September 30, 2026, RFP No. 8240

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

PROJECT TITLE

Specialty Pharmacy Payor Access

ISSUED BY:

UW Medicine Supply Chain Seattle, WA.

PARTICIPATING ENTITIES:

University of Washington Medical Center UWMC operates at two separate campuses Harborview Medical Center

PROPOSAL DUE DATE:

Friday, October 30, 2026, 2pm PST

LATE OR INCOMPLETE PROPOSALS MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED

Proposals can be submitted on or before the due date.

Zip Files or password protected documents will not be accepted.

See Section 2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION for full details.

RFP COORDINATOR

Eddie Y. Smith (eys2@uw.edu) (Section 2.1)

ESTIMATED TIME PERIOD FOR CONTRACT:

March 2027

The initial three-year (3-year) Contract Term begins in March 2027, through February, 2030.

UW Medicine reserves the right to extend this Contract for up to two (2) three-year (3-year) extension options not to exceed a total Contract Term of nine (9) years.

Thirty (30) days written notice to terminate during the Contract Period.

BIDDER ELIGIBILITY:

This procurement is open to those Bidders who fulfil the minimum qualifications stated herein and are available to work in Washington State.

CONTENTS OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

Part 1

BIDDER MUST SIGN THE FOLLOWING ATTACHMENTS AND RETURN WITH PROPOSAL:

Attachment A. MINORITY AND WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (“MWBE”) RESPONSE FORM

Attachment B. PROPOSAL RESPONSE CERTIFICATION

BIDDER MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING ATTACHMENT C AND RETURN WITH PROPOSAL:

Attachment C. SUSTAINABILITY QUESTIONNAIRE

BIDDER MUST USE THE FOLLOWING ATTACHMENTS D IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET FORMAT TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS:

Attachment D. BIDDER’S QUESTIONS TEMPLATE IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET

BIDDER MUST FOLLOW THE DUE DATE AS STATED IN THIS RFP DOCUMENT, NOT THE WEBS CLOSING DATE.

LATE OR INCOMPLETE PROPOSALS MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED.

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF UW MEDICINE

The University of Washington is an institution of higher education and an agency of the State of Washington. UW Medicine is an integrated clinical, research and learning health system compromised of multiple entities that are managed together as a health system. UW Medicine consists of the following component units: Harborview Medical Center and its associated clinics (“HMC”) as managed by UW pursuant to a Hospital Services Contract between the UW and King County; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, a separate entity that serves as the Cancer Center for UW Medicine (“FHCC”); the University of Washington Medical Center, operating at two separate campuses, Montlake and Northwest, and its associated clinics (“UWMC”); UW Physicians Network dba UW Medicine Primary Care (“UWMPC”); The Association of University Physicians dba UW Physicians (“UWP”); the University of Washington School of Medicine (“UW SoM”); and Airlift Northwest (“ALNW”) (each a “part of UW Medicine” and collectively “UW Medicine Component Units”).

UW Medicine’s mission is to improve the health of the public by advancing medical knowledge, providing outstanding primary and specialty care to the people of the region, and preparing tomorrow’s physicians, scientists and other health professionals. For further information on UW Medicine, please see www.uwmedicine.org.

The UW Medicine Hospitals participating in this Request for Proposal # 8240 shall be as follows:

University of Washington Medical Center UWMC operates at two separate campuses Harborview Medical Center

Bidder shall agree that any other member of UW Medicine, as listed in the first paragraph above, may be eligible to join the Contract resulting from this RFP, during the initial term or any extension term, upon that UW Medicine Component Unit’s agreement to each and every term of the resulting Contract by signed, written amendment.

· UW Medical Center – Montlake Campus (formerly University of Washington Medical Center) is a 529-bed comprehensive medical care facility. It is ranked as the top hospital in the state by U.S. News & World Report. Areas of specialization include cardiology, high-risk pregnancy and neonatal intensive care, oncology, orthopedics and organ transplantation. UW Medical Center – Montlake is one of the two major teaching hospitals for the UW School of Medicine and a site for significant clinical research.

· UW Medical Center – Northwest Campus (formerly Northwest Hospital & Medical Center) is a 281-bed community hospital and Level I Stroke Center located in North Seattle. It provides inpatient, outpatient and emergency services. Areas of specialization include neurosciences, childbirth and women’s health, cardiac care, geropsychiatry, cancer care, orthopedics and sports medicine, palliative and supportive care, multiple sclerosis and hernia specialty centers.

· Harborview Medical Center is a 540-bed safety-net hospital owned by King County and managed by UW Medicine. Harborview is the only Level I Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center for Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. Other areas of specialization include burn care, eye disease, HIV/AIDS, limb viability and re-implantation, neurosciences, orthopedic rehabilitation and reconstruction, stroke care, and vascular conditions. Harborview is one of the two major teaching hospitals for the UW School of Medicine and a site for significant clinical research.

· UW Physicians Network dba UW Medicine Primary Care is a network of freestanding, community based, ambulatory clinics serving neighborhoods around the greater Puget Sound area of Washington State.

