First Fill and Emergency Rx

This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only at this time and shall
not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
A. Purpose of this Request for Information
VISN 10 has identified the need to have a non-VA pharmacy fill first and/or urgent prescriptions for Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiaries seen at VA facilities and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) or non-VA locations throughout the VISN 10 catchment area. Urgent prescriptions to be filled under this contract are for medications that a VA beneficiary cannot wait to receive through the mail.
B. Location of Services: The vendor will have a minimum of two (2) authorized pharmacies within ten (10) miles of the VA facilities and CBOCs listed below. However, it is preferred that the vendor have more than two (2) in all areas to provide patients with multiple choices.
Primary Facility / Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)
Address
Ann Arbor (Primary Facility)
2215 Fuller Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Flint (CBOC)
2360 South Linden Road Flint, MI 48532
Jackson (CBOC)
4328 Page Avenue Michigan Center, MI 49257
Toledo (CBOC)
1200 South Detroit Avenue Toledo, OH 43614
Battle Creek (Primary Facility)
5500 Armstrong Rd Battle Creek, MI 49037
Benton Harbor (CBOC)
115 West Main Street Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Lansing (CBOC)
2025 South Washington Avenue Lansing, MI 48910
Muskegon (CBOC)
5000 Hakes Drive Muskegon, MI 49441
Wyoming (CBOC)
5838 Metro Way Wyoming, MI 49519
Athens (CBOC)
510 West Union Street Athens, OH 45701
Chillicothe (Primary Facility)
17273 State Route 104 Chillicothe, OH 45601
Cambridge (CBOC)
2146 Southgate Parkway Cambridge, OH 43725
Lancaster (CBOC)
1703 North Memorial Drive Lancaster, OH 43130
Marietta (CBOC)
27843 State Route 7 Marietta, OH 45750
Portsmouth (CBOC)
840 Gallia Street Portsmouth, OH 45662
Wilmington (CBOC)
448 West Main Street Wilmington, OH 45177
Cincinnati (Primary Facility)
3200 Vine St Cincinnati, OH 45220
Bellevue (CBOC)
103 Landmark Drive, Suite 300 Bellevue, KY 41073
Clermont (CBOC)
4600 Beechwood Road Cincinnati, OH 45244
Florence (CBOC)
7310 Turfway Road Florence, KY 41042
Georgetown (CBOC)
474 Home Street Georgetown, OH 45121
Hamilton (CBOC)
1750 South Erie Highway Hamilton, OH 45011
Lawrenceburg (CBOC)
1600 Flossie Drive Greendale, IN 47025
Cleveland (Primary Facility)
10701 East Blvd Cleveland, OH 44106
Akron (CBOC)
55 West Waterloo Road Akron, OH 44319
East Liverpool/Calcutta (CBOC)
15655 State Route 170 Calcutta, OH 43920
Canton (CBOC)
733 Market Avenue (South) Canton, OH 44702
Ambulatory Surgery (CBOC)
8901 Superior Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106
McCafferty (CBOC)
4242 Lorain Avenue Cleveland, OH 44113
Lorain (CBOC)
205 West 20th Street Lorain, OH 44052
Mansfield (CBOC)
1456 Park Avenue West, Suite N Mansfield, OH 44906
Midtown Dialysis Center (CBOC)
7000 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44103
New Philadelphia (CBOC)
1260 Monroe Avenue Suie A1 New Philadelphia, OH 44663
Painesville (CBOC)
7 West Jackson Street Painesville, OH 44077
Parma (CBOC)
8787 Brookpark Road Parma, OH 44129
