting the patient orders at VA’s central location CO - Contracting Officer COR –Contracting Officer’s Representative – Local VA official who acts on behalf of the Contracting Officer and is the primary point of contact for the VA Team.

COTS – Commercial -off-the -shelf for parts and assemblies.

APFS – Automated Prescription Fulfillment System NFPA – National Fire Protection Association POS – Pharmacy Operating System [this includes sub-systems such as control systems (PLC) and routing logic] PWS – Performance Work Statement describes the performance and design standards for the system.

FMEA – Failure Mode and Effects Analysis is a process used by the VA to identify weaknesses that can cause error or harm in order to identify and reduce unanticipated adverse events and safety risks by identifying where a process can fail. The goal is a quality level of 6-Sigma for the entire system (3.4 errors per 1 million opportunities). The FMEA team at the CMOP will develop internal test documents, data validation checklists, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which include vendor subject matter experts (SME) for assistance. Additionally, the team includes training processes and supporting documents. The team will also determine validation processes for final acceptance for each step of the FMEA process.

FTP – File Transfer Protocol I–C - International Electrotechnical Commission IT – Information Technology SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition SFTP – Secure File Transfer Protocol Turnkey System – A complete, designed, or constructed system that is completely ready for operation; fully equipped and ready to independently and interdependently operate.

VTD – Vendor to Determine.

UPS - Uninterruptable Power Source with surge suppression protecting all connected automation equipment.

Operational Terms AUOU – Automated Unit of Use -Typically refers to dispensing of manufacturers packaged items or prepacked single unit dispense of NDCs from A-Frames or automatic dispensing system.

UOU – Unit of Use Container (ex: retail pack format) Container – a logistical entity that contains tablet/capsule or a Unit of Use retail pack dispensed on a prescription. Sometimes referred to as Item being dispensed.

Item – Drug or ancillary item. Sometimes interchangeably referred to as Container. See Container.

NDC - National Drug Code, a unique 10-digit or 11-digit code and universal product identifier for human drugs dispensed in a pharmacy. NDCs define a specific manufacture, drug, strength, dosage form, and packaging code/quantity.

RPh or PharmD– Abbreviation for Registered Pharmacist or Doctor of Pharmacy Package – A collection of one or more patient orders and/or prescriptions in a shippable form (bag/box/cooler etc.)

Patient Order – Identifies a single order to a specific patient and all the associated RX prescriptions contained in that order. Patient orders are unique to a package and may contain multiple RX prescriptions and multiple containers. For the purposes of this request, it can be assumed that there will be ONLY ONE DELIVERY PACKAGE PER ORDER PIL – Patient Information Literature RX – Referred to as a Patient Prescription, is a formal written, electronic, or verbal order from a licensed healthcare provider that directs the dispensing, administration, or use of medication for a patient. Prescriptions serve as a communication between the prescriber, pharmacist, and patient, ensuring that the patient receives the appropriate medication and instructions for its use.

PV– Referred to as Pharmacist Verification, is the process where an RPh reviews a patient order prior to packaging and confirms the accuracy and quality of the order. The RPh insures to proper drugs, quantity and dosages have been dispensed, the correct patient identification is on the prescription and the prescription is complete. This is a requirement before ANY patient order can be packed complete.

Throughput – The amount of material or items passing through a system or process.

TOTE – Plastic container that transports patient orders through the tote system. Each carrier is uniquely identified with a serial number and RFID tag that is read through the tote fulfillment system.

UUA - Unit of Use Automation. Typically, an A-Frame or Automated Dispense System ORDER – Single mailing unit to patient with all requested items/prescriptions. SEE PATIENT ORDER PUCK – Single container carrier for tablet/capsule countable prescriptions counted into a vial. Can be TCA or Manual Vial Dispensers Tablet/Capsule Vial (ex: countable pills in a bottle) Order Type Definitions:

MANUAL – Orders filled entirely in manual work area currently PUCK – Orders filled entirely in tablet counting automation area.

TOTE – Orders that will reach their pack area in totes; this includes orders with:

UOU: >=1 UOU containers dispensed from the AUOU work area COMBO: >=1 UOU container and >=1 TCA container dispensed from AUOU/ATD, respectively Area Definitions:

AUOU-Automated Unit of Use Dispensing ATD-Automated Tablet Dispensing ATC – Automated Tablet Counting (same as ATD) MTD – Manual Tablet Dispensing MUOU – Manual Dispensing for Unit of Use Items overview The United States Department of Veterans Affairs Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (VA CMOP) processes over 500,000 prescriptions per day at seven regional sites. Prescriptions are entered into the patient’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) at VA hospitals and clinics, then transmitted to the assigned CMOP for processing and mailing to the veteran.