1.3 PURPOSE

UW Medicine is seeking to establish a contract with a qualified and experienced Bidder to serve as a strategic partner in expanding its health system-owned Specialty Pharmacy Program, with a primary focus on strengthening specialty pharmacy payor access.

As the demand for specialty medications continues to grow, UW Medicine is committed to increasing patient access, expanding market presence, improving financial sustainability, and ensuring patients can receive specialty medications through the UW Medicine Specialty Pharmacy whenever clinically appropriate.

UW Medicine, in its best interests, may award a maximum of two (2) contracts as a result of this RFP.

1.4 DEFINITIONS

Definitions for the purposes of this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) include:

Apparent Successful Bidder (“ASB”) – The individual or company selected as the entity to provide the selected products or to perform the anticipated services subject to the completion of Contract negotiations and execution of a written Contract.

Bidder – Individual or company interested in the RFP who submits a Proposal in order to obtain a Contract with the specific UW Medicine Hospitals participating in this RFP.

Contract – The Contract document awarded pursuant to this RFP, together with all incorporated schedules and exhibits, including the RFP, and the Response, and all amendments.

Contractor – Individual or company whose Proposal has been accepted by the specific UW Medicine Hospitals participating in this RFP and is awarded a written fully executed Contract.

Proposal – All material prepared and assembled by a Bidder which the Bidder submits in response to this RFP.

Revised Code of Washington (“RCW”) - All references to RCW chapters or sections shall include any successor, amended, or replacement statute.

RFP Coordinator – The person named in this RFP as the RFP Coordinator, or the RFP Coordinator’s designee within UW Medicine Supply Chain (“UWMSC”). The RFP Coordinator shall be the sole point of contact regarding this RFP for potential Bidders and other interested parties.

RFP Proposal -- Company or individual bid for particular products or services which UWMSC has publicly announced that it wishes to acquire.

Statement of Work (“SOW”) – The Proposal from the Bidder outlining very specifically how Bidder proposes to complete the work outlined in Section 1.3 PURPOSE. The SOW defines the services to be completed or the products purchased and the cost factors for those services or products.

Washington UBI No. -- A Unified Business Identifier (“UBI”) number is a 9-digit number that registers Bidder with several state agencies and allows Bidder to do business in Washington State. A UBI number is sometimes called a tax registration number, a business registration number, or a business license number. For additional information and how to apply for a Washington UBI number, visit the following website: http://bls.dor.wa.gov/faqlicense.aspx

Washington Electronic Business Solution (“WEBS”) –Washington State’s vendor self-registration and solicitation notification system. UW Medicine encourages all Bidders to register with WEBS at How to Work With the State | Department of Enterprise Services (DES)

SECTION 2. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS

2.1 RFP COORDINATOR

The RFP Coordinator is the sole point of contact in UW Medicine for this procurement. All communication between the Bidder and participating UW Medicine Hospitals upon release of this RFP shall be through the RFP Coordinator as follows:

2.2 PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE – TENTATIVE

The Procurement Schedule outlines the tentative schedule for important action dates and times. It is the Bidder’s sole responsibility to periodically check WEBS at https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/ for Amendments to this document.

RFP posted on WEBS

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

2.3 BIDDER REGISTRATION

The Apparent Successful Bidder will be required to register and be in good standing in UW Medicine’s vendor management system prior to providing products or services and will be responsible for annual credentialing fees. UW Medicine’s vendor management system can be accessed at https://www.greensecurityllc.com/vendors/register/step1.

For additional questions regarding the Bidder credentialing process, please contact Green Security at 866-750-3373, or email them at support@greensecurityllc.com. The Green Security customer service team will be happy to guide you through the transition. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8am – 5pm EST.

For an overview of the process, here is also a video link to help you get started. https://youtu.be/1GyFnWPkWOw”.

How to register as a Bidder with Green Security and target UW Medicine facilities - YouTube A video from Green Videos on YouTube provided by: https://www.youtube.com.

2.4 BIDDER ELIGIBILITY

Hospitals will check the eligibility of all the potential Bidders against the Dept. of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) List of Excluded Individuals (“LEIE”) and the U.S. General Services Administration (“GSA”) System for Award Management (“SAM”) as part of the Contract evaluation process prior to execution of a contract.

2.4.1 FEDERAL BUSINESS STATUS DISCLOSURE

All Bidders, including any parent companies, subsidiaries, or entities operating under a “doing business as” (DBA) name, must disclose their current federal business status. This includes:

· Active registration in the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) System for Award Management (SAM).

· Disclosure of any current exclusions, suspensions, or debarments from federal programs, including the U.S. Department Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) List of Excluded Individual/Entities (LEIE).

Failure to provide accurate and complete information may result in disqualification from the solicitation process.