Ravenna (CBOC)
6751 North Chestnut Street Ravenna, OH 44266
Sandusky (CBOC)
3416 Columbus Avenue Sandusky, OH 44870
Warren (CBOC)
1460 Tod Avenue NW Warren, OH 44485
Youngstown (CBOC)
2031 Belmont Avenue Youngstown, OH 44505
Grove City (CBOC)
1955 Ohio Drive Grove City, OH 43123
Columbus (Primary Facility)
420 North James Rd Columbus, OH 43219
Marion (CBOC)
1203 Delaware Avenue Corporate Center #2 Marion, OH 43302
Newark (CBOC)
1855 West Main Street Newark, OH 43055
Zanesville (CBOC)
2800 Maple Avenue Zanesville, OH 43701
Dayton (Primary Facility)
4100 West Third St Dayton, OH 45428
Lima (CBOC)
1303 Bellefontaine Avenue Lima, OH 45804
Middletown (CBOC)
4337 N. Union Road Middletown, OH 45005
Richmond (CBOC)
1010 N. J Street Richmond, IN 47374
Springfield (CBOC)
512 South Burnett Road Springfield, OH 45505
Detroit (Primary Facility)
4646 John R St Detroit, MI 4201
Pontiac (CBOC)
44200 Woodward Avenue Site 208 Pontiac, MI 48341
Yale (CBOC)
7470 Brockway Road Yale, MI 48097
Indianapolis (Primary Facility)
1481 West 10th St Indianapolis, IN 46202
Bloomington (CBOC)
455 South Landmark Avenue Bloomington, IN 47403
Bloomington Mental (CBOC)
1332 West Arch Haven Avenue Bloomington, IN 47403
Indy West (CBOC)
3850 Shore Drive Suite 203 Indianapolis, IN 46254
Martinsville (CBOC)
2200 John R. Wooden Drive Martinsville, IN 46151
Shelbyville (CBOC)
30 W Rampart Shelbyville, IN 46176
Terre Haute (CBOC)
110 W Honeycutt Parkway Terre Haute, IN 47802
Wakeman (CBOC)
3791 10th Street Edinburgh, IN 46124
West Lafayette (CBOC)
3851 N. River Road Lafayette, IN 47906
Marion (Primary Facility)
1700 East 38th St Marion, IN 46953
Fort Wayne (Primary Facility)
2121 Lake Ave Fort Wayne, IN 46805
Goshen (CBOC)
2606 Peddlers Village Road, Suite 210 Goshen, IN 46526
Kokomo (Outreach Office)
620 N Bell Street Kokomo, IN 46901
Muncie (CBOC)
2600 W. White River Boulevard Muncie, IN 47303
Peru (CBOC)
750 N. Broadway Peru, IN 46970
St. Joseph County (CBOC)
1540 Trinity Place Mishawaka, IN 46545
Saginaw (Primary Facility)
1500 Weiss St Saginaw, MI 48602
Alpena (CBOC)
180 North State Avenue Alpena, MI 49707
Bad Axe (CBOC)
1142 S. Van Dyke Road, Suite 100 Bad Axe, MI 48413
Cadillac (CBOC)
1909 North Mitchell Street Cadillac, MI 49601
Cheboygan (CBOC)
14540 Mackinaw Highway Mackinaw City, MI 49701
Clare (CBOC)
11775 N. Isabella Road Clare, MI 48617
Gaylord (CBOC)
806 South Chicago Gaylord, MI 49735
Grand Traverse (CBOC)
880 Munson Avenue Traverse City, MI 49686
Grayling (CBOC)
1680 Hartwick Pines Road Grayling, MI 49738
Oscoda (CBOC)
5671 Skeel Avenue, Suite 4 Oscoda, MI 48750
Traverse City (CBOC)
3271 Racquet Club Drive Traverse City, MI 49684
C. Scope of Services
1. The vendor s pharmacies will fill and dispense prescriptions that are written by a VA provider assigned to one of the CBOCs located throughout VISN 10. The pharmacies will also fill prescriptions written by providers contracted by the VA to provide patient care services. Prescriptions written by non-VA providers require pre-authorization by designated VA pharmacy staff. Each participating VA facility will be responsible for providing and maintaining the list of designated pharmacy staff with the ability to provide pre-authorizations.
