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Illinois Department of Central Management Services JPMC Drugs and Pharmaceuticals
21-416CMS-BOSS4-B-22340
Questions and Answers 1 7/1/2021
| Q1 |
| Would it be possible to provide a more current up-to-date item list or usage report from the State? |
| A1 |
| The State confirmed with ordering entities that the drugs listed on the attached lists are still current. |
| Q2 |
| We were contacting the Food Drug and Dairy and the only thing that we were able to locate was the ADAP exclusions formulary so I didn’t know if there was another of copy of the Illinois Formulary or more current copy of the usage report or current item list, anything? |
| A2 |
| Section 1.2.3. of the contract has been amended to correct this issue. |
| Q3 |
| We do business with diverse vendors that are certified by the State of Illinois however their products are only purchased and made available for our customers if those customers have demand and usage for those products – is there a way to capture the items we have available as a viable opportunity – you know it’s not up to us as to whether the end user actually purchases the product. |
Devin: Are you saying that you want to provide an alternate list? Vendor: We’re just curious because does it have to be items purchased, because we can load items that are from the BEP list, we can load and bring in items for purchase but we don’t determine what is actually purchased by the end user. We don’t dictate how much is purchased or how close that gets to our goals and maybe this gets to the next question we have about calculations – is there a way to capture that as an opportunity or does it have to be total purchases to total contract, that 8% goal? Devin: I think I’m understanding where you’re going – are you saying that for the total of the contract it’s an 8% goal? Vendor: Right. Devin: So it’s estimated quantities because again, as you said, we don’t know how much is going to be ordered by the end users so it’s just for the term of the contract 8% must go to a BEP vendor. Vendor: and it has to be purchases made, correct? That’s where the 8% comes from, the total contract? Devin: Correct. Vendor: OK that was our question because like I said because we can load these items but if they’re not purchased it’s difficult to hit that 8%, right? So that was our question if we were missing something on the calculation piece.
| Q4 |
| I have a question around the commodity codes – so if we have a BEP certified vendors that are registered on the website but are not listed in the vendor listing for the bid or the commodity code they used is not listed, are they eligible to used toward that 8% goal? Devin – so you said that they are certified in the codes? Vendor: I found them on the website so they are BEP certified, we do business with them, but the commodity code that they used does not match what is listed in the bid, nor are they referenced as a vendor. Devin: Gotcha. Yes, they must be certified in the NIGP Codes. Now you can get them certified. Vendor: It has to be one of the codes listed in the bid, correct? Devin: Correct, they must be certified with that Code. |
| Q5 |
| I have one more question around letter of signature authority. Do you have a template you want to be used or can we draft our own letter? |
| A5 |
| Yes, you can draft your own letter – it doesn’t have to be in any special memorandum or letterhead – just something from the president, CEO, or owner of the firm stating XYZ individual is authorized to sign on their behalf. |
| Q6 |
| The bid states that most – we have to purchase pharmaceuticals directly from the manufacturers, but will an exception be made if they are purchased from their BEP partner if a pedigree is included in the shipment? |
| A6 |
| Please refer to sections A.22.1.8. of the Instructions section of the IFB and 1.2.2. of the contract connected to the IFB for amended language. |
| Q7 |
| Vendor is in the process of reviewing and completing the paperwork for our Bid submission for Bid # 21-416CMS-BOSS4-B-22340 and I was hoping to obtain a little more clarification regarding the Illinois Formulary, if possible. I have tried to call the Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies at 217-785-2439 and have spoken to team members, but there seems to be some confusion regarding the Illinois Formulary. A team member there has forwarded me a copy for the ADAP Formulary Exclusions, but it is only the exclusions for the ADAP item list. I was hoping to obtain a more current item usage report or a more current system wide formulary, if possible, in an effort to better meet the State's needs. |
| A7 |
| Refer to A2 in response to Q2 on this document. |