HJ0040 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0040 LRB094 11971 DRJ 44859 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In January 2005, the State of Illinois, through its representatives in the Office of the Governor, signed a $2.6 million contract with Ecosse Hospital Products Limited of England for the purchase of 300,000 doses of influenza vaccine; and

WHEREAS, The start date on the contract was retroactive to October 20, 2004; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has not received the contracted-for vaccine; and

WHEREAS, In October 2004, the I-SaveRx program was created to allow Illinois citizens to obtain prescription drugs through a network of pharmacies in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland; and

WHEREAS, In Executive Order 2003-15, the Governor established a Special Advocate for Prescription Drugs; and

WHEREAS, The Office of the Governor and the Special Advocate for Prescription Drugs have been involved in the flu vaccine procurement process and in the I-SaveRx and other prescription drug programs; and

WHEREAS, There are questions concerning the State's obligation to pay on a contract for which the purchased goods were not received and for which the State did not receive any benefit; and

WHEREAS, Enrollment in the I-SaveRx program has been low; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Auditor General shall conduct a management audit of the process followed in negotiating and entering into the contract with Ecosse Hospital Products Limited and in establishing and operating the I-SaveRx program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the audit include, but not be limited to, the following determinations:

(1) The roles played by the Office of the Governor and the Special Advocate for Prescription Drugs in negotiating and entering into the flu vaccine contract;

(2) The procedures applicable to, and agencies responsible for, the establishment and operation of the I-SaveRx program; and

(3) Whether the entities involved in these programs followed all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Special Advocate for Prescription Drugs, and any other entity that may have relevant information pertaining to this audit cooperate fully and promptly with the Auditor General's Office in the conduct of this audit; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Auditor General commence this audit as soon as possible and report his findings and recommendations upon completion in accordance with Section 3-14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act.