SOPSCHK27004 RFB.pdf

SOPSCHK27004

After Hour Medication Order Verification

REQUEST FOR BID (RFB)

Katelyn Meyers 1251 W Cedar Loop Cherokee, IA 51012 Phone: (712) 225-6950 katelyn.meyers@hhs.iowa.gov

RFB Purpose.

The purpose of this solicitation is to solicit bids from qualified service providers to provide remote medication order verification services for the pharmacy at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute (CMHI) and Civil Commitment Unit for Sexual Offenders (CCUSO) after Normal Business Hours, Holidays, and Weekends.

Duration of Contract.

The Agency anticipates executing a contract that will have an initial 1-year contract term with the ability to extend the contract for 5 additional 1-year terms. The Agency will have the sole discretion to extend the contract.

Bidder Eligibility Requirements.

The Agency will only consider bids from pharmacists with an active license registered with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

Procurement Timetable There are no exceptions to any deadlines for the Bidder; however, the Agency reserves the right to change the dates. Times provided are in Central Time.

Event Date Agency Issues RFB Notice to Targeted Small Business Website (48 hours):

April 6, 2026

Agency Issues RFB to Bid Opportunities Website April 8, 2026 Bidder Letter of Intent to Bid Due By April 20, 2026

2:00 p.m.

Bidder Written Questions Due By May 4, 2026

2:00 p.m.

Agency Responses to Questions Issued By May 11, 2026 Bidder Proposals and any Amendments to Proposals Due By May 26, 2026

3:30 p.m.

Agency Announces Apparent Successful Bidder/Notice of Intent to Award

June 9, 2026

Contract Negotiations and Execution of the Contract Completed June 30, 2026

Anticipated Start Date for the Provision of Services July 1, 2026

Section 1 Background and Scope of Work

1.1 Background.

The Agency's Cherokee Mental Health Institute (CMHI) in Cherokee, Iowa is a state-operated acute psychiatric hospital in the Division of State-Operated Specialty Care serving persons with mental illness including specialized treatment and security for adults ordered by the court into the custody of the state for the purposes of competency restoration, adults who have been acquitted of a crime by reason of insanity, and similarly situated adults at a mental health institute. The Facility is accredited by The Joint Commission, certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and licensed by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) to provide acute specialty hospital care.

CMHI is a thirty-six (36) bed psychiatric hospital with inpatient programs for adult psychiatric and forensic patients serving the entire state of Iowa. Many of our patients are suffering from severe and persistent mental illnesses which respond, in most cases, to psychotropic medications. Every patient has an individualized treatment plan that includes assessment and therapy from an array of professional specialties. This Facility is staffed to provide continuous around-the-clock support to patients.

The Civil Commitment Unit for Sexual Offenders (CCUSO) program was created by the 1998 Sexually Violent Predators Act of Iowa to provide secure, inpatient treatment for sexual offenders who are believed to be a high risk for sexually re-offending. Inpatient treatment is indefinite, with length of treatment dependent upon the time required for each individual to complete the criteria for advancement through the five (5) treatment phases.

The CCUSO program provides a secure, long-term, and highly structured setting to treat sexually violent predators (SVP) who have served their prison terms, but who, in a separate civil trial, have been found likely to commit further violent sexual offenses. Each patient receives an annual evaluation completed and submitted to the court; each patient receives an individual Master Treatment Plan that is updated annually, as well as Action Plans, which are completed every 90 days to assess treatment progress.

The CCUSO program currently serves approximately 200 patients, of which 90% are inpatient.

The pharmacy located within the facility serves both the CMHI and CCUSO programs. The Agency does not currently contract for this service. Any services provided under an agreement resulting from this RFB will be intended to serve both the CMHI and CCUSO facilities. The anticipated monthly volume of After-Hour medication orders requiring verification is 500.

1.2 RFB General Definitions.

When appearing as capitalized terms in this RFB, including attachments, the following quoted terms (and the plural thereof, when appropriate) have the meanings set forth in this section.

“Agency” means the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

“Bid Proposal” or “Proposal” means the Bidder’s proposal submitted in response to the RFB.

“Bidder” means the entity that submits a Bid Proposal in response to this RFB.

“Contractor” means the Bidder who enters into a Contract as a result of this Solicitation.

“Deliverables” means all of the services, goods, products, work, work product, data (including data collected on behalf of the Agency), items, materials and property to be created, developed, produced, delivered, performed, or provided by or on behalf of, or made available through, the Contractor (or any agent, contractor or subcontractor of the Contractor) in connection with any contract resulting from this

RFB.

“Invoice” means a Contractor’s claim for payment. At the Agency’s discretion, claims may be submitted on an original invoice from the Contractor or may be submitted on a claim form accepted by the Agency, such as a General Accounting Expenditure (GAX) form.

Definitions Specific to this RFB.

When appearing as capitalized terms in this RFB, including attachments, the following quoted terms (and the plural thereof, when appropriate) have the meanings set forth in this section.

“After Hours” means coverage from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on the following day, Monday through Friday.

“Normal Business Hours” means 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding State- Paid Holidays.

