Pharmacy External Drug Dispensing Services

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD is seeking a pharmacy provider for External Drug Dispensing Services through a Request for Quotation (RFQ FY26-0350). The procurement targets a pharmacy capable of filling prescriptions for consumers with Medicare Part D and other third-party prescription coverage, with specific requirements including maintaining at least five stores in Harris County, providing daily clinic delivery services, and accommodating blister packaging for special patient populations. The contract will run from execution date until August 31, 2026, with options to renew annually for four additional one-year terms. Evaluation criteria will assess vendors across seven key areas: Geographic Locations (20%), Open/Availability (15%), Number of Store Locations (10%), Number of Part D Plans (20%), Customizability and Responsiveness (20%), Cost (5%), and Past Performance (10%). Proposers must submit comprehensive documentation including pharmacy location maps, operational hours, store counts, Part D plan participation details, packaging capabilities, references, and service history within the behavioral health community. The solicitation's response deadline is November 19, 2025, with proposals requiring detailed electronic claims submission, weekend pharmacy hours, and system capabilities to restrict prescriptions by physician and drug specifications.

While no specific set-aside designations are explicitly mentioned, the procurement targets a pharmacy serving a large behavioral health population, with The Harris Center serving over 96,000 people annually across four main clinic locations and one crisis services location in Harris County, Texas. The selected vendor will be responsible for billing third-party insurance plans primarily, with The Harris Center covering co-pays and deductibles up to $25 per prescription. Though no specific budget range is disclosed, the contract structure suggests significant potential volume, with the pharmacy responsible for processing Medicare Part D and other insurance claims. The procurement does not appear to have strict disadvantaged enterprise requirements, but emphasizes comprehensive service capabilities within Harris County. The contract will require the selected pharmacy to provide on-call pharmacist access, daily clinic delivery, and flexible prescription management for patients with and without insurance coverage. While no incumbent vendor is identified, the detailed evaluation criteria suggest the Harris Center is seeking a highly specialized pharmacy partner with extensive behavioral health service experience.