SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

This Sources Sought is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). No solicitation is being issued at this time.

Title: Expired Pharmaceutical Reverse Distributor for Indian Health Service Albuquerque Area (Albuquerque Indian Health Center, Santa Ana Health Center, and Zia Health and Dental Clinic) (Buy Indian Act Market Research)

Response Date: 6/24/2026 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time

PSC Code: Q517 – Pharmacy Services NAICS Code: 562119 - Other Waste Collection Contracting Office: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), ASFR/OMAS Point of Contact: Deborah Blyveis, Deborah.Blyveis@hhs.gov Place of Performance: Albuquerque Indian Health Center, Santa Ana Health Center, and Zia Health and Dental Clinic

1. Introduction

This is a Sources Sought notice for market research purposes only, issued by the Indian Health Service Albuquerque Area. This is not a solicitation for proposals or quotations. In accordance with the Buy Indian Act (25 U.S.C. § 47), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and the HHS Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR), the purpose of this notice is to identify and obtain information from qualified Indian Economic Enterprises (IEEs) and Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs) capable of providing expired pharmaceutical reverse distributor services.

The information received will be used to determine the appropriate acquisition strategy, with priority given to a set-aside under the Buy Indian Act. The Government will not award a contract based on this notice nor pay for any information submitted.

2. Background & Scope of Work The Indian Health Service Albuquerque Area Pharmacy Program requires a qualified contractor to provide on-site reverse distribution services for expired, damaged, recalled, unusable, and otherwise non-dispensable pharmaceuticals generated through routine pharmacy operations. These services are necessary to maintain compliance with federal and state regulations, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requirements, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements, accreditation standards, patient safety requirements, and pharmaceutical inventory management best practices.

mailto:Deborah.Blyveis@hhs.gov

The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, equipment, transportation coordination, documentation, reporting systems, and technical expertise necessary to perform reverse distribution services, including pharmaceutical credit recovery, controlled substance accountability, inventory management, compliant destruction, and regulatory reporting.

These services support pharmacy operations at:

• Albuquerque Indian Health Center

• Santa Ana Health Center

• Zia Health and Dental Clinic

The objective of this requirement is to ensure the secure collection, inventory, processing, transportation coordination, reverse distribution, manufacturer credit recovery, and compliant destruction of expired pharmaceuticals, including controlled substances, generated by ASU pharmacies.

The Contractor shall provide quarterly on-site service visits at each location throughout the period of performance.

The Contractor must have a W-9 and a DEA license (for transfer of meds and controlled substances).

Scope of Work:

The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, equipment, materials, software systems, supplies, and services necessary to perform reverse distribution services.

Services shall include:

1. Pharmaceutical Inventory Review

The Contractor shall:

• Review expired, damaged, recalled, and non-dispensable pharmaceuticals identified by Government personnel.

• Verify product information including:

o Drug name o NDC number o Manufacturer o Lot number o Expiration date o Quantity

• Determine manufacturer return eligibility.

• Identify products eligible for credit recovery.

• Identify products requiring destruction.

• Segregate products by manufacturer and disposition category.

2. Controlled Substance Management

For Schedule II–V controlled substances, the Contractor shall:

• Maintain compliance with all DEA regulations.

• Conduct computerized inventories of controlled substances designated for reverse distribution.

• Prepare and process all required DEA documentation.

• Generate DEA Form 222 documentation when applicable.

• Maintain complete chain-of-custody records.

• Ensure secure handling and accountability throughout the reverse distribution process.

• Document all transfers and disposition actions.

3. On-Site Pharmacy Return Specialist Services

The Contractor shall provide qualified Pharmacy Return Specialists during scheduled service visits.

The Specialist shall:

• Perform on-site inventory reviews.

• Inventory pharmaceuticals designated for return or destruction.

• Package products in accordance with DEA, DOT, EPA, manufacturer, and industry requirements.

• Generate all required shipment documentation.

• Prepare pharmaceuticals for transport to the Contractor's reverse distribution facility.

• Coordinate shipment processing and tracking.