“State-Paid Holiday” means coverage from 4:30 p.m. on the day preceding the holiday through 8:00 a.m. on the day following the holiday on specified State Holidays as listed at https://das.iowa.gov/state-employees/state-accounting/centralized-payroll/state-holidays.

“Weekend” means coverage from 4:30 p.m. Friday through 8:00 a.m. on the following Monday.

1.3 Scope of Work.

1.3.1 Deliverables.

The Contractor shall provide the following:

1. The Contractor shall provide order verification coverage After Hours, Weekends, and on State- Paid Holidays year-round unless otherwise directed by the Agency with notice of at least one (1) week.

2. Coverage of Normal Business Hours may be requested by the Agency.

3. Any pharmacist performing services as part of this agreement must be licensed in the State of

Iowa.

4. The Contractor shall, during periods of coverage, have a licensed pharmacist available to provide consultation to CMHI and CCUSO employees, answering questions and making recommendations as needed.

1.3.2 Performance Measures.

1. The Contractor shall maintain an average turnaround verification time of sixty (60) minutes or less for 90% of orders.

2. The Contractor shall maintain an accuracy rate of 98% or higher.

3. The Contractor shall be responsive to consultation within sixty (60) minutes for at least 90% of requests.

4. The Contractor shall maintain licensure with the Board of Pharmacy for 100% of contract period.

1.3.3 Agency Responsibilities.

The Agency shall provide the Contractor with a maximum of two (2) secured laptop computers, login credentials, and access to all applications necessary to perform the services outlined in this RFB. The Contractor shall use the provided equipment solely for the purpose of fulfilling contractual obligations.

Upon conclusion of services, the Contractor shall return the laptop computer and any other Agency-issued equipment in good working condition.

1.3.4 Contract Payment Methodology.

The Contractor shall be paid at a specified rate per order verified. If the contractor fails to meet the established performance measures, the Agency reserves the right to apply a five percent (5%) deduction to the Contractor's invoice for the affected billing period.

Section 2 Basic Information About the RFB Process

2.1 Issuing Officer.

The Issuing Officer is the sole point of contact regarding the RFB from the date of issuance until selection of the successful Bidder. The Issuing Officer for this RFB is:

Katelyn Meyers 1251 W Cedar Loop Cherokee, IA 51012 Phone: (712) 225-6950 katelyn.meyers@hhs.iowa.gov

2.2 Restriction on Bidder Communication.

From the issue date of this RFB until announcement of the successful Bidder, the Issuing Officer is the point of contact regarding the RFB. There may be no communication regarding this RFB with any State employee other than the Issuing Officer, except at the direction of the Issuing Officer or as otherwise noted in the RFB. This section shall not be construed as restricting communications related to the administration of any contract currently in effect between a Contractor and the Agency.

The Issuing Officer will respond only to questions regarding the procurement process. Questions pertaining to the interpretation of this RFB may be submitted in accordance with the Questions, Requests for Clarification, and Suggested Changes section of this RFB.

2.3 Downloading the RFB from the Internet.

The RFB and any related documents such as amendments or attachments (collectively the “RFB”), and responses to questions will be posted at the State of Iowa’s website for bid opportunities:

http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/. Check this website periodically for any amendments to this RFB. The posted version of the RFB is the official version. The Agency will only be bound by the official version of the RFB document(s). Bidders should ensure that any downloaded documents are in fact the most up to date and are unchanged from the official version.

2.4 Reserved. (Online Resources)

2.5 Intent to Bid.

The Agency requests that Bidders provide their intent to bid by email to the Issuing Officer by the date and time in the Procurement Timetable. The Bidder may wish to request confirmation of receipt of the email from the Issuing Officer to ensure delivery. Do not submit letters of intent by mail, shipping service, or hand delivery. The intent to bid should include the Bidder's name, contact person, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and a statement of intent to submit a bid in response to this RFB. Though it is not mandatory that the Agency receive an intent to bid, the Agency will only respond to questions about the RFB that have been submitted by Bidders who have expressed their intent to bid. The Agency may cancel an RFB for lack of interest based on the number of letters of intent to bid received.

2.6 Reserved. (Bidders’ Conference)

2.7 Questions, Requests for Clarification, and Suggested Changes.

Bidders who have provided their intent to bid on the RFB are invited to submit written questions, requests for clarifications, and/or suggestions for changes to the specifications of this RFB (hereafter “Questions”) by the due date and time provided in the Procurement Timetable. Bidders are not permitted to include assumptions in their Bid Proposals. Instead, Bidders shall address any perceived ambiguity regarding this RFB through the question and answer process. If the Questions pertain to a specific section of the RFB, the page and section number(s) must be referenced. Bidders shall submit questions to the Issuing Officer by email. The Bidder may wish to request confirmation of receipt from the Issuing Officer to ensure delivery. Do not submit questions by mail, shipping service, or hand delivery.

Written responses to questions will be posted at http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/ by the date provided in the Procurement Timetable.

The Agency assumes no responsibility for verbal representations made by its officers or employees unless such representations are confirmed in writing and incorporated into the RFB. In addition, the Agency’s written responses to Questions will not be considered part of the RFB. If the Agency decides to change the RFB, the Agency will issue an amendment.

