IVHL Pharmacy Bid

The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs is seeking a pharmacy services vendor for the LaSalle Home, a 190-bed skilled nursing facility currently operating at approximately 110 beds. This Invitation for Bid (IFB), referenced as procurement number 26-497DVA-LASAL-B-48971, requires a comprehensive pharmacy services contract that includes 24/7 prescription filling, medication cart management, convenience boxes, monthly consultations, in-service training, and daily medication deliveries. The solicitation requires electronic bid submissions through BidBuy, with bids due by October 15, 2025, and mandates that vendors submit multiple documents including a Vendor Disclosure, Offer to the State of Illinois Contract, BEP Utilization Plan, and Pricing Document. Bidders must provide pharmaceutical supplies across multiple categories including miscellaneous pharmacy supplies, over-the-counter medications, refrigerated medications, IV supplies, and a controlled substances E-Kit. Potential vendors must remain compliant with state pharmaceutical regulations, provide generic drug alternatives, offer on-call pharmacist support, and be capable of delivering rush orders within 4 hours. The contract will evaluate bidders based on lowest price for responsive and responsible submissions, with bids required to remain firm for 90 days from opening.

The procurement includes a 5% Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, though it is not explicitly a small business set-aside. Vendors must have active state registration and meet various certification and disclosure requirements to be considered responsive. The contract is estimated at a not-to-exceed amount of $2,310,000.00, with pricing based on Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) and percentage discounts for both brand name and generic pharmaceuticals. Vendors cannot bill Medicare or other insurance for residents who are 70% or greater service-connected veterans. The contract's initial term runs from execution through June 30, 2028, with a facility renovation project scheduled for completion in 2027 and plans to gradually increase resident capacity by approximately 8 residents per month. Potential bidders must demonstrate compliance with state procurement regulations, provide evidence of good faith efforts toward diversity goals, and meet stringent insurance and operational requirements, including general commercial liability coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence.