To: Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle

Why Not A Black Pharmaceutical Wholesale Business?

3 R would like for you to phone and/or email Cook County, President Preckwinkle, Commissioner Stanley Moore and Commissioner Dennis Deer. Tell them to be fair and show transparency by adhering to the language in the contract when it comes to their certified MBE/WBE pharmaceutical business. Tell them to reconsider giving the LARGE business, AB the waiver of 12.68% and allow 3 R, a Black pharmaceutical wholesale business the opportunity to participate on this contract.

Why is this important?

For the last twenty years, a government agency, Cook County has awarded their Pharmaceutical Distribution contract to only one vendor, AmerisourceBergen (AB). AB, is a pharmaceutical wholesale distributor and Fortune 500 company that currently has an annual revenue of approximately $167.9 billion.

Cook County, not only awarded AB a contract for a period of five years to distribute pharmaceutical products to their health care facilities, but granted them a 12.68% contract waiver as well. The initial contract goal of 17.5% was to be utilized by providing business opportunities for Cook County certified Minority Business Enterprise/Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) businesses. However, AB only fulfilled approximately 4.82% of the contract goal by utilizing non-pharmaceutical MBE/WBE businesses, i.e., janitorial services, pest control and snow removal companies, just to name a few.

My name is Dr. Helen A. Randolph, president of 3 R Health Care Products (3 R). 3 R is a Black and female-owned small business, and the only one certified with this government agency, Cook County as a MBE/WBE pharmaceutical wholesale distributor business. I was raised by a single parent, lived in public housing and worked my way through pharmacy school. I was told the odds were stacked against me and the chances of becoming a pharmacist was impossible. In spite of what I was told, and the obstacles that stood in my way, I was able to succeed. I not only became a pharmacist and received my doctorate degree, but became an entrepreneur as well. I am now faced with another obstacle. For 14 years, my company, 3 R has been denied the opportunity to participate on this Cook County contract. This government agency continues to favor this LARGE business, AB. WE NEED YOUR HELP! We would like for the County to adhere to their contract by not honoring AB a waiver, and allow 3 R the opportunity to participate on this contract. 3 R has the necessary resources and experience as a pharmaceutical wholesale distributor just like AB, but on a smaller scale.