2.8 Submission of Bid Proposal.

Each Bidder is responsible for ensuring that the Issuing Officer receives the Bid Proposal by the time and date specified in the Procurement Timetable at the email address provided in the RFB for the Issuing Officer. The Agency will not waive this mandatory requirement. Any Bid Proposal received after this deadline will be rejected and will not be evaluated.

Bid Proposals are to be submitted in accordance with the Bid Proposal Formatting section of this RFB.

Bid Proposals may not be hand-delivered to the Issuing Officer. Rather, Bid Proposals are to be emailed.

2.9 Amendment to the RFB and Bid Proposal.

Each Bidder is responsible for ensuring that the Issuing Officer receives the Bid Proposal and any permitted amendments by the established deadlines at the address provided in the RFB for the Issuing Officer. Amendments must be received utilizing the same delivery method as set forth in the RFB for the submission of the original Bid Proposal.

Bidders may amend a previously submitted Bid Proposal at any time before the bid submission date and time. Any such amendment must be in writing and signed by the Bidder. The Bidder shall provide the same number of copies of the amended Bid Proposal as is required for the original Bid Proposal, for both hardcopy and electronic copies, in accordance with the Bid Proposal Formatting Section.

The Agency reserves the right to amend or provide clarifications to the RFB at any time. RFB amendments will be posted to the State’s website at http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/. If an RFB amendment occurs after the closing date for receipt of Bid Proposals, the Agency may, in its sole discretion, allow Bidders to amend their Bid Proposals.

2.10 Withdrawal of Bid Proposal.

The Bidder may withdraw its Bid Proposal prior to the closing date for receipt of Bid Proposals by submitting a written request to withdraw signed by the Bidder, scanned, then emailed to the Issuing Officer. The Bidder should request confirmation of receipt of the email from the Issuing Officer to ensure delivery.

2.11 Costs of Preparing the Bid Proposal.

The costs of preparation and delivery of the Bid Proposal are solely the responsibility of the Bidder.

2.12 Rejection of Bid Proposals.

The Agency reserves the right to reject any or all Bid Proposals, in whole and in part, and to cancel this RFB at any time prior to the execution of a written contract. Issuance of this RFB in no way constitutes a commitment by the Agency to award or enter into a contract.

2.13 Review of Bid Proposals.

Only Bidders that meet the mandatory requirements and are not subject to disqualification will be considered for award of a contract.

2.13.1 Mandatory Requirements.

Bidders must meet these mandatory requirements or will be disqualified and not considered for award of a contract:

• The Issuing Officer must receive the Bid Proposal, and any amendments thereof, prior to or on the due date and time (See RFB Sections 2.8 and 2.9).

• The Bidder is not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from receiving federal funding by any federal department or agency (See RFB Additional Certifications Attachment).

• The Bidder is eligible to submit a bid in accordance with the Bidder Eligibility Requirements of this RFB (See RFB Bidder Eligibility Requirements Section).

2.13.2 Reasons Proposals May be Disqualified.

Bidders are expected to follow the specifications set forth in this RFB. However, it is not the Agency’s intent to disqualify Bid Proposals that suffer from correctible flaws. At the same time, it is important to maintain fairness to all Bidders in the procurement process. Therefore, the Agency reserves the discretion to permit cure of variances, waive variances, or disqualify Bid Proposals for reasons that include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Bidder initiates unauthorized contact regarding this RFB with employees other than the Issuing Officer (See RFB Section 2.2);

• Bidder fails to comply with the RFB’s formatting specifications so that the Bid Proposal cannot be fairly compared to other bids (See RFB Section 3.1);

• Bidder fails, in the Agency’s opinion, to include the content required for the RFB;

• Bidder fails to be fully responsive in the Bidder’s Approach to Meeting Deliverables Section, states an element of the Scope of Work cannot or will not be met, or does not include information necessary to substantiate that it will be able to meet the Scope of Work specifications (See RFB Section 3.2.3);

• Bidder’s response materially changes Scope of Work specifications;

• Bidder fails to submit the RFB attachments containing all signatures (See RFB Section 3.2.6);

• Bidder marks entire Bid Proposal confidential, makes excessive claims for confidential treatment, or identifies pricing information in the Cost Proposal as confidential (See RFB Section 3.1);

• Bidder includes assumptions in its Bid Proposal (See RFB Section 2.7); or

• Bidder fails to respond to the Agency’s request for clarifications, information, documents, or references that the Agency may make at any point in the RFB process.

• Bidder is a “scrutinized company” included on a “scrutinized company list” created by a public fund pursuant to Iowa Code §12J. This list is maintained by the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System. The list is currently found here: https://ipers.org/investments/restrictions.

The determination of whether or not to disqualify a proposal and not consider it for award of a contract for any of these reasons, or to waive or permit cure of variances in Bid Proposals, is at the sole discretion of the Agency. No Bidder shall obtain any right by virtue of the Agency’s election to not exercise that discretion. In the event the Agency waives or permits cure of variances, such waiver or cure will not modify the RFB specifications or excuse the Bidder from full compliance with RFB specifications or other contract requirements if the Bidder enters into a contract.

