EMERGENCY Notice: IVHL Pharmacy 7. 18. 25

The State of Illinois, specifically the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs - LaSalle Division, is seeking an emergency procurement of comprehensive pharmacy services for the LaSalle Home veterans facility. The contract, issued as an emergency purchase, will be awarded to JHC Acquisition, LLC d/b/a Omnicare of Northern Illinois to provide critical pharmacy support from July 18, 2025, to October 15, 2025. Key service requirements include dispensing medications, providing a 24-hour on-call pharmacist, conducting monthly chart reviews, supplying HIPAA-compliant fax machines, and providing lockable medication carts to support a resident population of up to 100 veterans. The emergency contract was initiated due to the absence of an existing pharmacy contract, with a total estimated expenditure of $150,000 to be funded through State Appropriated Funds. The procurement process was expedited, with the due date for the contract set at October 15, 2025, and the contract awarded based on the vendor's existing relationship with the facility and ability to meet immediate service needs.

The procurement attempted to include Business Enterprise Program (BEP) certified vendors by reaching out to multiple potential providers such as A Safe Haven, Jules Enterprise Group, PharmaScript Inc., Affinity Pharmacy Care, and 3 R Healthcare. However, none of these vendors could provide the required services within the necessary timeframe. Omnicare was selected as the sole vendor due to several critical factors, including their established medication cart system, six-day-per-week delivery capability, and an exclusive wholesale supply arrangement with McKesson. The agency was particularly concerned about patient safety and care continuity, which influenced the vendor selection. The contract has no explicit set-aside designations or specific restrictions on organizational types beyond the emergency procurement context. The total contract value is estimated at $150,000, to be funded through state appropriated funds, representing a short-term emergency solution to ensure continuous pharmaceutical services for veterans at the LaSalle Home facility.