Currently, the Tucson CMOP processes an average of 80,000 scripts per day. The Tucson facility operates on a two-shift operation. The current APFS in the facility consists of automated tablet dispensing, manual tablet dispenses, automated unit of use dispensing, manual unit of use dispensing, manual unit of use labeling and manual pharmacist verification and a mix of manual and semi-automated packing predominately in poly bag mailers. The patient orders are processed, packed in poly bag mailers and consolidated at a 3rd party mailing consolidator located off site.

The Tucson CMOP has recently engaged in projects to upgrade pharmacy operations. The pending upgrades will include the following:

· New Puck Semi-Automated Pack Stations

· New Tote Semi-Automated Pack Stations

· New Tote Marriage Stations to place vials into order totes for combo orders

· New Manual Tote Dispense Stations relocating manual tote dispense in a more consolidated and efficient layout

· New A-Frame Sortation/Diverts to provide independent routing to each A-Frame, more recirculation for A-Frame totes and an overall reduced A-Frame Dispense Cycle Time

· New SAP Sortation/Diverts to provide more efficient tote flow to pack stations, larger pack station queues, more recirculation for pack station totes and an improved flow of empty totes back into the tote loop

· New consolidated Vial Labeling and Tare Weight area with a Puck Accumulation Table These upgrades are expected to be completed through 2025 to 2027. The upgrades will provide much improved functionality and performance over the current antiquated systems.

It is the intent of this PWS to upgrade the current tablet counting automation with new Automated Tablet Dispense cells and the addition of an extra finger containing 60 new upgraded Automated Tablet Dispense cells to support future volume and throughput increases expected for Tucson operations.

1.1. Facility Location

US Department of Veterans Affairs Southwest CMOP 3675 East Britannia Drive Tucson, AZ 85706

1.2. STATEMENT OF NEED

The purpose of this procurement is to obtain the following items from qualified Contractors with proven track record of professionally handling the delivery installation, commissioning and integration with the existing pharmacy operating systems:

· Upgrade to proven industry standard puck conveyor to replace the old puck conveyor in the Kalish Automated Tablet Dispensing Area, improving performance and reliability and maintainability.

· New Upgraded Automated Tablet Dispenser Fingers increasing each from 40 cell fingers to at least 60 cell fingers (base of 5 fingers but up to a total of 11 fingers and total increase from 400 to 600 dispensers or more)

· Additional NEW Automated Tablet Dispensing Finger with at least 60 new cells for back orders that includes software change to isolate system for controlled backorder orders sent.

Included with installation of new equipment, the selected contractor will be required to disconnect, remove and dispose of existing equipment that is being replaced or upgraded. This will include all conveyors and dispensing equipment identified in this document. The contractor will be responsible for the coordination and management of the removal and disposal of the identified equipment.

The remainder of this document will describe the functional, technical and compliancy requirements for the items being sought by the SW CMOP.

1.3. Operation Hours

The current pharmacy operating hours are between the hours of 6:00 am to midnight Monday thru Friday. Tucson is a 2-shift operation. The Tote Lines runs continuously from 6 am to midnight and the puck line runs continuously from 7 am to 11 pm. The shifts are 8.5 hour staggered starts and breaks allowing each shift 9 hours of production including lunches and breaks. There are a total of 18 operational hours per day. Weekend overtime is often worked on Saturday.

1.4. Confidentiality

VA CMOP considers all equipment, systems, distribution processes, and documentation relating to such equipment, systems and processes to be confidential and proprietary information. The Contractor will not distribute, disclose, or disseminate, in any way, such information to anyone except its employees who are involved in this proposal response effort.

All information relating to this project is considered confidential business information. This includes not only technical and requirements information but also non-technical information such as costs, prices, and sizes of equipment, quantities, material, etc. The contractor agrees to keep such information confidential. No information related to the project shall be released by the contractor, either before or after completion of the project, for publication or advertising purposes without the prior written consent of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

1.5. Drawings Supplied

Plan views of the existing and planned Tucson pharmacy automated tablet dispensing area are provided to scale in the attached drawing file: 2024.0432_01_01_B1G_PN_RA. The drawings will highlight the areas of tablet dispensers and puck conveyor to be replaced and the new backorder dispensing finger. These will show an approximate location for the new equipment.