2.5 BIDDER WALKTHROUGH (Not Applicable)

UWMSC may request participation by interested Bidders in an on-site walk-through of the proposed Scope of Work. Walkthrough will ensure all Bidders understand the RFP requirements prior to submitting a Proposal and have an opportunity to ask questions. All walk-throughs will be facilitated by the RFP Coordinator listed in Section 2.1. All interested Bidders must be accompanied at all times by a designated Hospital employee and/or UWMSC representative. Walkthrough details, if applicable, shall be included in the Scope of Work in Section 1.4 of this RFP.

2.6 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

If Bidders have questions to the RFP, Bidders must submit them using Attachment D – Bidder Questionnaire via e-mail to the RFP Coordinator, listed in Section 2.1. Questions may be submitted until the Bidder’s Questions due date as set forth in Section 2.2 PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE – TENTATIVE.

Questions must cite the particular RFP No. and Section No. Early submission of questions is encouraged. Questions and answers will be posted by amendment on WEBS.

If Bidder did not receive this RFP through WEBS, it is available on the Department of Enterprise Services (“DES”) WEBS for Vendors Website at https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/. All interested Bidders must be registered with WEBS under one or more of the following commodity codes in order to receive further notifications:

918-78 MEDICAL CONSULTING

918-76 MARKETING CONSULTANT

Amendment(s) to this RFP may be issued to address questions raised during the inquiry period. Bidders will be notified via email through the WEBS system that there is an amendment available for download once UW Medicine makes such document available.

The RFP Coordinator or designee is the only point of contact on all matters related to this RFP and submitted only via email. No phone calls are allowed. If Bidder requires additional information from any source, the RFP Coordinator will work with the Bidder and the specific UW Medicine Hospital(s) participating in this RFP to provide that information.

Unauthorized contact by Bidder, potential Bidder or Bidder’s representatives regarding this RFP with any other UW Medicine or University of Washington employee may result in Bidder’s disqualification.

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

The following shall apply to all RFP Proposals:

Specialty Pharmacy Payor Access

RFP # 8240

Due Date Friday, October 30, 2026, at 2PM Pacific Time

NOTE: Submit only five (5) documents:

2.7.1.1 Bidder’s proposal in response to the requirements in Section 4 of the RFP, cover letter, exhibits, appendices and any marketing documents into one (1) document and no more than fifty (50) pages.

2.7.1.2 Completed Attachment A – Proposal Response Certification

2.7.1.3 Completed Attachment B - Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise (“MWBE”) Response Form

2.7.1.4 Completed Attachment C – Sustainability Questionnaire.

2.7.1.5 Part 2 of the RFP (Sections 6 – 11) Bidder’s redlines, if any.

These sections are provided in a single Word document that is password-protected to track changes. *See section 2.17 (Contract Terms and Conditions) - UWMSC reserves the right to exclude the Proposal from further consideration in the event of excessive exceptions or additional terms in the Proposal”.

2.7.2 If Bidder does not follow the submission instructions stated in this section, UWMSC shall not be responsible for non-delivery of Bidder’s e-mail.

2.7.3 To be considered responsive, Bidders must include all information requested in this RFP in their Proposals. RFP Proposals not meeting the requirements as stated in this section and in other sections of this RFP may be deemed non-responsive and shall not receive any further consideration.

2.7.4 Late or incomplete Proposals may not be accepted. All Proposals and any accompanying documentation will become the property of UWMSC and will not be returned.

2.7.5 Environmental Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship UW Medicine understands that to improve the health of the public, it must also improve the health of the environment by addressing both sustainability and stewardship:

2.7.5.1. Environmental Sustainability

2.7.5.1.1 UW Medicine recognizes the impact climate change has on the health of the communities we serve. With its clinical, research and teaching missions, UW Medicine is uniquely positioned to deliver transformational care and train future generations of healthcare providers how to recognize and treat populations exposed to environmental threats such as heat, smoke, flooding, poor water quality and other extreme weather events;

2.7.5.1.2 UW Medicine must remain resilient in the face of climate change and mitigate the environmental footprint of its operations through waste reduction and diversion, energy and water conservation, sustainable procurement and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. UW Medicine’s commitments will be achieved in collaboration with its faculty, staff, learners, patients, public health experts and the healthcare sector, and will contribute to its health equity goals. UW Medicine makes this commitment in support of its mission to improve the health of all people;

2.7.5.1.3 UW Medicine encourages the purchase of environmentally friendly products that are made with post‐consumer recycled content, recyclable, energy efficient, and/or bio‐based products. In its commitment to support the purchase and use of such products, sustainability requirements shall be included in all contract solicitations. Suppliers will be required, upon request, to provide within a reasonable timeframe, information to enable an assessment of their impact on the environment:

2.7.5.1.3.1 Environmental sustainability will be considered when awarding contracts. The Supplier shall prioritize environmental sustainability practices throughout production, distribution, and disposition of the product;

2.7.5.1.3.2 UW Medicine may give preference to products and services that are produced, packaged, and delivered using materials and methods that have minimal harmful impact on the affected ecological systems.