2.14 Bid Proposal Clarification Process.

The Agency may request clarifications from Bidders for the purpose of resolving ambiguities or questioning information presented in the Bid Proposals. Clarifications may occur throughout the Bid Proposal evaluation process. Clarification responses shall be in writing and shall address only the information requested. Responses shall be submitted to the Agency within the time stipulated at the occasion of the request.

2.15 Verification of Bid Proposal Contents.

The contents of a Bid Proposal submitted by a Bidder are subject to verification.

2.16 Reference Checks.

The Agency reserves the right to contact any reference to assist in the evaluation of the Bid Proposal, to verify information contained in the Bid Proposal, to discuss the Bidder’s qualifications, and/or to discuss the qualifications of any subcontractor identified in the Bid Proposal.

2.17 Information from Other Sources.

The Agency reserves the right to obtain and consider information from other sources concerning a Bidder, such as the Bidder’s capability and performance under other contracts, and the Bidder’s authority and ability to conduct business in the State of Iowa. Such other sources may include subject matter experts.

2.18 Criminal History and Background Investigation.

The Agency reserves the right to conduct criminal history and other background investigations of the Bidder, its officers, directors, shareholders, or partners and managerial and supervisory personnel retained by the Bidder for the performance of the resulting contract. The Agency reserves the right to conduct criminal history and other background investigations of the Bidder’s staff and subcontractors providing services under the resulting contract.

2.19 Disposition of Bid Proposals.

Opened Bid Proposals become the property of the Agency and will not be returned to the Bidder. Upon issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award, the contents of all Bid Proposals will be in the public domain and be open to inspection by interested parties subject to exceptions provided in Iowa Code chapter 22 or other applicable law.

2.20 Public Records and Request for Confidential Treatment.

Original information submitted by a Bidder may be treated as public information by the Agency following the conclusion of the selection process unless the Bidder properly requests that information be treated as confidential at the time of submitting the Bid Proposal. See the Bid Proposal Formatting Section for the proper method for making such requests. The Agency’s release of information is governed by Iowa Code chapter 22. Bidders are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Chapter 22 before submitting a Bid Proposal. The Agency will copy public records as required to comply with public records laws.

The Agency will treat the information marked confidential as confidential information to the extent such information is determined confidential under Iowa Code chapter 22 or other applicable law by a court of competent jurisdiction. However, the Bidder shall certify by signing and returning RFB Attachment B its understanding that any Agency references to Bid Proposal information marked confidential made during the evaluation process may become part of the public domain

In the event the Agency receives a request for information marked confidential, written notice shall be given to the Bidder seventy-two (72) hours prior to the release of the information to allow the Bidder to seek injunctive relief pursuant to Iowa Code § 22.5 or 22.8.

The Bidder’s failure to request confidential treatment of material pursuant to this section and the relevant law will be deemed, by the Agency and State personnel, as a waiver of any right to confidentiality that the Bidder may have had.

2.21 Copyrights.

By submitting a Bid Proposal, the Bidder agrees that the Agency may copy the Bid Proposal for purposes of facilitating the evaluation of the Bid Proposal or to respond to requests for public records.

By submitting a Bid Proposal, the Bidder acknowledges that additional copies may be produced and distributed, and represents and warrants that such copying does not violate the rights of any third party.

The Agency shall have the right to use ideas or adaptations of ideas that are presented in the Bid Proposals.

2.22 Release of Claims.

By submitting a Bid Proposal, the Bidder agrees that it shall not bring any claim or cause of action against the Agency based on any misunderstanding concerning the information provided herein or concerning the Agency's failure, negligent or otherwise, to provide the Bidder with pertinent information as intended by this RFB.

2.23 Reserved. (Presentations)

2.24 Notice of Intent to Award.

Notice of Intent to Award will be sent to all Bidders that submitted a Bid Proposal by the due date and time. The Notice of Intent to Award does not constitute the formation of a contract between the Agency and the apparent successful Bidder.

2.25 Acceptance Period.

The Agency shall make a good faith effort to negotiate and execute the contract. If the apparent successful Bidder fails to negotiate and execute a contract, the Agency may, in its sole discretion, revoke the Notice of Intent to Award and negotiate a contract with another Bidder or withdraw the RFB.

The Agency further reserves the right to cancel the Notice of Intent to Award at any time prior to the execution of a written contract.

2.26 Review of Notice of Disqualification or Notice of Intent to Award Decision.

Bidders may request reconsideration of either a notice of disqualification or notice of intent to award decision by submitting a written request to the Agency:

Bureau Chief c/o Bureau of Service Contract Support Department of Health and Human Services Lucas State Office Building 321 E 12th Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319-1002 email: reconsiderationrequest@hhs.iowa.gov

The Agency must receive the written request for reconsideration within five calendar days of the date of either a disqualification notice or a notice of intent to award, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal state holidays. The written request may be emailed or delivered by postal service or other shipping service. Do not deliver any requests for reconsideration to the office in person. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to ensure that the request for reconsideration is received prior to the deadline. Postmarking or submission to a shipping service by the due date shall not substitute for actual receipt of a request for reconsideration by the Agency.