The provided drawings are close estimates of current state and expected future conditions at Tucson. Contractors will be afforded the opportunity to visit the SW CMOP facility in advance of the due date of this proposal to make field measurements of the existing equipment and facility.

1.6. Contractor Qualifications

Contractors should recognize that the Purchaser’s selection team may visit one or more installed and operational sites in an analogous environment and contractor should be prepared to support these requests. In lieu of travel, the Purchaser evaluation team may choose to interview past performance references without the presence of the contractor.

1.7. Technical Submissions with the Quotation

The contractor shall recommend the content and quantity of spare parts that should be maintained by the Purchaser with all prices and estimated delivery times. This information shall be submitted with the quotation.

All physical characteristics of the proposed equipment are to be submitted. These include the critical dimensions related to length, width, height, capacity, and clearances.

Mechanical and electrical requirements (power, air, voltage, current, etc.) of the contractor’s proposed solution shall be provided.

Any and all control software / systems and its interfaces for operating the contractor’s equipment shall be clearly specified and identified in the solution provided. Any software firmware and source code shall be archived locally after installation to provide ability to restore the equipment to its last known accepted good working condition. If software is required to restore this equipment 2 copies of licensed software shall be provided to the VA for the Servicing of the equipment, absent a current service and warranty contract with the VA. All applications and software code will be the property of the VA upon completion.

Numerous requirements are elicited in this PWS. Contractors are advised to respond in as much technical detail as possible with the quotation.

System design shall include ergonomics assessment on ease of access to dispensing systems for cleaning and movement of new dispensers into and out of the dispensing mounts. Access and ability of the dispensing area to also clean and clear jams and contain an pills not entering the vial, shall be considered.

Submissions shall contain a contractor-developed plan view and elevations to demonstrate the contractor’s proposed equipment installation details. The plan view and elevations should be in AutoCAD .dwg format and be provided electronically with the submission. The contractor may use other drawing programs to illustrate or explain the solution; however, the final submission must be in AutoCAD. The equipment provided in the drawing shall match exactly the contractor’s proposed solution. 2D with isometric views is preferred to the 3D models or software shall be provided to view the 3D models to the VA, but the submission should be in 2D and include Isometric views, as installed.

1.8. Training, Maintenance, and Warranty Submissions

· Contractors are requested to submit information regarding available services for repair and maintenance. The information shall include the names and locations of a local representative, service hours, factory branches, or manufacturer’s representatives capable of supplying spare parts, maintenance, and warranty service to the Purchaser’s facility.

· The Contractor is to provide training for the Purchaser in the proper repair and preventive/corrective maintenance of the equipment.

· The Contractor shall provide a listing of the top three repairs to be expected for each type of electro-mechanical system proposed, necessary corrective action, and the expected mean time between failures for these occurrences.

· There shall be a listing of the top 10 most common faults and errors on the equipment and the remedies to return the system back to good working order, after the first 3 months of the warranty start period.

· The equipment shall be warrantied for workmanship, materials, design, installation, and performance for a period of time to be agreed upon from day of beneficial use at VA CMOP. Specific warranty and guarantee information is to be submitted with the quotation. For all key subcomponents (defined as those listed on the recommended spare parts inventory list), contractor shall provide information from subcomponent vendor on the anticipated life cycle of each key subcomponent. Warranty offerings will be considered in the quotation evaluation. Expected life cycle of the equipment covered in this contract is 15 years.

· Any warranty shall be a minimum one-year unconditional extended warranty, which will include all parts and labor. Normal wear items are excluded.

1.9. Prices, Risk of Loss, and Title

All prices quoted shall be in US dollars utilized at the date of the quotation. The pricing proposed is to be FOB to the SW CMOP in Tucson, AZ. Notwithstanding the FOB point, risk of loss, or damage to the materials and title, the material ownership shall remain with the Contractor and shall pass to the Purchaser only upon Acceptance and with proper transfer documentation.

1.10. Exceptions and Alternates

Exceptions taken to the base scope, technical requirements, working conditions, project management requirements, or commercial terms and conditions are to be clearly noted in the Contractor Quotation.