2.7.5.2 Environmental Stewardship

2.7.5.2.1 In support of the University of Washington Policy on Environmental Stewardship, UWMSC is committed to promoting environmental and socially responsible actions. To ensure compliance with these policies, all RFP Proposals are to be presented simply and economically as follows:

2.7.5.2.1.1 Electronic Mail (“E-mail”) submission of PDF documents for any forms requiring Bidder signatures. Documents submitted as ZIP files or password protected messages will not be accepted;

2.7.5.2.1.2 E-mail submission of any data and pricing submissions shall be via Microsoft Excel spreadsheets;

2.7.5.2.1.3 E-mail submissions of any Contract revision shall be submitted via Microsoft Word documents, set up for “Track Changes”. These documents may be password protected for “Track Changes” but cannot be “Read Only” documents. Contract revisions may also be submitted in PDF format as long as the desired revisions are clearly indicated on the PDF document; and

2.7.5.2.1.4 Final Contracts and negotiations of the same with ASB shall be conducted using Microsoft Word documents set for “Track Changes”, to facilitate a clear redline process.

2.7.6 The Proposal must be signed by such individual(s) who has full authority from the Bidder to enter into a binding Contract on behalf of the Bidder.

2.8 INTERPRETATION, CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES IN RFP

Should a Bidder find any discrepancies in, or omission from, the specifications, or have doubt as to their meaning, the Bidder shall notify the RFP Coordinator in writing at once, and in any case no later than the last day to submit written questions.

Any interpretation, correction or change in this RFP will be made by formal amendment by the RFP Coordinator and posted on WEBS. All amendment(s) will be incorporated into this RFP and the resulting Contract. Interpretations, corrections, or changes to this RFP allegedly made in any other manner, including but not limited to oral interpretations, will not be binding, and no Bidder may rely upon any such interpretation, correction or change.

2.9 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

A Bidder may withdraw a Proposal or modify same at any time prior to the specified time and date set for the RFP closing. Such a request for modification or withdrawal must be in writing executed by a person with authority as set forth under paragraph 2.7.6 above, or by electronic notice subsequently confirmed in writing.

No oral, telephone, or facsimile (“FAX”) modifications to the Proposals will be accepted. Proposals marked “CONFIDENTIAL” will be rejected in their entirety. Strikethroughs, interlineations, or other changes in the Proposal must be initialed by the person(s) signing the Proposal.

2.10 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS OF RFP

Receipt of all amendments to this RFP must be acknowledged by Bidder on the Proposal Response Certification, Attachment A.

2.11 OFFER ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

Bidder acknowledges that the submission of a Proposal which includes a signed Proposal Response Certification, Attachment B, shall remain in effect for a minimum period of ninety (90) calendar days from the Proposal closing date, unless otherwise indicated, and is irrevocable.

2.12 REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

All Proposals will be reviewed by the RFP Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative requirements and instructions specified in this RFP. Bidder is specifically notified that UWMSC may reject a Proposal at any time as non-responsive for any of the following reasons:

2.12.1 Incomplete Proposal;

2.12.2 Submission of a Proposal that proposes products or services that deviate from the technical requirements set forth in this document;

UWMSC expressly reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals or reissue an RFP. UWMSC may waive irregularities in a Proposal provided that, in the judgment of UWMSC, such action will not negate fair competition and will permit proper comparative evaluation of the Proposals submitted. UWMSC’s waiver of an immaterial deviation or defect shall in no way modify the RFP documents or excuse the Bidder from full compliance with the RFP specifications in the event the Contract is awarded to that Bidder.

2.13 PREPARATION COST

UWMSC will not be liable for any costs associated with preparation and presentation of a Proposal submitted in response to this RFP.

2.14 PROPOSAL PRICE

The prices submitted in the Proposal shall include everything necessary for the prosecution and completion of the Contract including, but not limited to, furnishing all materials and all management, supervision, labor and service, except as may be provided otherwise in the Proposal. In the event of a discrepancy between the unit prices and their extensions, the extended price will be adjusted accordingly. In the event of a discrepancy between the sums of the extended prices, the total Proposal price will be adjusted accordingly. The Proposal price shall not include any allowance for Washington State sales/use tax.

UW Medicine will evaluate the total price for the basic requirements with any option(s) exercised at the time of award. Evaluation of option(s) will not obligate UW Medicine to exercise the option(s).

UW Medicine may reject a Proposal if it is materially unbalanced as to process for the basic requirements and the option quantities. A Proposal is unbalanced when it is based on prices significantly less than cost for some products or services and prices that are significantly overstated for other products or services.

2.14.1 Price Escalation

The prices shall not be increased during the initial term of the Contract. After the expiration of the initial term, rates may be increased by an amount negotiated, accepted in writing by both parties, not less than thirty (30) days prior to the proposed effective date of the price increase.

2.14.2 Price De-escalation

The Bidder agrees to reduce the Contract purchase price at any time during the life of the Contract if the price decline at the market level or the Bidder provides the same service to any State of Washington public agency or political subdivision at prices less than those set forth in the Contract. Such reductions will become effective at the time of the reduction and Bidder shall notify participating UW Medicine Hospitals in writing of such adjustment.