The request for reconsideration shall clearly and fully identify all issues being contested by reference to the page and section number of the RFB. If a Bidder submitted multiple Proposals and requests that the Agency reconsider a notice of disqualification or notice of intent to award decision for more than one Proposal, a separate written request shall be submitted for each. At the Agency’s discretion, requests for reconsideration from the same Bidder may be reviewed separately or combined into one response. The Agency will expeditiously address the request for reconsideration and issue a decision. The Bidder may choose to file an appeal with the Agency within five calendar days of the date of the decision on reconsideration, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal state holidays, and in accordance with 441 Iowa Admin. Code Ch. 7.

2.27 Definition of Contract.

The full execution of a written contract shall constitute the making of a contract for services and no Bidder shall acquire any legal or equitable rights relative to the contract services until the contract has been fully executed by the apparent successful Bidder and the Agency.

2.28 Choice of Law and Forum.

This RFB and the resulting contract are governed by the laws of the State of Iowa without giving effect to the conflicts of law provisions thereof. Changes in applicable laws and rules may affect the negotiation and contracting process and the resulting contract. Bidders are responsible for ascertaining pertinent legal requirements and restrictions. Any and all litigation or actions commenced in connection with this RFB shall be brought and maintained in the appropriate Iowa forum.

2.29 Restrictions on Gifts and Activities.

Iowa Code chapter 68B restricts gifts that may be given or received by state employees and requires certain individuals to disclose information concerning their activities with state government. Bidders must determine the applicability of this Chapter to their activities and comply with the requirements. In addition, pursuant to Iowa Code § 722.1, it is a felony offense to bribe or attempt to bribe a public official.

2.30 Exclusivity.

Any contract resulting from this RFB shall not be an exclusive contract.

2.31 No Minimum Guaranteed.

The Agency anticipates that the selected Bidder will provide services as requested by the Agency. The Agency does not guarantee that any minimum compensation will be paid to the Bidder or any minimum usage of the Bidder’s services.

2.32 Use of Subcontractors.

The Agency acknowledges that the selected Bidder may contract with third parties for the performance of any of the Contractor’s obligations. The Agency reserves the right to provide prior approval for any subcontractor used to perform services under any contract that may result from this RFB.

2.33 Bidder Continuing Disclosure Requirement.

To the extent that Bidders are required to report incidents when responding to this RFB related to damages, penalties, disincentives, administrative or regulatory proceedings, founded child or dependent adult abuse, or felony convictions, these matters are subject to continuing disclosure to the Agency. Incidents occurring after submission of a Bid Proposal, and with respect to the successful Bidder after the execution of a contract, shall be disclosed in a timely manner in a written statement to the Agency. For purposes of this subsection, timely means within thirty (30) days from the date of conviction, regardless of appeal rights.

Section 3 How to Submit A Bid Proposal: Format and Content Specifications These instructions provide the format and technical specifications of the Bid Proposal and are designed to facilitate the submission of a Bid Proposal that is easy to understand and evaluate.

3.1 Bid Proposal Formatting.

Subject Specifications Paper Size Bid Proposals shall be sent in digital format via email to the Issuing Officer.

Proposals should be formatted for printing on 8.5” x 11” paper (one side only.)

Complex charts, graphs, and diagrams may be formatted for printing on legal-sized paper.

Font Bid Proposals must be typewritten. The font must be 11 point or larger (excluding charts, graphs, or diagrams). Acceptable fonts include Times New Roman, Calibri and Arial.

Page Limit Pages included in Proposal Tab 3 and any attachments the Bidder creates in a “Tab 3 Attachments” section is limited to 10 pages. See Section 3.2 for further information about Tab 3 Attachments.

Pagination All pages in Proposal Tabs 1-5 are to be sequentially numbered from beginning to end (do not number these Proposal sections independently of each other).

The contents in Proposal Tab 6 may be numbered independently of other sections.

Bid Proposal General Composition

• Bid Proposals shall be divided into two parts: Technical Proposal and Cost Proposal.

• The Technical Proposal and Cost Proposal shall be labeled as such and emailed to the Issuing Officer. Both Proposals may be attached to the same email. If multiple emails are required, each email shall be numbered in the following fashion: 1 of 2, 2 of 4, etc.

• The Technical Proposal must be saved in no more than two (2) files, preference for the entire Technical Proposal in one file. Proposals shall be provided in either PDF or Microsoft Word format. Files shall be text-based and not scanned image(s) and shall be searchable and not password protected or contain restrictions that prevent copying, saving, highlighting, or printing of the contents.

• The Issuing Officer shall provide confirmation of receipt of all parts of a proposal, upon request. The Agency shall not be responsible for failure to receive an email or for providing confirmation of receipt of an electronic submission if such confirmation is not requested.

Request for Confidential Treatment

Requests for confidential treatment of any information in a Bid Proposal must meet these specifications:

• The Bidder will complete the appropriate section of the Primary Bidder Detail

Form & Certification which requires the specific statutory citation supporting the request for confidential treatment and an explanation of why disclosure of the information is not in the best interest of the public.

• The Bidder shall submit one complete paper copy of the Bid Proposal from which confidential information has been redacted. This copy shall be clearly labeled on the cover as a “public copy” and each page upon which confidential information appears shall be conspicuously marked as containing confidential information. The confidential material shall be redacted in such a way as to allow the public to determine the general nature of the material removed. To the extent possible, pages should be redacted sentence by

Subject Specifications sentence unless all material on a page is clearly confidential under the law.

