Medical's Fiscal Year 2011 awards totaled more than $4 billion.

The Medical Directorate is divided into four Commodity Business Units (CBUs):

• The Medical/Surgical CBU is responsible for the logistical management of medical/surgical instruments, products, and disposable items including labware, dental, and optical items.
• The Pharmaceutical CBU provides logistic support for the acquisition and management of all pharmaceutical items.
• The Equipment CBU provides logistic support for electrical devices and capital equipment items such as CT scanners, MRI and Ultra sonic equipment.
• The Readiness and Customer Support CBU buys and manages assemblies which include trauma sets, combat life-saver sets, general first-aid kits and sterilized surgical trays, as well as non-medical kits for maintenance functions of aircraft and missiles systems. Also, the CBU manages all war readiness items, coordinates and manages the Vendor Managed Inventory (VI) program, and Industrial Preparedness Program (IPP).

Since the early 1990's, Medical implemented a Prime Vendor Program for brand name specific and generic medical material and supplies. A prime vendor is a business concern that functions as a purchaser's primary source for specified classes of products and is responsible for the delivery of goods produced by various suppliers to the customer. The United States has been divided into twenty-two regions, with one prime vendor for pharmaceutical items and one prime vendor for medical/surgical items, delivering commercial products to all ordering facilities within that region.

As part of the Prime Vendor Program, Distribution and Pricing Agreements (DAPA) are established with pharmaceutical and medical/surgical manufacturers and distributors. Under the DAPA, the agreement holder consents to allow the prime vendor to distribute its products to the ordering facilities and agrees that the prime vendor will be charged the same price as established in the agreement. Currently, there are approximately 29,000 items on DAPA for pharmaceutical items and approximately 118,000 items on DAPA for medical/surgical items.

If you wish to participate in the Medical Prime Vendor Program, your firm must first establish a DAPA arrangement with DLA Troop Support as soon as possible. The point of contact to establish a DAPA with the Medical Directorate at DLA Troop Support is the Medical Small Business Specialist at 1(215)737-4648 or 1(800)831-1110 (outside Pennsylvania).

Medical also purchases items using the National Stock Number (NSN) of the item(s) which you are capable of supplying. The first four digits of the NSN relate to the Federal Supply Class (FSC) assigned to the item. Following are the categories of items in each FSC:

Outside the Prime Vendor Program, DLA Troop Support items purchased are manufactured in accordance with some type of specification. It is extremely important that you obtain a copy of the applicable specification(s) so that you are fully aware of the item requirements.

Specifications can be obtained from two places depending on the type. Military, Federal, and Commercial Item Descriptions may be obtained by writing to the Standardization Document Order Desk, Building 4, Section D, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094. Other than military, federal or commercial item description may be obtained via the NSN by writing this Center, ATTN: DLA Troop Support-MS, Directorate of Medical Materiel.

Solicitations and awards starting with SPM are available on the DLA-BSM Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS).

Because of the vital nature of medical items purchased by DLA Troop Support, this Center maintains a strict program of quality assurance. For drugs, surgical devices and other items under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cognizance, the FDA performs the quality assurance functions and pre-award surveys. For all other medical items, personnel of the nearest Defense Contract Management Area Office (DCMAO) inspect and accept the materials, and also perform pre-award surveys.

Please note that drugs may require a "New Drug Application" (NDA) or "Abbreviated New Drug Application" (ANDA). Devices may require an application for Pre-Marketing Surgical Devices approved by FDA. In such instances, the solicitation will contain an applicable clause so be certain to furnish the FDA approved file number and date of FDA approval for the product, as requested in the specific clause in the solicitation. In addition, there is a clause for drugs on container/closure system materials. Furnish the requested information about the container, container seal, container closure and closure liner or the drug product you offer to supply.

If you require additional information or assistance, feel free to contact the DLA Troop Support Medical Small Business Specialist at 215-737-4648 or 800-831-1110 (outside of Pennsylvania).