2.15 MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

Bidders shall provide their complete Proposal with the best and most favorable terms upon initial submission. UWMSC reserves the right to make awards without further discussions. Evaluation of Proposals will be made by full and fair consideration of all Bidders. During the evaluation process, personnel involved in the selection process, facilitated by the RFP Coordinator, may contact Bidders for clarification of technical points or interpretation of Proposal information.

The negotiated Contract may incorporate some or the Bidder’s entire Proposal. The ASB should be prepared to accept that its Proposal may be incorporated in its entirety into the contract. It is also understood that the Proposal will become part of the official UWMSC file on this matter without obligation to UW Medicine.

2.16 AWARD OF CONTRACT

UWMSC may award a contract on the basis of initial Proposals received, without discussion; therefore, each initial Proposal should contain the Bidder’s best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.

Bidder agrees that any other UW Medicine Component Unit, as listed in Section 1.1 of this document, may join in this RFP by developing a Contract that follows the Terms and Conditions of this RFP or by written amendment to the resulting Contract signed by all parties to the Contract.

UW Medicine reserves the right to contract with the next responsive and responsible Bidder if the Apparent Successful Bidder fails to meet the requirements of this RFP at any time during the Contract Period after Contractor has been given thirty (30) days’ written notice to cure issues listed in the notification.

2.17 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The submission of a Proposal herein constitutes the agreement of any Bidder that any Contract to be drawn as the result of an award herein shall be prepared by UWMSC. The submission of a Proposal shall further constitute the agreement of each Bidder that it will not insist on the use of standard contract agreements, documents, or forms, and that it waives any demand for the use of its standard agreements. A UWMSC Contract shall generally follow this RFP.

The submission of a Proposal certifies that Bidder understands and accepts the Terms and Conditions of this RFP as well as the UW Medicine General Terms and Conditions as stated in Section 7 of this RFP.

Any exceptions to the UW Medicine General Terms and Conditions in this RFP should be submitted with the Proposal. All exceptions must be submitted as “Track Changes” to Section 7, UW MEDICINE GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS, citing each clause with which Bidder has an issue and/or would like to suggest alternative language.

In the event of any inconsistencies or conflicting terms and conditions in this RFP, such inconsistency or conflict shall be resolved by giving precedence in the following order:

2.17.1 Federal, state, or local laws or regulations;

2.17.2 The terms of this RFP;

2.17.3 The UW Medicine General Terms and Conditions.

In the event that a Contract and/or purchase order is issued as a result of this RFP, any inconsistency or conflict shall be governed by the Order of Precedence specified in such Contract or purchase order, or, if none is specified, by the UW Medicine General Terms and Conditions Section 31. ORDER OF PRECEDENCE.

Bidder may submit additional terms and conditions relevant to the business in response to this RFP. UWMSC will evaluate requested exemptions or additional terms and conditions proposed by Bidder and may accept or reject the same at its sole discretion. UWMSC reserves the right to exclude the Proposal from further consideration in the event of excessive exceptions or additional terms in the Proposal.

In the event Bidder does not submit exceptions to any of the terms and conditions contained in the RFP, including the UW Medicine General Terms and Conditions, it shall be construed by UWMSC as the Bidder fully accepting and agreeing to the RFP language as is. Further changes to the same will not be allowed during the negotiation of the Contract.

2.18 CONTRACT PERIOD

Unless otherwise stated, the initial term of the agreement shall be for three (3) years with firm and fixed pricing, commencing on the effective date of the Contract.

At the Hospital’s sole discretion, the Contract term may be extended by two (2) additional three-year (3-year) extension options not to exceed a total Contract term of nine (9) years. All extension options shall be mutually agreed upon by both parties by written amendment.

If applicable, UW Medicine reserves the right to extend the Contract on a month-by-month basis beyond the expiration of the Contract at the then current rate to facilitate establishment of a new Contract.

2.19 STATE AND FEDERAL CERTIFICATIONS

In accordance with the legislative findings and policies set forth in Chapter 39.19 RCW, the State of Washington encourages participation in all of its contracts by Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (“MWBE”) firms certified by the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (“OMWBE”) http://www.omwbe.wa.gov. Participation may be either on a direct basis in response to this RFP or as a Subcontractor to a Bidder.

However, unless required by federal statutes, regulations, grants or contract terms referenced in the Contract documents, no preference to MWBE firms will be included in the evaluation of Proposals. No minimum level of MWBE participation shall be required as a condition for receiving an award and Proposals will not be rejected or considered non-responsive on that basis. Any affirmative action requirements set forth in federal regulations or statutes included or referenced in the Contract documents will apply.

2.20 PROPOSAL CONFIDENTIALITY

It is the intent to receive Proposals in response to this RFP, at the time and manner designated in Sections 2.2 and 2.7. At that time, only the names of the Bidders submitting Proposals will be released.