The Bidder shall not identify the entire Bid Proposal as confidential.

• The Cost Proposal will be part of the ultimate contract entered into with the successful Bidder. Pricing information may not be designated as confidential material. However, Cost Proposal supporting materials may be marked confidential if consistent with applicable law.

• The transmittal letter may not be marked confidential.

• The Bidder shall submit a USB flash drive containing an electronic copy of the

Bid Proposal from which confidential information has been redacted. This USB flash drive shall be clearly marked as a “public copy”.

• The Technical Proposal must be saved in less than three files, with a preference for the entire Technical Proposal in one file. Proposals shall be provided in either PDF or Microsoft Word format. Files shall be text-based and not scanned image(s) and shall be searchable and not password protected or contain restrictions that prevent copying, saving, highlighting, or printing of the contents.

Exceptions to RFB/Contrac t Language

If the Bidder objects to any term or condition of the RFB or attached Sample Contract, specific reference to the RFB page and section number shall be made in the Primary Bidder Detail & Certification Form. In addition, the Bidder shall set forth in its Bid Proposal the specific language it proposes to include in place of the RFB or contract provision and cost savings to the Agency should the Agency accept the proposed language.

The Agency reserves the right to either execute a contract without further negotiation with the successful Bidder or to negotiate contract terms with the selected Bidder if the best interests of the Agency would be served.

3.2 Contents and Organization of Technical Proposal.

This section describes the information that must be in the Technical Proposal. Bid Proposals should be organized into sections in the same order provided here. Hard copies of Bid Proposals should use tabs to separate each section. If a Bidder chooses to provide information in attachments to respond to any section below, please create a new tabbed attachment section immediately behind the applicable section. For example, to add attachments related to information asked for in Section 3.2.3 Information to Include Behind Tab 3: Bidder’s Approach to Meeting Deliverables, the Bidder would create a new tab in the Technical Proposal that is called Tab 3 Attachments and place the attachment(s) there. The Bidder would follow suit by creating new tabbed sections for attachments created to respond to any other section below in their bid proposal

3.2.1 Information to Include Behind Tab 1:

Transmittal Letter.

The transmittal letter serves as a cover letter for the Technical Proposal. It must consist of an executive summary that briefly reviews the strengths of the Bidder and key features of its proposed approach to meet the specifications of this RFB.

3.2.2 Information to Include Behind Tab 2: Proposal Table of Contents.

The Bid Proposal must contain a table of contents.

3.2.3 Information to Include Behind Tab 3: Bidder’s Approach to Meeting Deliverables.

The Bidder shall address each Deliverable that the successful contractor will perform as listed in Section 1.3, Scope of Work, by first restating the Deliverable from the RFB and then detailing the Bidder’s planned approach to meeting each contractor Deliverable immediately after the restated text.

Bid responses should provide sufficient detail so that the Agency can understand and evaluate the Bidder’s approach, and should not merely repeat the Deliverable.

Bidders are given wide latitude in the degree of detail they offer or the extent to which they reveal plans, designs, examples, processes, and procedures. Bidders do not need to address any responsibilities that are specifically designated as Agency responsibilities.

Note:

• Responses to Deliverables shall be in the same sequence as presented in the RFB.

• Bid Proposals shall identify any deviations from the specifications the Bidder cannot satisfy.

• Bid Proposals shall not contain promotional or display materials unless specifically required.

If a Bidder proposes more than one method of meeting the RFB requirements, each method must be drafted and submitted as separate Bid Proposals. Each will be evaluated separately.

3.2.3.1 Information Bidders Must Submit That is Specific to This RFB.

The bidder shall provide the following in a separate attachment to the RFB:

1. Example of summary report detailing response times and overall compliance to work as described in Deliverables or similar work sought by this RFB, with redactions applied as necessary.

2. Copies of necessary licenses, certificates and credentials of each licensed pharmacist to provide the services described.

3.2.4 Information to Include Behind Tab 4: Bidder’s Experience.

3.2.4.1 Level of technical experience in providing the types of services sought by the RFB.

3.2.4.2 Description of all services similar to those sought by this RFB that the Bidder has provided to the Agency and other businesses or governmental entities within the last twenty-four (24) months.

3.2.4.3 Letters of reference from three (3) of the Bidder’s previous clients knowledgeable of the Bidder’s performance in providing services similar to those sought in this RFB, including a contact person, telephone number, and email address for each reference. It is preferred that letters of reference are provided for services that were procured in a competitive environment. Form letters of reference that do not elaborate on the Bidder’s performance under the specific relationships addressed in the reference letter may negatively impact the Bidder’s evaluation/score. Persons who are currently employed by the Agency are not eligible to be references.

3.2.4.4 Description of experience managing subcontractors, if the Bidder proposes to use subcontractors.

3.2.5 Information to Include Behind Tab 5: Personnel.

The Bidder shall provide the following information regarding personnel:

3.2.5.1 Tables of Organization.

Illustrate the lines of authority in two tables:

• One showing overall operations

• One showing staff who will provide services under the RFB

3.2.5.2 Names and Credentials of Key Corporate Personnel.

• Include the names and credentials of the owners and executives of your organization and, if applicable, their roles on this project.

