SSJ PR 83733 redacted.docx

JUSTIFICATION FOR SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT (OPEN MARKET OR GSA)

UNDER $250,000

Sole source acquisitions may be used on a limited basis and only when the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)/Program Official has provided sufficient justification and the Contracting Officer has determined that the circumstances warrant such action. The content for a justification must contain detailed facts and rationale to justify the sole source acquisition. Soliciting from a single source must be done in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b) or 8.405-6. At a minimum, the following information must be included:

Identification of Program Office, Contracting Activity, and Proposed Requirement, Justification and Program Office Certification:

A. Program Office:

Applied Research and Evaluation Branch Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Building 107, MS-S107-1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, GA 30341

B. Contracting Activity:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Financial Resources Acquisition Branch 2

C. Identification of Requirement:

1. Nature of Action to be Approved by Contracting Officer:

a. Sole source acquisition of: The purpose of this non-severable eighteen-month contract is for the Contractor, in collaboration with CDC staff, is to identify, examine, and describe state laws and other policies to reimburse pharmacists’ patient care services. The objective of this project is to complete an analysis of state remuneration laws for the 50 U.S. states and D.C. for pharmacists’ patient care services; examine other policies such as Medicaid State Plan Amendments, health plan payer policies, and state regulatory or administrative actions; and summarize the findings for key audiences.

b. Procurement Request (PR) Number (if available): HCLJC-2024-83733

2. Proposed Vendor and Estimated Procurement Amount (if available):

a. Proposed Vendor: National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations

b. Estimated Procurement Amount: $

3. Is the requirement on GSA Schedule? ☐ Yes ☒ No

If yes, provide schedule number: Click here to enter text.

D. Justification:

1. The justification for this non-competitive action is:

☒ In accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), “only one source [is] reasonably available” which states that, “For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. (i) Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization). (ii) Where a single source is identified to provide a portion of a purchase because that portion of the purchase specifies a particular brand-name item, the documentation in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section only applies to the portion of the purchase requiring brand-name item. The documentation should state it is covering only the portion of the acquisition which is brand- name.”

☐ Urgency ☒ Exclusive licensing agreements/Proprietary data ☐ Brand name required ☐ Industrial mobilization ☒ Other (e.g., compatibility, space issues, continuity, compatibility, etc.)

☐ In accordance with FAR 8.405-6 “Limiting Sources” which states that, “the only circumstances that may justify the action are – (A) An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the procedures would result in unacceptable delays; (B) Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized; or (C) In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-up to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.”

☐ Urgency ☐ Only One Source ☐ Logical Follow Up ☐ Brand name required

2. Other facts supporting sole source procurement:

a. What can this product/service do that other products/services cannot do?

This project will address several unique gaps in the field: 1) there is no comprehensive publicly available dataset, analysis, or resource describing the landscape of state-level laws and policies to reimburse pharmacists’ patient care services in the 50 U.S. states and D.C. and 2) there is a lack of shared understanding among health care decision makers, policy makers, and public health practitioners of the policy options to consider related to reimbursement for pharmacists’ patient care services in the U.S.

To advance the field and address these gaps, this contracted policy examination has the following requirements: 1) engage experts in pharmacists’ patient care services and pharmacy policy; 2) develop a plan for the policy analysis of state laws and other policies to reimburse pharmacists’ patient care services in the 50-states and D.C.; 3) implement the policy analysis plan; 4) prepare a comprehensive compilation of remuneration laws and policies and a double coded policy dataset; and 5) develop a final report that identifies and describes state reimbursement policies for pharmacists’ patient care services. The results of the project will yield a compilation of remuneration laws and policies, a double coded policy dataset, and a final report that highlights state reimbursement laws and policies to facilitate the implementation or expansion of pharmacists’ patient care services to improve health outcomes for people with chronic diseases and advance health equity.

The National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) is the only organization that meets all the above requirements which have been established for this project. Examples include the following:

Unlike other national pharmacy and research organizations listed below, NASPA:

b. What other products/services were considered and why did they not meet the need?

Other national pharmacy organizations and research organizations were considered. Examples of other organizations considered include the American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Research Triangle Institute, and ICF Incorporated, LLC. The American Pharmacists Association has experience in pharmacists’ patient care services, engaging pharmacy SMEs, and health care or medical billing. It does not have extensive experience with the CDC Policy Process and policy research. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists represents pharmacists in acute and ambulatory care health-system settings and has experience in pharmacists’ patient care services, engaging pharmacy SMEs, and health care or medical billing. It does not have extensive experience with the CDC Policy Process and policy research. Research Triangle Institute has experience in pharmacists’ patient care services, engaging pharmacy SMEs, qualitative data collection and analysis, and public health policy research. It did not have experience in state-level pharmacy policy. ICF Incorporated, LLC has experience in qualitative data collection and analysis and public health policy research. It did not have experience in state-level pharmacy policy, pharmacists’ patient care services, or engaging pharmacy SMEs.

3. Program Office efforts to seek potential offerors:

Results of a rapid review from GSA Market Research as a Service (MRAS) were reviewed. The listing of potential vendors was used to further research the capabilities of listed vendors. Those capabilities were cross-referenced with the minimum requirements for the solicitation. A supporting internet search of national pharmacy organizations that can address the purpose of this project was conducted.

E. Program Office Certification:

I have reviewed this sole source justification and certify the justification is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and adequate to support other than full and open competition.

Center/Institute/Office COR/Program Official Name/Title: NCCDPHP/Sharada Shantharam, Health Scientist

Center/Institute/Office COR/Program Official Signature:

Certification Date: May 13, 2024

F. Contracting Office Certification:

I have fully relied on the information provided herein and hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief:

Contracting Officer Name: Click here to enter text.

Contracting Officer Signature:

Certification Date: Click here to enter a date.

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