Contractors are encouraged to present, as alternatives, any changes or modifications that would improve the overall operations or offer cost-reduction potential to the Purchaser with no impairment to the performance requirements set forth in the PWS. Such modifications shall be presented in the form of an addition, deletion, or substitution to the base bid described in the PWS. Layout and elevation drawings of alternatives or modifications will add clarification to such submittals.

Preference will be for demonstrated compatibility to existing Pharmacy fulfillment systems.

1.11. Proposal Contents

Contractors are required to follow the prescribed format and supply all required information to be considered in the evaluation. Furthermore, all quotations must reflect the requirements identified in this request with no deviations. The quotation format will be as follows:

1.11.1. Attachment 1 - Project Overview

A narrative summary identifying the Contractor’s understanding of the job content and an overview of the proposed system shall be provided.

1.11.2. Attachment 2 - Product Information

All available product literature, including technical literature relating to the equipment and operating software required for this project, shall be supplied as part of the quotation.

1.11.3. Attachment 3 - Subcontractors and Contractors

List of all Contractors/subcontractors shall be attached to the Proposal Form. The list shall contain the names and addresses of tentative Contractors/subcontractors and identify major components or services that would be provided. The socio-economic status of any proposed subcontractor shall be provided. Written confirmation from key subcontractors that they have agreed to be part of the Contractor’s team shall be provided. Prior to the award of any contract, the Purchaser must approve the actual Contractors/subcontractors.

All contractors shall have to pass security background checks and be fingerprinted to get approval to be onsite at the VA facility.

1.11.4. Attachment 4 - Contractor Offered Alternatives

The base quotation is to be bid per this substitute, which shall include all “standard” equipment and will consist of the “minimum” design requirements set forth by this request. HOWEVER, CONTRACTOR-OFFERED ALTERNATIVES ARE SOLICITED WHERE THE CONTRACTOR FEELS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM CAN BE IMPROVED. A DESCRIPTION OF THESE OPTIONS AND THE COST IMPACT OF EACH MUST BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED AS AN “ADD,” “DEDUCT,” OR “ALTERNATIVE” FROM THE BASE QUOTATION.

1.11.5. Attachment 5 - References and Qualifications

A list of current and/or recently completed projects of similar scope and nature showing contract value, type of system supplied, and when completed, shall be provided in the quotation. A contact’s name and phone number for each project shall be included. A minimum of three such projects are to be listed. Contacts provided should be knowledgeable in the history of the installation, operating performance, and maintenance history of the installation. Contacts in the Mid-South region are preferred but need not be limited to this geographical area. If applicable, federal government procurements should be included.

1.11.6. Attachment 6 - Technical Submissions

As described in the related sections of this document.

1.11.7. Attachment 7 - Training, Maintenance and Warranty Submissions As described in the related sections of this document.

1.11.8. Attachment 8 - Bill of Materials

A complete Bill of Materials shall be supplied with the quotation reflecting total component quantities, required software, delivery weight, and expected number of truckloads to be shipped.

1.12. Oral Presentations

In addition to the written response, Contractors may be invited to conduct oral presentations, such invitations will be at the discretion of the VA and will take place at the SW CMOP.

Travel and labor funding for oral presentations will be the responsibility of the Contractor. The Government will not provide any reimbursement for oral presentations.

2. Project Schedule

2.1. Project Schedule Requirements

As part of the quotation, Contractors are to provide a proposed schedule for the work. The Purchaser envisions the schedule below. The Contractor shall perform the work in phases. With the quotation, the Contractor shall submit a firm schedule for the system delivery and installation. As a minimum, this schedule shall detail the elements and duration relating to the following milestones. It is expected that fabrication, shipment, and installation are overlapping and be concurrent activities.

2.2. Project Schedule Submissions

With the quotation, the Contractor shall submit a firm schedule for the automation equipment being quoted. At a minimum, this schedule shall detail the elements and duration relating to the following milestones.

· Functional Design Review and Approval by Purchaser. This milestone constitutes the approval of the equipment design for the physical layout and mechanical configuration. All design criteria listed in the PWS must be met. This approval does not relieve the equipment Contractor of the responsibility for the operational or structural integrity of the designs. Functional design review/approval meetings will be held at the SW CMOP in Tucson, AZ, or remotely.

· Installation Transition Plan. This milestone constitutes a schedule sequence approval for the installation and the plan to maintain continuous operations on the puck line. This plan shall be reviewed and updated by the Contractor with approval by the VA COR.

· Fabrication Timeline. This milestone constitutes a schedule approval for the procurement and fabrication of major components. This schedule shall be reviewed and updated by the Contractor with approval by the VA COR.