2. The operating hours of most VA facilities and CBOCs are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, excluding federal holidays. There are clinics with expanded operating hours including Saturdays. The vendor s pharmacies will be available to fill prescriptions Monday through Friday during operating hours. A minimum of one pharmacy shall be available to fill prescriptions on Monday -Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until a minimum of 9 p.m.
3. Prescriptions will be written on a VA prescription form (or electronic equivalent). At the discretion of the VA facility or CBOC, prescriptions may also be faxed. VA beneficiaries will be identified as being approved for prescription services via this contract by a specific card, voucher, or other system mutually agreed upon by the VA and the vendor. Prescriptions written under this contract are only good for 48 hours. With continuously changing technology, the potential for electronic submission will be discussed annually with the vendor.
4. Prescriptions will be filled and dispensed only for medications listed on a formulary. Any medications not listed on the formulary require pre-authorization by designated VA pharmacy staff prior to filling. Each VA facility will be responsible for the creation and maintenance of their formulary list. The VA may update the formulary list as needed without contract modification.
5. Prescriptions will be filled and dispensed only for medications written by providers authorized by the VA. Each VA facility will be responsible for the creation and maintenance of their provider list. A process will be established with the vendor to add, remove, and/or change provider information, as needed, without modification of the contract. The vendor will have a method to immediately notify its contracted pharmacies of the updated provider information.
6. The vendor s pharmacies will fill new prescriptions only. No refills will be authorized.
7. Most prescriptions will be limited to a maximum of ten (10) days. An antibiotic may be filled for up to a fourteen (14) day supply. The VA facility may set a different day supply for a specific patient and/or medication. Prescriptions written for more than a 10-day supply, with the exception of an antibiotic, require pre-authorization by designated VA pharmacy staff.
8. Prescriptions filled under this contract will be for generic medications. Prescriptions will be filled with the least expensive medication the pharmacy has in stock. All generic medications used must be in compliance with Federal and State requirements. The VA will only reimburse for the brand name drug if no generic form of the drug exists in the marketplace.
9. VA beneficiaries will pick up prescriptions at the dispensing pharmacy. No prescriptions are to be mailed or delivered.
10. The VA facility may randomly audit prescription fills. The VA will have access during regular business hours, upon reasonable notice, to any written or electronic information deemed necessary to verify claim information, prescription volume, and the usual and customary charges to the general public for covered prescriptions. The vendor and/or the contracted pharmacy will make all VA prescription records and invoices available at the time of the audit. Representatives of the VA are authorized to visit the vendor s site and/or the premises of any pharmacy filling VA prescriptions during regular business hours for the purposes of auditing and evaluation, which may include the inspection of clinical records. Inspection shall be limited to VA records.
11. The vendor s pharmacy will have a means of documenting that the VA beneficiary picked up the prescription. This documentation must include pick-up date, prescription number, and signature. A copy of the documentation must be maintained with the vendor and/or at the contract pharmacy and be readily accessible for random VA audit.
12. Auxiliary labels will be affixed to the prescription as needed. The vendor s contracted pharmacy will provide appropriate counseling and drug interaction sheets. The VA does not consider signing for a prescription to be appropriate counseling.
13. The reimbursement amount will be determined by the Average Wholesale Price (AWP) discounted by the applicable percentage plus the applicable dispensing fee. The total price charged to the VA will not exceed the price charged to the general public or the vendor s lowest third-party reimbursement plan. All pricing information is to remain confidential.
14. Average Wholesale Price (AWP) will be based on the current Pharmacy Fundamental Reference REDBOOK and REDBOOK updates published by the Medical Economics Data, Inc. The vendor will provide access to the REDBOOK throughout the contract term. If a vendor offers to use any other means of pricing, they will provide appropriate documentation similar to that of the REDBOOK AND ITS UPDATES. Award of a contract will not be made to any offeror who does not provide sufficient evidence to substantiate the fairness/reasonableness of their pricing.
