Blank Rome partner Merle M. DeLancey Jr. will serve as a co-chair and speaker for the American Conference Institute’s (“ACI”) 19th Annual BIG FOUR Pharmaceutical Pricing Boot Camp, being held June 23 and 24, 2025, as a virtual conference.
Merle and fellow co-chair James Kim (Shareholder, Polsinelli PC) will present opening remarks on both days of the conference.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
ACI’s BIG FOUR Pharmaceutical Pricing Boot Camp provides attendees with a comprehensive understanding of essential government contracting processes and pricing concepts for the “Big Four” agencies—Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Public Health Service, and Coast Guard. The distinguished faculty includes government authorities and leading pricing professionals.
Merle’s session, “Preparing for and Participating in Post-Award Audits,” will take place on Tuesday, June 24, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. EDT.
ABOUT THE SESSION
This session will cover:
- The audit process in relation to FSS contracting
- What does the Veterans Affairs (“VA”) Office of Inspector General look for during the audit process?
- Scope of the audit— federal ceiling price (“FCP”) applicable to VA and Department of Defense
- Confidential customer contract
- Pre-award vs. post-award audits
- Efficiently conducting self-audits to ensure compliance
- Developing methods for preparing voluntary disclosures
- Avoiding actions that can result in costly penalties
- Refusing a VA request for information
- Knowingly providing false information
- Penalties levied for non-compliance
Other sessions include:
- Drug Prices in Federal Programs and Big Four Building Blocks: An Introduction to Key Agencies, Applicable Programs and Pricing Methodologies
- Understanding the Relationship Between Medicare, Medicaid, PHS and VA FSS Pricing
- Advanced Considerations: How the IRA, Tariffs, and the Private Market Relate to Big Four Pricing
- Using Hypotheticals to Illustrate and Master non-FAMP and FCP Calculations
- Preliminary Considerations and Best Practices for Joining the VA’s FSS Program
- Roadmap for Efficiently Navigating the System for Award Management
- Single or Dual Pricing? Selecting the Proper Methodology for Optimal Results
- A Step-by-Step Guide for Participating in TRICARE and the VA National Formulary
- Evaluating the Latest Developments in PHS 340B: New Pricing Guidance, ADR, and Contract Pharmacies
- In-Depth Look into FSS Post-Award Compliance and Securing the Renewal
- A Practical Examination of Cybersecurity Requirements for Federal Contractors
- Federal Government Market Access Working Group: A Guide to Optimizing Revenue and Creating Federal-Specific Value to the Big Four Agencies
For more information or to register, please visit the event webpage.