· Functional Equipment Testing – FET- Reduced scale system testing of key components (diverts & limited workstations) at the Contractor’s facility prior to shipping to the site if required. The purpose of the FET is to demonstrate the functionality of the equipment prior to delivery.

· Shipment to Site. Includes any time required to pack and prepare the shipment including time required in-transit. This milestone constitutes the approval by the Purchaser of the scheduled delivery date(s) to the job site. Any deviations from the required schedule defined in this document are to be approved in writing at least ten working days prior to shipment.

· Installation Timeline. Upon receipt at the facility, the equipment components will be unloaded by the equipment Contractor. The Purchaser reserves the right to make a complete inspection of the delivered materials. Upon Purchaser approval, the Contractor shall begin or continue installation, training, and commissioning as required for the respective system.

· Acceptance. The Purchaser shall conduct acceptance testing as defined in this PWS. The Contractor shall be responsible for a quality, reliable product that meets the criteria, capacity, and loading described in all sections of this request. Beneficial use of the equipment may take place before full project installation and acceptance are complete. Acceptance cannot be given verbally of any part of this project and shall be submitted in writing with proof of meeting that milestone.

3. Operational Requirements

3.1. Overall Pharmacy Process

The Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) in Tucson is part of network of automated pharmacies that fills and mails prescriptions for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The operation fills prescription for counted tablets in vials and/or unit of use drugs in manufacturers packaging. Each prescription is dispensed, labeled with a unique patient label, is pharmacist verified, is consolidated/sorted (if required), and is packaged for shipment.

The diagram below graphically illustrates the future state fulfillment process within the Tucson CMOP facility:

Southwest CMOP – General Pharmacy Flow Diagram

This project will address the dispensing of orders from automated tablet dispensing (ATD) units. This project aims to upgrade the ATD lines and add a new line of ATD units to expedite and handle daily back-order prescriptions.

3.1.1. Tablet Dispensing Area Layout

Below is the Current Southwest CMOP tablet dispensing area and overall pharmacy layout with the areas highlighted for upgrades in this proposal.

Tablet Dispensing Area ATD Fingers

Tablet Dispensing Area show above with ATD Fingers highlighted in RED

3.2. Current Tablet Dispensing Flow and Process

This section describes the tablet dispense process on the puck side of the CMOP facility. Tablet dispensing involves counting specific quantities of an NDC into a vial. This process can be done manually, semi-automated, or fully automated.

· Tablet Dispensing Area Setup

· The current automated tablet dispensing is bifurcated into East and West side dispensing areas. Both areas are capable of all TCA processes to include labeling, tare weighing, and dispensing both 120cc and 250cc vials, pharmacist verification, fill weighing, vial imaging, capping and sealing. The plan for future vial dispensing is to move to a single vial size of 120cc, however, the functionality to handle both current vial sizes will be retained. Each side can process vial prescriptions, and each side is connected by a conveyor cross-over that pucks can travel between the two sides if required.

· Currently, there are automated vial labelers for both vial sizes in each dispensing area. There are a total of five labelers, three on the north end of the tablet dispensing area and two on the south end of the tablet dispensing area. Each labeler area is approximately 150 feet apart from one another, divided by the dispensing areas. Each labeling area has at least one 250 cc vial labeler. To make space for the additional tablet counting automation line for the backorders, the vial labelers must be consolidated to the west side automation. The future state will place the vial labelers centrally located on the north end of the tablet dispensing area freeing space on the south end of the tablet counting automation area.

· Puck Dispatch and Vial Labeling

· The tablet dispense orders are released and empty RFID enabled pucks are queued for each vial labeler line. Each vial labeler has a dedicated inbound and outbound line of plastic chain conveyor. The vial labeler places a patient label on the vial, scans the label barcode, reads the current puck RFID tag in place and the system associates the order information to the puck. Each puck is tracked by RFID readers throughout the system at various points.

· Tare Weight Check

· After the label is applied the puck then moves to the inline weighing station where the tare weight is recorded. If the vial tare weight is captured, it is transported to the dispensing fingers. If the vial fails to record a tare weight, it is moved to the exceptions processing area. The vial labelers on the north side of the tablet dispensing area feed the west side dispensing fingers and the vial labelers on the south side of the tablet dispensing area feed the east side dispensing fingers. The labeler consolidation project will also consolidate and centralize the in-line tare weight scales. Any scale has the opportunity to weigh any puck from any labeler. This allows for redundancy and level loading across scales.