• Include names of the current board of directors, or names of all partners, as applicable.

• Include resumes for all key corporate, administrative, and supervisory personnel who will be involved in providing the services sought by this RFB. The resumes should include name, education, years of experience, and employment history, particularly as it relates to the scope of services specified herein. Resumes shall not include social security numbers.

3.2.5.3 Information About Project Manager and Key Project Personnel.

• Include names and credentials for the project manager and any additional key project personnel who will be involved in providing services sought by this RFB. Include resumes for these personnel. The resumes shall include: name, education, and years of experience and employment history, particularly as it relates to the scope of services specified herein.

Resumes shall also include the percentage of time the person would be specifically dedicated to this project on a monthly basis, if the Bidder is selected as the successful Bidder. Resumes should not include social security numbers.

• Include the project manager’s experience managing subcontractor staff if the Bidder proposes to use subcontractors.

3.2.5.4 Disclosures.

List any details of whether the Bidder or any owners, officers, primary partners, staff providing services or any owners, officers, primary partners, or staff providing services of any subcontractor who may be involved with providing the services sought in this RFB, have ever had a founded child or dependent adult abuse report, or been convicted of a felony.

3.2.6 Information to Include Behind Tab 6: RFB Forms.

The forms listed below are attachments to this RFB. Fully complete and return these forms behind Tab 6:

• Release of Information Form

• Primary Bidder Detail & Certification Form

• Subcontractor Disclosure Form (one for each proposed subcontractor)

3.2.7 Reserved. (Financial Statements)

3.3 Cost Proposal.

Content and Format.

The Bidder shall provide the following information in the Cost Proposal:

The bidder's Cost Proposal shall be submitted using the price worksheet set forth in Attachment E:

Cost Proposal Worksheet of this RFB.

Section 4 Evaluation Of Bid Proposals

4.1 Introduction.

This section describes the evaluation process that will be used to determine which Bid Proposal provides the greatest benefit to the Agency.

4.2 Determination of Responsible Bidder & Responsive Bid.

All Bids will be first evaluated to determine if the Bidder is a Responsible Bidder submitting a Responsive Bid. To be deemed a Responsible Bidder and a Responsive Bid, the Bid must meet the

Mandatory Requirements of this RFB and not be subject to disqualification as set forth in the disqualification provisions of this RFB and answer “Yes” to 1.1 on the Primary Bidder Certifications attachment.

4.3 Lowest Responsible Bidder.

The Agency will evaluate the Responsive Bids submitted by Responsible Bidders to determine the lowest Responsible Bid based on price.

4.4 Preference.

If there is a tied cost, the award will be determined by a drawing. Whenever it is practical to do so, the drawing will be held in the presence of the Bidders with the tied bids. Otherwise, the drawing will be held in front of at least three non-interested parties. All drawings will be documented.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever a tie involves an Iowa Bidder and a Bidder outside the state of Iowa, first preference will be given to the Iowa Bidder. Whenever a tie involves one or more Iowa Bidders and one or more vendors outside of the state of Iowa, a drawing will be held among the Iowa Bidders only. In the event of a tie between Iowa vendors, the Agency will contact the Iowa Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) committee for confirmation and verification as to whether the Bidders have complied with ESGR standards. Preferences, in the case of a tied bid, shall be given to Iowa vendors complying with ESGR standards. If a tied bid does not include an Iowa Bidder, preference will be given to a Bidder based in the United States over a vendor based outside of the United States

4.5 Recommendation of the Evaluation Committee.

A recommendation will be made to the Contract Owner (Superintendent) to award the contract based on the evaluation, following Section 4.4 if there is a tie. The Contract Owner may either award the contract to the recommended Bidder or cancel the procurement.

Attachment A: Release of Information (Return this completed form behind Tab 6 of the Bid Proposal.)

_________________________________ (name of Bidder) hereby authorizes any person or entity, public or private, having any information concerning the Bidder’s background, including but not limited to its performance history regarding its prior rendering of services similar to those detailed in this RFB, to release such information to the Agency.

The Bidder acknowledges that it may not agree with the information and opinions given by such person or entity in response to a reference request. The Bidder acknowledges that the information and opinions given by such person or entity may hurt its chances to receive contract awards from the Agency or may otherwise hurt its reputation or operations. The Bidder is willing to take that risk. The Bidder agrees to release all persons, entities, the Agency, and the State of Iowa from any liability whatsoever that may be incurred in releasing this information or using this information.

Printed Name of Bidder Organization

Signature of Authorized Representative Date

Printed Name

Attachment B: Primary Bidder Detail & Certification Form (Return this completed form behind Tab 6 of the Proposal. If a section does not apply, label it “not applicable”.)