Bidder, as an express condition for UW Medicine’s consideration of its Proposal, agrees that all Proposals received, with the exception of items therein which are public information, shall remain confidential until the ASB has been announced. After announcement of the ASB, all documents submitted, as part of this RFP process are considered part of the public record as defined in Chapter 42.56 RCW,” and shall be available for any party upon request.

Any information in the Proposal that Bidder desires to claim as proprietary and exempt from disclosure under the provisions of Chapter 42.56 RCW, or other state or federal law that provides for the non-disclosure of Bidder’s document, must be clearly designated. The information must be clearly identified and the particular exemption from disclosure upon which Bidder is making the claim must be cited. Each page containing the information claimed to be exempt from disclosure must be clearly identified by the words “Proprietary Information” printed on the lower right-hand corner of the page.

Marking of the entire proposal as “PROPRIETARY” will be neither be accepted nor honored.

Washington State Law RCW 42.56.270 (1) allows an exemption from public disclosure for materials that contain “valuable formulae, designs, drawings, and research data when disclosure would produce private gain and public loss.” This is the only exemption granted by law that might apply to this acquisition; however, please be advised that Bidders will need to demonstrate that disclosure of their materials would produce both private gain and public loss.

If a request is made to view Bidder’s proposal, UWMSC will release the requested information. Prior to release, the University of Washington (“UW”) Office of Public Records will provide notice to Bidder(s) of the request and of the date that the records will be released to the requester unless Bidder obtains a court order enjoining that disclosure. If Bidder fails to obtain a court order enjoining disclosure, UW Office of Public Records will release the information on the date specified.

2.21 COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

The complaint process allows Bidder to focus on the solicitation requirements and evaluation process and raises issues with these processes early enough in the RFP process to allow UWMSC to correct a problem before Proposals are submitted and time is expended on evaluations.

The complaint process shall meet the following minimum requirements:

2.21.1 Bidders will be given an opportunity to submit a complaint to UWMSC based on any of the following:

2.21.1.1 Solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition;

2.21.1.2 Solicitation evaluation or scoring process is unfair or flawed; or

2.21.1.3 Solicitation requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a proposal.

2.21.2 Bidders will be allowed to submit complaints up to five (5) business days prior to the RFP response deadline. Complaints must meet the following requirements:

2.21.2.1 Must be in writing;

2.21.2.2 Must be sent to the RFP Coordinator or designee;

2.21.2.3 Must clearly articulate the basis for the complaint;

2.21.2.4 Must include a proposed remedy.

2.21.3 RFP Coordinator or designee will respond to the complaint in writing;

2.21.4 Response to all complaints including any changes to the RFP will be posted as an amendment on WEBS;

2.21.5 RFP Coordinator will notify the UWMSC Manager of Contracting of all complaints and provide a copy of the complaint response to the UWMSC Manager of Contracting and the System Director, UWM Strategic Sourcing;

2.21.6 Documented complaint may not be raised again during the protest period;

2.21.7 Complaint process does not include an appeal process.

2.22 PROTEST PROCEDURE

The protest process occurs after the bids are submitted and evaluated. This allows Bidders to focus on the evaluation process to ensure its integrity and fairness. Protests can raise issues related to the evaluation process as set out in the RFP or how the process was executed. This allows for evaluation process errors and problems to be corrected before a Contract is executed.

The protest process will meet the following requirements:

2.22.3 Bidders are required to participate in a debriefing as a pre-requisite for submitting a protest;

2.22.3.1 Debriefing conferences may be conducted and will be scheduled for a maximum of thirty (30) minutes.

2.22.4 Bidders will be given five (5) business days after the debriefing to file a written protest;

2.22.5 The grounds on which a protest may be based are as follows:

2.22.5.1 A matter of bias, discrimination, or conflict of interest on the part of an evaluator;

2.22.5.2 Errors in computing the scores;

2.22.5.3 Non-compliance with procedures described in the RFP document or the UWMSC Protest Procedure.

2.22.6 Protests must be submitted to the RFP Coordinator, the UWMSC Manager of Contracting and the System Director, UWM Strategic Sourcing;

2.22.7 The UWMSC Manager of Contracting will issue a response within ten (10) business days from the receipt of the protest, unless additional time is needed and submit a copy of the protest response to the System Director, UWM Strategic Sourcing. The protesting Bidder shall be notified in writing if additional time is required;

2.22.8 The UWMSC Manager of Contracting’s decision is final. If the protesting Bidder does not accept the UWMSC Manager of Contracting’s response, a Bidder may try to seek relief from Superior Court.

SECTION 3 - INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING PROPOSALS

3.1 GENERAL

To aid in the evaluation process, it is required that all Proposals comply with the items and sequence as presented in Section 3.2, RFP PROPOSAL OUTLINE. Section 3.2 defines the minimum requirements for the preparation and presentation of a Proposal. Failure to comply with the guidelines in Section 3.2 may result in rejection of the Proposal. The Proposal should be specific and complete in every detail, prepared in a simple and straightforward manner.