· Tablet Dispensing

· After the system records a vial tare weight, it is sent to tablet dispensing. There are 3 areas of tablet dispensing, the ATD fingers, the iA Robotic Dispensers and manual dispensing. The primary automated dispensing volume happens on the ATD fingers where it is filled by an ATD unit (cell). Pucks are diverted onto a finger loop and then into each cell as required for the dispense. The cells are pass-through and the pucks travel from the inbound side of the loop to the outbound side of the loop through the cell dispense conveyor. Once the dispense is complete, the puck travels the outbound side of the loop off the finger and back onto the main puck conveyor line for routing to the next operation.

· In-Line Imaging and Weighing

· After the tablets are dispensed, the filled vial and puck move along to the scan and weighing lines where each vial is imaged by a camera and weighed by an inline scale. This check point is to assist the pharmacists in prescription verification by identifying the NDC contents of the vial through imaging and identifying the correct tablet count through weight measurement. Any vials that fail the image and weigh station check point are diverted to an exceptions processing station.

· Pharmacist Verification

· Vials that are successfully imaged and weighed are conveyed to the pharmacist verification (PV) stations where they can be manually inspected and cleared by a pharmacist. Vials that fail the PV process are routed to an exception station where the error is resolved, and the vials are placed back onto the main line for the next operation.

· Cap & Seal

· After a vial passes pharmacist verification, it is conveyed to the capping line where it is capped, sealed, and retorqued. The cap, seal and retorque processes are inline. Vials that fail the capping process are pushed off to an exception station at the capper/sealer and are hand capped and placed back on the line. Once a vial has been capped and sealed it is ready for packing. The pucks are conveyed to the next process.

· Packing & Outbound

· Vial only orders are packed in the puck tablet/pill dispense area at semi-automated puck pack stations. These stations consolidate, manually depuck and pack the puck only orders. Orders that have a combination of vials and unit of use (“Combo Orders”) are conveyed over to the tote marriage area where the vials are depucked into totes. The empty pucks are conveyed on return lines to the vial labeling lines where the process begins again.

There are four main types of vial orders handled by the tablet dispensing lines. The four types of orders are the following:

1) Single Puck Orders – Orders where the prescription is for a single vial of tablets only. This is the most common type of order in the automated tablet dispensing area.

2) Multi Puck Orders – Orders where the prescription is for more than one vial of tablets. These vials can be for the same NDC or multiple different NDC’s.

3) Combo Orders Single Puck – Orders where the prescription is for one vial of dispensed tablets and at least one piece of unit of use. These orders are packed in a separate area of the warehouse on the tote line. Pucks for these orders are conveyed over to the tote marriage line where the vials are depucked and married to totes.

4) Combo Orders Multi Puck – Orders where the prescription is for more than one vial of dispensed tablets and at least one piece of unit of use. Like the Single Puck Combo Orders, these orders are packed in a separate area of the CMOP on the tote line. Pucks for these orders are conveyed to the tote marriage line where the vials are depucked and married to totes.

Note: The current methods and equipment used for depucking will be upgraded in late CY 2025.

Peak System Demand for Tablet Dispensing Area

Peak Flow by Area

These numbers represent current dispenses by area and demonstrate the need for more ATD cells

Visual Diagram of Peak Flow by Area

3.3. Puck Conveyor Design Requirements

Puck conveyor is designed to be compatible with existing puck conveyor already installed in the SW CMOP. Plastic chain conveyor is currently being used to convey the pucks in the tablet dispensing area. In the future, pucks will only handle a single vial size and are Ultra-High Molecular Weight (UHMW) plastic carriers for 120 cc vials. It is anticipated that the new puck will be similar in size to the existing puck configuration. And confirmation that it will work with all other equipment in the system is a must. Each puck is embedded with an RFID tag that is tracked by the conveyor system. Contractors shall ensure all designs incorporate the use of pucks similar in size to the existing pucks.

3.3.1. Puck Size

Current puck size is 3” in diameter and 2” high. Prescription vials can be up to 3.5” high. The current pucks will be used in any upgraded conveyor solution and shall be considered a hard requirement for any vendor design solutions.

3.3.2. Puck Identification

Pucks will be identified with a 3 or 4-digit puck ID and each puck will have an RFID chip located in the center of the puck bottom that will be readable from the underside of the puck.

