Amendment No. 2 Solicitation Questions-Responses.doc

RFP-CMS-2010-0047

Solicitation Question-Response Document

Amendment No. 000002

Attachment No. 1

1. SOW, Part I Requirements, page 2 - Can CMS make the Part D PDE database available to vendor as a data source for pricing?

A: CMS will not make Part D PDE database available to vendors as this RFP is only related to Medicaid data.

2. SOW, Personnel Requirements, page 10 - Is there a requirement that the Project Manager role be filled by the prime or can that role be filled by the subcontractor?

A: The Project Manager role should be filled by the prime contractor.

3. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, A. Part I Tasks, Task 2 - Survey of Retail Prices, page 3. Question: Does CMS' current contractor perform and provide the survey of retail prices on a monthly basis?

A: Currently CMS does not have a contractor for the retail prices. However, the expectation of this contract is that contractor needs to provide the survey of retail prices on a monthly basis.

4. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, A. Part I Tasks, Task 2 - Survey of Retail Prices, page 3. Question: Is CMS open to a survey methodology that would exclude cash paying customer transactions?

A: No, cash paying customers prices are required.

5. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, A. Part I Tasks, Task 2 - Survey of Retail Prices, page 3. Question: Does CMS expect the contractor to provide the "one listed national price" by generic name to include all strengths and dosage forms available for the generic name in aggregate?

A: CMS expects the contractor to provide a listed national price by each national drug code (NDC).

6. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, A. Part I Tasks, Task 3 - Notice of Available Drugs, page 4. Question: Does CMS' current contractor currently provide the Notice of Available Drugs report on a monthly basis?

A: CMS does not have a current contractor. However, the expectation of this contract is that contractor needs to provide the Notice of Available Drugs report on a monthly basis.

7. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, A. Part I Tasks, Task 4 - Annual State Reporting, page 4. Question: Does CMS expect the State's to provide the required data on a voluntary basis, or will CMS be mandating that State's provide this information in order to comply with the reporting requirements?

A: States will be required to provide this information.

8. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, A. Part 1 Tasks, Task 4 - Annual State Reporting, page 4. Question: Will CMS or the contractor establish the algorithm or definition of a generic drug and innovator drug to be used by the States to ensure comparative reporting?

A: CMS currently has a list of covered outpatient drugs that the contractor will use.

9. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, A. Part I Tasks, Task 4 - Annual State Reporting, page 4. Question: Does CMS' current contractor provide this Annual State Ranking Report as well as the annual congressional report?

A: CMS does not have a current contractor. However, the expectation of this contract is that contractor needs to provide the Annual State Ranking Report as well as the Annual Congressional Report.

10. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, A. Part I Tasks, Task 5 - Comparative Analysis and State Ranking, page 5. Question: Does CMS' current contractor provide this top 50 drug Annual composite report?

A: CMS does not have a current contractor. However, the expectation of this contract is that contractor needs to provide the top 50 Drug Annual Composite Report.

11. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, Part II Requirements: Retail Community Pharmacy Ingredient Costs, page 8. Question: Does CMS expect providers to respond to the survey on a voluntary basis, or will CMS be mandating that providers respond to the survey?

A: CMS will ask pharmacies to volunteer their services to complete the surveys. The contractor may wish to offer a stipend for the pharmacies’ time.

12. Attachment J.1, II. Requirements, Part II Requirements: Retail Community Pharmacy Ingredient Costs, page 8. Question: Must the survey data come directly from the providers, or can it be obtained from the wholesalers that distribute products to retail community pharmacies?

A: The survey data is to come from retail community pharmacies. However, CMS is open to using wholesaler information to supplement pharmacy data.