Bidders are expected to examine this entire RFP, including all specifications, standard provisions and instructions. Failure to do so will be at Bidder’s risk. Each Bidder shall furnish the information required by the RFP. It is required that Proposal entries be typewritten. Periods of time, stated in number of days, in this request or in Bidder’s Proposal, shall be in calendar days.

Bidder must indicate acceptance and compliance with the information and instruction of this RFP by signing via electronic signature and dating the Proposal Response Certification, Attachment B. The name and title must be typed or printed below each signature.

3.2.2 Background and History: Describe the company, organization, officers or partners, number of employees and operating policies which would affect this Contract. State the number of years the organization has been continuously engaged in business.

3.2.3 Financial Stability: Describe the financial status of the company. Attach a copy of the most recent annual financial statement or Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) information for financial stability assessment.

3.2.4 Technical Approach and Methodology: Describe Bidder’s technical approach and methodology for accomplishing the described Scope of Work in section 4.3. The proposed approach and methodology should include a detailed work plan, schedule, and timeline.

3.2.5 Project Team and Management Structure: Identify proposed project team and management structure for completing the Scope of Work in section 4.3. This should identify roles and responsibilities, including Bidder expectations of participating UW Medicine Pharmacy staff resources. Provide resumes of key professional staff to be assigned to the project and their level of commitment to this engagement.

3.2.6 Proposed Fees: Provide a cost proposal in Section 4.4 (Cost Proposal) to accomplish the Scope of Work.

Do not include any UW Medicine Hospitals or Clinics as references.

· Ensure the email address for any reference provided in the Bidder’s Proposal is correct; and

· Inform each reference that UW Medicine has been provided with their information and they will receive a reference questionnaire from the RFP coordinator which we ask to be completed in the timeframe requested.

3.2.9 Bidder Exceptions: Describe any exceptions to the terms and conditions contained within this document. All such exceptions must be submitted using “Track Changes” to SECTION 7. UW MEDICINE GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Add comments about the project that are of concern to Bidder.

UWMSC reserves the right to exclude the Proposal from further consideration in the event of excessive exceptions or additional terms in the Proposal.

3.2.10 Contract Management Information: Provide primary Contract Manager Contact name, title, mailing address, telephone number and email address for this solicitation.

SECTION 4 - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

4.1 GENERAL/BACKGROUND

UW Medicine is seeking proposals from qualified organizations to serve as a strategic partner in expanding its health system-owned Specialty Pharmacy Program, with a primary focus on strengthening specialty pharmacy payer access. As the demand for specialty medications continues to grow, UW Medicine is committed to increasing patient access, expanding market presence, improving financial sustainability, and ensuring patients can receive specialty medications through the UW Medicine Specialty Pharmacy whenever clinically appropriate.

The selected bidder will provide strategic consulting, payer access expertise, contracting support, implementation assistance, market intelligence, and ongoing performance management to help accelerate the growth of UW Medicine's specialty pharmacy program. While the primary emphasis of this engagement is payer access, the selected bidder should also have the ability to provide strategic support for broader specialty pharmacy initiatives, including program optimization, market development, accreditation support, and industry best practices.

This engagement is intended to establish a collaborative partnership that leverages the bidder's expertise while building sustainable internal capabilities and positioning UW Medicine for long-term success.

4.2 PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The primary objectives of this engagement are to:

a. Expand access to commercial, government, and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) specialty pharmacy networks;

b. Increase patient access to specialty medications by improving payer network participation;

c. Grow UW Medicine's specialty pharmacy prescription volume and patient capture;

d. Strengthen the financial performance and sustainability of the specialty pharmacy program;

e. Develop and execute a comprehensive payer access strategy that supports long-term growth;

f. Establish and strengthen relationships with commercial payers, Pharmacy Business Managers (PBMs), government programs, and other strategic partners;

g. Identify opportunities to expand access to specialty medications across existing and emerging service lines;

h. Provide strategic guidance regarding specialty pharmacy market trends, reimbursement changes, legislation, and industry best practices; and

i. Build internal knowledge and infrastructure to sustain long-term specialty pharmacy growth.

4.3 SCOPE OF WORK

The Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB) shall provide strategic consulting and implementation support in the following areas:

A. Bidder Qualifications The Apparent Successful Bidder shall demonstrate extensive experience in:

a. Health system-owned specialty pharmacy programs;

b. Specialty pharmacy payer contracting;

c. Commercial and government payer negotiations;

d. Pharmacy Business Manager (PBM) contracting;

e. Specialty pharmacy market development;

f. Academic medical centers or integrated delivery networks;

g. Specialty pharmacy financial modeling; and

h. 340B program knowledge.