3.3.3. Puck Weight

The maximum weight of any order puck is expected to be less than 800 grams.

3.3.4. Equipment Noise Exposure

The SW CMOP is committed to limit noise exposure within the pharmacy consistent with OSHA standard per 29 CFR 1910.95 "Occupational Noise Exposure". The OSHA guidelines for permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 decibels (dBA) for an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). If noise levels reach or exceed an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA, employers are required to implement a hearing conservation program. It is the desire of the SW CMOP to go beyond the OSHA standard, and any new conveyor system shall not exceed 80 dBA for an 8-hour TWA.

3.3.5. Conveyor design

Conveyance structure shall include a removable section of the conveyor structure mid span on any conveyor over 30 ft in length, in an accessible area providing ease of maintenance and repair.

The structure shall be designed in a vertical design providing cleaning and access to under the conveyor area, with no cables and/or wireway on the floor but mounted to and retained on the structure of the conveyors.

Proposed Automated Tablet Dispensing Upgrades This outlines upgrades to the Automated Tablet Dispensing fingers and creation of a new back-order finger expediting the release of back-ordered prescriptions and fluctuations in volume. It will be tied into the main puck conveyor system and feed vials from the main vial dispensing units on the north end and send filled vials to the PV and Pack areas on the East Side of the tablet area.

The upgraded ATD Fingers will consist of the following major components:

· Plastic Chain Link Conveyor

· Flow through queues for dispensing units

· Automated diverts & RFID readers

· 60 automated dispensing units (Kalish EKC 3410-DRS’s are preferred and requested by the client)

· Back pressure relief on conveyors & stops not to exceed 5 pucks

· Single puck backpressure relief for diverts of pucks

Considering existing operations, proven past performance, existing canister support equipment, and bulk fill stations and the need to minimally impact operations, the VA CMOP team is requesting the upgraded fingers will functionally resemble the current units with the expectation that there will be 60 ATD units (cells) on every line (finger) instead of 40 ATD units (cells).

Current ATD Finger Design

· The current ATD fingers contain an outer ring of plastic chain link conveyor, four blocks of ten ATD units, internal plastic chain link conveyor to feed the dispensers, two puck turntables on either end and a divert line connecting the outbound conveyor to the inbound conveyor

· The fingers are connected to the main puck conveyor lines and receive empty vials from the vial labelers and send filled vials to the pharmacist verification stations through these connections

ATD Dispensing units

Inbound Conveyor (GREEN), Outbound Conveyor (RED), Turntable & Divert Lane (BLUE)

Internal plastic chain link conveyor

Current ATD Finger Layout Diagram

Future ATD Finger Layout Diagram

Future ATD Conceptual Profile

Proposed ATD Finger Upgrades The current layout places ATD units directly over plastic chain conveyor. The ATD units sit corner to corner. Each unit is ~8” wide and the plastic chain conveyor is ~4” wide. This configuration leaves space for more dispensing units. The future layout would take advantage of the existing space by placing ATD units and internal plastic chain conveyor, closer to one another and increasing the number of ATD units from 40 to 60.

Future ATD Finger Flow Diagram

ATD Finger Process Flow

· Empty vial puck enters the finger on the inbound side of the conveyor (green)

· Vial is diverted to the correct ATD unit and enters the conveyor queue directly under the ATD unit

· Tablets are counted and dispensed into the vial

· The filled vial is then released to the opposite side of the finger and travels along the conveyor until it is diverted back on to the main puck conveyor and sent to pharmacist verification

· In the event that the queue for an ATD unit is full, the empty vial puck will travel along the outside of the finger and follow through the divert path until space is available at its destination

· Please note that in the future, the vial labelers will be upgraded and relocated to a single location at the north end of the ATD area. The vial labelers on the south side of the ATD are to be removed. This relocation creates an optimized flow for logistics operations in the facility and simplifies the conveyor layout. Empty vials in the future will originate from a single source.

Backorder ATD Finger In addition to upgrading all existing ATD Fingers, a new ATD Finger will be installed on the south end of the ATD area. This finger is envisioned to process weekly backordered prescriptions. Due to changes in supply chain conditions, prescriptions will sometimes not be able to be fulfilled until a bulk order of the required drug arrives. When this happens, a large number of backorders are released in a short period of time which can bottleneck the tablet dispensing operation. This new finger will help to relieve that bottleneck and increase the overall capacity of the ATD operation.