Primary Contact Information (individual who can address issues re: this Bid Proposal) Name:

Address:

Tel:

Fax:

E-mail:

Primary Bidder Detail Business Legal Name (“Bidder”):

“Doing Business As” names, assumed names, or other operating names:

Parent Corporation Name and Address of Headquarters, if any:

Form of Business Entity (i.e., corp., partnership, LLC, etc.):

State of Incorporation/organization:

Primary Address:

Tel:

Local Address (if any):

Addresses of Major Offices and other facilities that may contribute to performance under this RFB/Contract:

Number of Employees:

Number of Years in Business:

Primary Focus of Business:

Federal Tax ID:

Bidder’s Accounting Firm:

If Bidder is currently registered to do business in Iowa, provide the Date of Registration:

Do you plan on using subcontractors if awarded this Contract? {If “YES,” submit a Subcontractor Disclosure Form for each proposed subcontractor.}

(YES/NO)

Request for Confidential Treatment (See Section 3.1)

Check Appropriate Box:

Bidder Does Not Request Confidential Treatment of Bid Proposal Bidder Requests Confidential Treatment of Bid Proposal

Location in Bid Proposal

(Tab/Page)

Specific Grounds in Iowa Code Chapter

22 or Other Applicable Law Which Supports Treatment of the Information as

Confidential

Justification of Why Information Should Be Kept in Confidence and Explanation of Why Disclosure

Would Not Be in The Best Interest of the Public

Exceptions to RFB/Contract Language (See Section 3.1)

RFB

Section and Page

Language to Which Bidder

Takes Exception Explanation and Proposed Replacement Language:

Cost Savings to the Agency if the Proposed Replacement Language is Accepted

PRIMARY BIDDER CERTIFICATIONS

1. BID PROPOSAL CERTIFICATIONS. By signing below, Bidder certifies that:

1.1 Bidder specifically stipulates that the Bid Proposal is predicated upon the acceptance of all terms and conditions stated in the RFB and the Sample Contract without change except as otherwise expressly stated in the Primary Bidder Detail & Certification Form. Objections or responses shall not materially alter the RFB. All changes to proposed contract language, including deletions, additions, and substitutions of language, must be addressed in the Bid Proposal. The Bidder accepts and shall comply with all Contract Terms and Conditions contained in the Sample Contract without change except as set forth in the Contract;

1.2 Bidder has reviewed the Additional Certifications, which are incorporated herein by reference, and by signing below represents that Bidder agrees to be bound by the obligations included therein;

1.3 Bidder has received any amendments to this RFB issued by the Agency;

1.4 No cost or pricing information has been included in the Bidder’s Technical Proposal;

1.5 If Bidder requests confidential treatment of any information submitted in its Proposal, the Bidder expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Agency’s evaluation document(s) may reference information of which the Bidder requested confidential treatment in the Bid Proposal. These Agency evaluation documents may then be in the public domain and be open to inspection by interested parties upon the Agency’s issuance of a Notice of Intent to Award. The Agency will not redact information or references to information in evaluation documents even in instances which a Bidder requested confidential treatment in the Bid Proposal; and,

1.6 The person signing this Bid Proposal certifies that he/she is the person in the Bidder’s organization responsible for, or authorized to make decisions regarding the prices quoted and, Bidder guarantees the availability of the services offered and that all Bid Proposal terms, including price, will remain firm until a contract has been executed for the services contemplated by this RFB or one year from the issuance of this RFB, whichever is earlier.

2. SERVICE AND REGISTRATION CERTIFICATIONS. By signing below, Bidder certifies that:

2.1 Bidder certifies that the Bidder’s organization has sufficient personnel and resources available to provide all services proposed by the Bid Proposal, and such resources will be available on the date the RFB states services are to begin. Bidder guarantees personnel proposed to provide services will be the personnel providing the services unless prior approval is received from the Agency to substitute staff;

2.2 Bidder certifies that if the Bidder is awarded the contract and plans to utilize subcontractors at any point to perform any obligations under the contract, the Bidder will (1) notify the Agency in writing prior to use of the subcontractor, and (2) apply all restrictions, obligations, and responsibilities of the resulting contract between the Agency and contractor to the subcontractors through a subcontract.

The contractor will remain responsible for all Deliverables provided under this contract;

2.3 Bidder either is currently registered to do business in Iowa or agrees to register if Bidder is awarded a Contract pursuant to this RFB;

2.4 Bidder certifies it is either: 1) registered or will become registered with the Iowa Department of Revenue to collect and remit Iowa sales and use taxes as required by Iowa Code chapter 423; or 2) not a “retailer” of a “retailer maintaining a place of business in this state” as those terms are defined in Iowa Code subsections 423.1(47) & (48). The Bidder also acknowledges that the Agency may declare the Bid Proposal void if the above certification is false. Bidders may register with the Department of Revenue online at: https://revenue.iowa.gov/permits-licensing/business-permit-registration; and,

2.5 Bidder certifies it will comply with Davis-Bacon requirements if applicable to the resulting contract.

3. EXECUTION.

By signing below, I certify that I have the authority to bind the Bidder to the specific terms, conditions and technical specifications required in the Agency’s Request for Proposals (RFB) and offered in the Bidder’s Proposal. I understand that by submitting this Bid Proposal, the Bidder agrees to provide services described herein which meet or exceed the specifications of the Agency’s RFB unless noted in the Bid Proposal and at the prices quoted by the Bidder. The Bidder has not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to the anti-competitive obligations outlined in the Additional Certifications.