Emergency Notice JPMC Drugs and Pharmaceuticals

The state of Illinois, through the Department of Central Management Services (CMS), is procuring a joint purchase master contract for drugs and pharmaceuticals. The existing contract for these critical products expired on September 30, 2021, and CMS has been working to competitively procure a new contract since June 2020, facing various delays and challenges. To ensure continuity of services, CMS has established a series of 90-day emergency contracts with the incumbent vendor, Cardinal Health 110, LLC. The latest 90-day emergency contract will run from February 28, 2022 to May 28, 2022, and has an estimated value of $25 million. The emergency contract is necessary to prevent disruption in critical state services that affect health and safety, as the Department of Human Services and Department of Public Health rely on these drugs and pharmaceuticals.

CMS worked to encourage participation from minority, women, and persons with disability owned businesses in the competitive bidding process, including increasing the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal to 9%. The competitive procurement process is still ongoing, with a protest currently staying the award of the new contract. Any potential awardee will need to demonstrate the ability to provide a comprehensive suite of drugs and pharmaceuticals to the state and its jurisdictions, such as St. Clair County. The contract is expected to have a significant value, as the state and local agencies require a consistent and reliable supply of these critical medical products.