The Specialist shall possess demonstrated experience in:

• Pharmaceutical inventory management

• Reverse distribution services

• Controlled substance handling

• DEA compliance requirements

• Pharmaceutical manufacturer credit recovery programs

4. Reverse Distribution Processing

The Contractor shall:

• Receive and inventory returned pharmaceutical products.

• Assess all products according to applicable manufacturer return policies.

• Process eligible products for manufacturer credit recovery.

• Maintain detailed records of all returned products.

• Generate debit memos and supporting documentation necessary for credit processing.

5. Manufacturer Credit Recovery and Reconciliation

The Contractor shall:

• Submit claims to manufacturers for eligible pharmaceutical returns.

• Track all submitted claims through completion.

• Maximize recovery of eligible credits.

• Reconcile manufacturer responses.

• Coordinate issuance of credits through the Government's pharmaceutical prime vendor account when applicable.

• Provide documentation identifying:

o Submitted claims o Approved claims o Denied claims o Pending claims o Total credit amounts recovered

6. Pharmaceutical Destruction Services

The Contractor shall:

• Arrange compliant destruction of pharmaceuticals that are not eligible for return.

• Ensure destruction methods comply with:

o DEA regulations o EPA regulations o RCRA requirements o Federal pharmaceutical disposal regulations o Applicable state and local requirements

• Maintain destruction records and supporting documentation.

• The Contractor shall provide Certificates of Destruction for all destroyed pharmaceuticals.

7. Reverse Distribution Information Management System

The Contractor shall provide an electronic tracking and reporting system capable of:

• Tracking all pharmaceutical returns.

• Identifying returnable and non-returnable products.

• Tracking manufacturer credit submissions and status.

• Producing inventory and disposition reports.

• Maintaining audit-ready records.

• Providing transaction history and chain-of-custody documentation.

• Supporting Government audit and compliance reviews.

8. Regulatory Compliance

The Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to:

• Controlled Substances Act

• DEA regulations

• EPA regulations

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

• Department of Transportation (DOT) transportation requirements

• Federal pharmaceutical disposal requirements

The Contractor shall maintain all licenses, registrations, permits, certifications, and authorizations necessary to perform reverse distribution services.

3. Performance Locations

Services shall be performed at:

1. Albuquerque Indian Health Center 801 Vassar Drive NE Albuquerque, NM 87106

2. Santa Ana Health Center Santa Ana Pueblo O2-C Dove Road Bernalillo, NM 87004

3. Zia Health and Dental Clinic 155 Capitol Square Drive Zia Pueblo, NM 87053

4. Period of Performance: The anticipated contract is for a one-year base period with four (4) one-year option periods starting on or about August 1, 2026. Four visits a year to the 3 facilities.

5. Small Business Size Standard

The Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard for NAICS code 562119 (Other Waste Collection) is $47 million in average annual receipts. To qualify as a small business for this procurement, a vendor's average annual receipts must not exceed this threshold.

6. Requested Information & Capability Statement

Interested parties shall submit a capability statement (not to exceed five pages) that demonstrates their ability to perform the services described. The statement must include:

Part I: Business Information

a. Company Name, Address, and Point of Contact (Name, Title, Phone, Email).

b. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number registered in SAM.gov.

c. Buy Indian Act Status: Please state whether your firm is an IEE or an ISBEE and submit a completed and signed Indian Health Service Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form (IHS-BIA-FORM-1).

d. Business size and all other applicable socio-economic statuses under NAICS code 562119.

Part II: Capability & Experience

a. A brief description of your company's capabilities to meet the full scope of the SOW.

b. At least two (2) examples of similar services provided within the last three (3) years.

Submission Instructions

Responses are due by June 24, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. All capability statements must be submitted electronically to the points of contact listed below.

Contracting Officer: Daniel Weingarten, Daniel.weingarten@hhs.gov mailto:Daniel.weingarten@hhs.gov

Contracting Specialist: Deborah Blyveis, Deborah.blyveis@hhs.gov Please include "Sources Sought: Expired Pharmaceutical Reverse Distributor”

Disclaimer

This notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). The Government will not provide feedback on any information submitted. All submission costs are at the respondent's expense. Information marked as proprietary will be handled as such.

mailto:Deborah.blyveis@hhs.gov