Drug Discount Monitor

HRSA Takes First Step in Re-Competing PSSC Contract

Agreement will be for one base year plus four optional years.

May 4, 2012—The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has taken the first step in the process of selecting a contractor to operate the Pharmacy Services Support Center (PSSC) for what likely will be the next five years.

On Feb. 24, HRSA posted a "sources sought" notice on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site inviting interested small businesses to describe their "capability, experience, and/or ability to marshal resources" to run PSSC. Federal agencies are required to establish small-business contracting goals, with at least 23 percent of all government buying targeted to small firms. 

Responses to the PSSC notice were due March 13. HRSA noted that the invitation was "for planning purposes only" and not a formal request for proposals.

The PSSC contract, last awarded in 2007 and up for re-competition this year, is now held by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). It was also awarded the prior five-year contract in 2002.

"APhA is enthusiastically pursuing the PSSC contract," said Thomas E. Menighan, the group's executive vice president and chief executive officer. "Safety-net pharmacy services built upon quality and compliance are critically important to the association—our mission is to improve medication use and advance patient care. APhA is committed to patients who rely upon the safety net and PSSC helps fulfill this mission and we are looking forward to providing a dynamic solution for HRSA."

The 2007 contract was worth a total of $16 million. The new information-collection notice did not put a value on the forthcoming agreement, which will be for one base year and up to four optional years.

According to the notice, the PSSC contractor will be expected to:

• develop and implement policies for PSSC's daily operations
• develop and manage a resource management system
• develop quality management processes
• design program evaluation
• implement a marketing plan for informing customers about PSSC services and how to access them
• present policies developed under the effort to various stakeholder audiences
• develop and implement a comprehensive training plan on 340B
• produce and disseminate pharmacy resources and materials to grantees and others.

Minimum requirements include an understanding of 340B and related government drug pricing programs and a roster of expert consultants with backgrounds in "comprehensive pharmacy services and drug distribution, including: best practices for state pharmaceutical assistance programs; formulary development and operations; structure of public and private health insurance markets; policy matters impacting access to pharmaceutical care; quality of services; and procurement and price strategies."