15. The vendor shall submit monthly electronic invoices through the VA s invoice presentment and payment system (IPPS). There should be one invoice per VA facility broken down by facility and/or clinic.
16. The vendor shall provide monthly electronic reports of prescriptions filled via email to the facility POC/COR, Pharmacy Chief, and VISN COR. The data should be provided in Excel or other similar format that allows the facility to sort and analyze the data. The data must be sent via a secure method that adheres to VA privacy and security regulations. There should be one report per VA facility broken down by facility and/or clinic. At a minimum, the report must include the following columns.
a. Patient name
b. Patient unique identification number
c. Prescription number
d. Medication name and strength
e. NDC
f. Quantity
g. Prescriber
h. Fill Date
i. Days Supply
j. AWP
k. Product Cost (Charge to the VA)
l. Dispensing Fee
m. VA Facility, Clinic, or CBOC
17. The vendor shall reimburse their contracted pharmacies within 30 days of receiving an invoice.
18. The vendor s contracted pharmacies will keep all information concerning VA beneficiaries confidential and shall not release or disclose information to any person, except as authorized in writing and according to all applicable laws. The Privacy Act of 1974, Public Law 93-579, December 31, 1974 (USC 552a) applies to this procurement.
19. Pharmacies authorized to fill prescriptions under the vendor s plan must agree to the following conditions:
a. Pharmacists will review allergy history with patients prior to filling prescriptions.
b. The vendor will report all adverse drug events reported by VA beneficiaries to designated VA pharmacy staff and the prescribing provider. This notification will be made via telephone followed by written notification.
c. The vendor will report all medication errors regarding VA beneficiaries to designated VA pharmacy staff and the prescribing provider. This notification will be made via telephone followed by written notification.
d. Pharmaceutical services provided to VA beneficiaries under this contract will meet all standards applicable to Medicaid recipients in the State where services are provided.
e. The vendor will continuously meet or exceed The Joint Commission medication management standards related to procurement, preparation, storage, dispensing, security, recall, and patient education. Additional information related to these standards is available at the Joint Commission website at www.jointcommission.org.
20. When new CBOCs are opened and services are needed, they will be added to this contract. The Contracting Officer will notify the vendor. The vendor will submit a listing of proposed pharmacies for that area to the facility point of contact or Contracting Officer Representative (COR). The Contracting Officer will approve additional pharmacies via a supplemental agreement to the contract.
D. Submittal Information:
All responses must include the following information: Company name, Duns number, Tax ID Number,
company address, GSA Contract (if applicable), Point-of-Contact name, phone number, fax number, and
e-mail. The subject line of the correspondence should clearly display the RFI number. Also, please
provide the following information in your response:
Section 1: Provide a Statement of Interest in performing EMERGENCY AND FIRST FILL RX FOR ALL SITES LISTED ABOVE.
Section 2: Provide company name, DUNS number, company address, GSA Contract (if applicable), point-of-contact name, phone number, fax number and email address.
Section 3: Provide company business size and status (i.e., Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Small Business, HubZone Small Business, etc.), the number of years in business, affiliate information: parent company and potential teaming partners.
Section 4: Provide the type of work your company has performed in the past in support of the same or similar requirements.
E. Submittal:
It is requested that interested contractors submit an email response (electronic submission) that addresses the above information. Be sure to include this RFI Number in the Subject Line of the email. Submissions (responses) shall be received by no later than 2 P.M., Eastern on 12/31/2018.
At this time, no solicitation exists. Therefore, DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION. Contractors having the skills and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements should forward an e-mail to the primary point of contact listed below.
Contracting Office Address:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10
6150 Oak Tree Blvd., Suite 300
Independence, OH 44131
Primary Point of Contact:
Victoria Manigault, Contract Specialist
E-Mail: victoria.manigault@va.gov.