B. Specialty Pharmacy Payor Access (Primary Scope) The ASB shall perform the following:

a. Current State Assessment

1. Evaluate UW Medicine's existing specialty pharmacy payer access strategy;

2. Assess current commercial, government, and PBM network participation;

3. Identify gaps, barriers, and opportunities for expanded market access; and

4. Conduct benchmarking against comparable academic medical centers and integrated delivery networks.

b. Strategic Planning

1. Develop a comprehensive payor access strategy that included:

i. Market assessment;

ii. Competitive analysis;

iii. Prioritized payer engagement strategy;

iv. Contracting roadmap;

v. Financial opportunity assessment;

vi. Implementation timeline; and

vii. Success metrics and milestones.

c. Payor Contracting Support

1. Provide strategic and operational support for:

i. Evaluation of payer reimbursement methodologies;

ii. Review of specialty pharmacy rate cards;

iii. Contract negotiation support; and

iv. Development of contracting strategies that maximize long-term value.

d. Implementation Support

1. Provide support for the following after contract execution:

i. Payer implementation planning;

ii. Operational readiness assessments;

iii. Credentialing support;

iv. Implementation timelines;

v. Issue resolution; and

vi. Transition planning.

e. Performance Management

1. Develop ongoing reporting and analytics including:

i. Network participation status;

ii. Contract implementation progress;

iii. Prescription conversion;

iv. Revenue opportunity;

v. Financial performance;

vi. Market penetration;

vii. Executive dashboards; and

viii. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

C. Specialty Pharmacy Strategic Support (Secondary Scope) The ASB shall also provide strategic support in the following areas:

a. Specialty pharmacy growth strategy;

b. Program optimization;

c. Market opportunity identification;

d. Limited Distribution Drug (LDD) strategy;

e. Manufacturer relationship strategy;

i. Manufacturer’s access strategies for Limited Distribution Drugs (LDDs), including approaches to securing and maintaining access to restricted products; and

ii. Drug allocation strategy and optimization, including strategies to address manufacturer allocation restrictions and improve access to limited or constrained inventory.

f. Accreditation, readiness and optimization;

g. Industry benchmarking;

h. Operational best practices;

i. Data analytics and reporting;

j. Regulatory and legislative updates impacting; and

k. Recommendations for future program expansion.

D. 340B Program The ASB shall provide strategy and opportunity assessment, including identification of opportunities to optimize 340B utilization and program economics within the specialty pharmacy.

E. Program Expected Outcomes The ASB shall partner with UW Medicine to achieve measurable improvements in specialty pharmacy growth and payer access that include the following expected outcomes:

a. Expanded participation in commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, and other specialty pharmacy networks;

b. Increased patient access to specialty medications through enhanced payer participation;

c. Improved patient retention and prescription conversion within UW Medicine's specialty pharmacy;

d. Increased specialty pharmacy revenue through expanded network participation and improved patient access;

e. A comprehensive payer access strategy with a prioritized contracting roadmap;

f. Successful implementation of new payer agreements and operational readiness for newly contracted networks;

g. Strengthened relationships with key commercial payers, PBMs, and other strategic stakeholders;

h. Identification of new growth opportunities across disease states, service lines, and therapeutic areas;

i. Executive dashboards and performance metrics that measure progress toward strategic goals;

j. Knowledge transfer to UW Medicine staff to support long-term program sustainability; and

k. Positioning UW Medicine as a leading health system-owned specialty pharmacy in Washington State.

F. Project Governance The ASB will work collaboratively with UW Medicine Pharmacy leadership and designated stakeholders throughout the Contract Term. The ASB will:

a. Participate in regular project meetings;

b. Provide routine status updates;

c. Identify risks and mitigation strategies; and

d. Proactively communicate progress toward established milestones.

4.4 COST PROPOSAL

Bidders shall submit a detailed Cost Proposal that clearly identifies all pricing associated with the services described in Section 4.3 (Scope of Work).

A. The Cost Proposal shall, at a minimum, include

a. A complete pricing schedule for all services identified in the Scope of Work;

b. Hourly rates including standard rates, overtime, and weekend/holiday rates; and

c. Pricing for any optional or supplemental services, clearly identified as optional.

B. The Cost Proposal is valid throughout the initial 3-year term of the Contract;

C. Bidders are responsible for ensuring that all proposed pricing is accurate, complete, and sufficient to perform the services described in this solicitation; and

D. Onsite Travel Expenses If onsite consulting services are requested by UW Medicine, reasonable travel expenses may be reimbursed only with prior written approval from UW Medicine. Any reimbursable travel expenses must comply with applicable Washington State travel reimbursement rates and policies.

a. Travel Reimbursement: Contractor may receive reimbursement for expenses as identified in this Contract. All expenses including airfare (economy or coach class only), other transportation expenses, lodging and subsistence, phone calls, faxing or mail expenses shall be reimbursed at the current Washington State reimbursement rates which can be reviewed at https://ofm.wa.gov/accounting/administrative-accounting-resources/travel. To receive reimbursement for travel expenses, Contractor must provide a detailed breakdown of authorized expenses, identifying what was expensed and when, plus all original receipts with the invoice.

4.5 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

The Apparent Successful Bidder is required to obtain insurance to protect UW Medicine should there be any claims, suits, actions, costs, or damages or expenses arising from any negligent or intentional act or omission of the Bidder or its Subcontractor(s), or their agents, while performing work under the terms of any Contract resulting from this solicitation.

Bidders will find a complete description of the specific insurance…