diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:21:38 AM CDT

What is your system’s average daily population per month for the past 12 months?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:22:03 AM CDT

What is the average number of prescriptions filled per month for the past 12 months?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:27:44 AM CDT

General Conditions, Item 22 on page 4 states, "In-State Preferences shall not apply to procurements involving Federal Funds." This does not appear to be a federally funded project. Thus, will in-state and/or local preference be applied to local bidders in Rapides Parish? If so, how does Rapides Parish calculate in-state and/or local preference?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:35:40 AM CDT

Bid Specifications, item 1.1 on page 6 of the ITB indicates that bidders are to submit cost acquisition sheets for evaluation purposes. However, an actual list of medications that would serve as the cost acquisition sheet was not provided in the ITB. Actual dispensing figures would give the RPSO and Rapides Parish taxpayers the most comprehensive pricing comparative among bidders. Thus, would you please provide (as an addendum) a copy of your February monthly pharmacy invoice/utilization report that includes actual pharmacy utilization data (with patient names redacted) for bidders to price out with their medication acquisition costs so you can use this sheet as the cost acquisition sheet?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:46:09 AM CDT

Bid Specifications, item 3.3 on page 7 of the ITB states, "Awarded bidder shall deliver new/reorder prescriptions (other than Stat Orders) ordered by 3:00PM, by no later than 6:00PM of the same day." Unless the intent of the ITB is to restrict competition to local vendors, this requirement will limit compliant bidders to local pharmacies that can make a same-day delivery to the jail but that may not be able to offer the technological advances available specific to the correctional industry--technologies such as free electronic ordering software, free electronic medication pass software along with free training and a laptop, free online reporting, and free electronic order reconciliation software. If a bidder will provide these technologies, which are currently unavailable to the RPSO, at no cost, provide significant cost savings over other bidders, provide emergency first-dose stock medications at your facility, and coordinate all emergency prescription needs through a contracted local backup pharmacy (which is standard practice in the correctional pharmacy industry and throughout correctional centers in Louisiana), would you consider repealing this requirement and modifying your delivery requirement to read, "All orders received by the designated cut time must be delivered the next business day Monday through Saturday"? This amended requirement would promote offers from non-resident pharmacies properly licensed in Louisiana and would ensure Rapides Parish taxpayers a fair and competitive bid process.

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:49:21 AM CDT

Bid Specifications, item 13.2 on page 10 of the ITB states, "stickers for unit dose packages for AM, PM, Noon, Afternoon, Bedtime and P.R.N." are to be provided. Are medications currently provided in shift cards, or are they dispensed in 30-day blister card packaging? In other words, if a medication is ordered to be given twice a day for 10 days, is the pharmacy sending one card of 20 units, or is the pharmacy sending in two cards with 10 units each?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:50:16 AM CDT

Does your facility have a State Board of Pharmacy permit to be allowed to have emergency drug kits on site?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:51:37 AM CDT

Does your facility have a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration, which is required to receive and maintain stock controlled substance medications (i.e., Schedule II-IV medications)? If not, is your facility's physical address listed as the business address on the DEA license of at least one of your facility's providers?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:52:12 AM CDT

Do you receive stock in 30-count blister cards or in original manufacturers' bulk bottles? If not, how is your current vendor providing your facilities with stock medications in accordance with the Drug Quality and Supply Act of 2013?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:54:45 AM CDT

If you currently receive stock in blister cards, a pharmacy or a wholesaler cannot simply put those medications in a card and label them as stock and still be in full regulatory compliance. A company must be an FDA-registered repackager or use the services of an FDA-registered repackager to legally repackage stock medications into blister cards or any other packaging that results in a change to the original manufacturer's packaging. Will you mandate that the pharmacy vendor comply with the regulations and use an FDA-registered repackager if stock is provided in packaging other than the original manufacturer's packaging? Will you require bidders to provide evidence (such as the repackager's license and labeler code or a letter from the repackager) that they use an FDA-registered repackager? Will failure of a pharmacy bidder to comply with FDA repackaging regulations regarding the provision of stock deem that bidder non-compliant and therefore ineligible to receive an award?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:55:05 AM CDT

What company is your current pharmacy services provider?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:55:15 AM CDT

What is your overall total dollar amount spent on pharmacy for the past 12 months?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:55:32 AM CDT

Is your current contract rate for pharmacy services acquisition cost plus a dispensing fee? If so, what is the current dispensing fee?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:57:00 AM CDT

Will all medications be shipped to/received at one central location at your facility? Or will they be shipped to multiple units/multiple facilities? If so, please provide details.

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 11:57:24 AM CDT

How does your facility currently handle hazardous and non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste to remain in compliance with August 2015 EPA regulations?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 12:13:51 PM CDT

Electronic ordering software and electronic medication pass software (eMAR) are standard in the correctional pharmacy industry, as they improve practices related to patient safety and increase staff efficiency and productivity. According to sections 6.0 and 7.0 as well as Exhibits F, G, and H, the RPSO appears not to use any advances in MAR software and appears to still do all ordering in a time- consuming, manual manner that increases the potential for medication errors and missed orders. (1) Does the RPSO currently use an electronic prescription order entry and eMAR system that is provided free of charge by your pharmacy vendor? (2) If so, what is the name of the system? (3) If not, would you be interested if a bidder could offer you a free solution in this area? (4) If not, would you consider issuing an addendum making this a requirement in your current solicitation, as electronic med pass could decrease the time for med pass by up to 50% and that time could be used to provide other healthcare services?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 12:15:47 PM CDT

Inventory management and medication accountability are critical to your facility's operation and financial bottom line, as poor medication management places an additional burden on your taxpayer base. (1) Does your facility currently use a barcode electronic order reconciliation (check-in) system that is provided to you free-of-charge by your current pharmacy vendor? (2) If not, would you consider issuing an addendum making that a requirement in your current solicitation, as manual daily order check-in can be decreased by up to 75%?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 12:21:53 PM CDT

Analyzing monthly utilization, formulary management, expenditures, clinical metrics, polypharmacy, and overall prescribing habits of your clinicians is critical for properly managing your budgetary dollars and ensuring that proper care and positive patient outcomes are maximized. Section 9.0 implies that the RPSO receives only 4 or 5 monthly reports regarding utilization, when other correctional facilities in Louisiana have access to hundreds of monthly reports from their pharmacy provider to control costs and track prescribing trends. (1) Does your pharmacy currently provide your facility a web-based Online Reporting Dashboard at no cost for your staff and facility/Parish administrators to access accurate and meaningful reporting 24/7/365? (2) If not, would you consider issuing an adding making that a requirement in your current solicitation so your staff can analyze prescriber ordering trends and costs to better manage facility operations through accessible reporting?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 12:23:08 PM CDT

Does your facility use a current electronic health record (EHR) / electronic medical record (EMR) system? (1) If so, would an interface be required to connect with the system for the transmission of medication orders? (2) If so, can you provide the name of the Correctional Facility Inmate Management Software or Jail Management System? (3) If so, will the Inmate Management Software support an HL7 interface?

diamond645 on 29-Apr-2016 12:25:36 PM CDT

If bidders offer correctional-specific pharmacy services--such as free electronic prescribing and an electronic medical administration record (eMAR) program—that are beyond your current ITB specifications, can we submit that information in our proposal and would those services be considered? Or, is this ITB based solely on lowest cost and the specifications currently in the ITB?