The new ATD finger will connect to existing main line puck conveyor in the same manner as the existing fingers. It will receive empty vials from the same vial dispenser operation and send filled vials in the same manner as the other fingers.

The area that the Backorder ATD Finger will be placed in currently has equipment and conveyors that need to be decommissioned and removed prior to construction.

Backorder Software modification of the Main system shall be accomplished to control the release flow of backorders through the system.

Backorders shall have parameters that limit the number of Prescriptions per hour released for processing allowing other drugs to be processed.

The pill count dispensing system shall track and have a parameter after so many dispenses to issue a canister replenishment order. This shall be adjustable to the number of pills dispensed.

Current Layout Drawing – Highlighted Equipment to be Removed

Backorder ATD Finger Location

Backorder ATD Finger Detail

3.4. Transition Planning

All Vendors will need to provide a high-level transition plan with the PWS response. Immediately after project award, a complete transition plan of the recommended solution will be provided by the Selected Vendor. The transition plan must contain the following elements.

· Phased Layout of Equipment Installation

· Detailed Project Plan and Timeline

· Equipment Installation

· Systems Integration

· Support Required from Tucson CMOP Operations in Transition Plan

· Facility Upgrades to Support Transition

· Risk Assessment and Contingencies for Transition

· Equipment Removal and Demolition Plan in Coordination with Installation Plan Additionally, the Backorder ATD Finger is to be built first. This will allow the operation to run at full capacity while giving technicians time to test out the design and work through any installation growing pains before attempting to upgrade the existing ATD fingers. Upgrading the current ATD fingers is envisioned to be done sequentially so that the ATD area is running at or near full capacity during the transition and upgrades. The current plan is to build the Backorder ATD Finger first, then upgrade ATD fingers sequentially as volume and capacity dictate.

The transition planning must support continued operations and be “as least impactful to operations as possible”. Continued operations would include phasing of various production areas to keep as many areas open as equipment is being installed. This would include tentative, short-term work around, to keep operations running at a minimal level.

In addition, it is expected that transitions will minimize impact on staffing functions during regular hours of operation and to utilize off-shift hours and weekends, when possible, to limit disruptions. The planning shall include expected pharmacy output during the phases of transition and account for any risks associated with the transition, strategies employed for managing the risks and the contingency plans in place to reduce the impact of the risks.

3.5. Tucson CMOP Implementation Phasing

Vendors will need to coordinate with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to develop an effective integration and implementation plan that will minimize interference with existing operations. This may require off-hours and weekend installation.

3.6. Interface to POS

The pharmacy operating system will maintain all data required for processing patient orders. Pharmacy operating system will send signals to new conveyor and diverts based on puck RFID tag reads prior to divert. The conveyor control must send the puck RFID tag back to the POS and the POS will return the required action.

4. Automation DESIGN AND FABRICATION requirements This section outlines general requirements for the new upgraded conveyor system. These are general requirements applicable to systems of this nature. It is the vendor’s responsibility to read and understand the intent of these general requirements. Vendors shall accept or object to the general guidelines in the response and make any suggestions or recommendations for additional requirements deemed appropriate for this specific system proposed.

4.1. General Design Criteria

Vendors shall confirm understanding and acceptance of requested design criteria. Vendors may object to or have more vigorous requirements than those provided here. Vendor-proposed deviations from specifications presented in this section must be explained in the proposal submittal response. The materials provided by the Vendor must meet the performance requirements of this specification.

Vendor shall identify location of all Mechanical (Power, Air & Networking) Drops, PLC Cabinets and Panels in preliminary design reviews for Customer approval prior to final design and installation.

Work that fails to conform to the Design Criteria shall be repaired or replaced in an approved manner to assure design strength and function. Such work shall be executed by the Vendor at no additional expense to the Purchaser and shall include laboratory tests and costs for re-examination if the Purchaser deems it necessary.

4.1.1. Safety Standards and Codes

All equipment shall conform to appropriate safety requirements. Equipment shall be designed in conformance with the current version of the following standards:

· Occupational Safety and Health Act Regulations (OSHA)

· American National Standards Association (ANSI)

· American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

· NFPA 79: Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery

· National Electrical Code (NEC) 2017 or later

· ISO 13849

· UL 508A

· National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) or equivalent

· All applicable Federal, State, and Local Codes, Laws, and Regulations

4.1.2. Quality Requirements

The equipment Contractor will maintain an in-process…