Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Contact
Amy Watkins
TherapeuticsTaskforce@dhsc.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI32 - Westminster
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
Buyer's address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
VIR-7831 Supply Agreement for Pandemic Purposes
Reference number
C45847
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 33600000 - Pharmaceutical products
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
The evolution of the UK’s pandemic response has highlighted the critical importance and economic value of a multi-layered and comprehensive approach to COVID-19.The need for antibodies and other therapeutics has always been under consideration, the mutation of the virus and the risk this poses on antibody and vaccine efficacy has only recently been properly identified and still requires further academic studies.These unforeseen circumstances mean there is now a critical, urgent need to procure and deploy a new class of mAbs, that can neutralise any COVID-19 variant. These neutralising mAbs provide protection to a cohort of the population who, for medical reasons, cannot mount an appropriate immune response to vaccination or, for whatever reason, do not get vaccinated and are also at higher risk of hospitalisation or death.This agreement is for the procurement of 100,008 units of Sotrovimab (VIR-7831).
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £1
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Procurement of VIR-7831.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
Explanation:
This good was procured under Regulation 32(2)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for the following reasons:1. Strictly NecessaryScientific data has recently emerged which now shows how SARS-VoV-2 mutates such that it may make existing vaccine and antibody treatments ineffective. This mAb is one of only a handful of COVID-19 suitable ‘neutralising’ mAbs under development which can withstand the current Variant of Concern mutations. It is also the only one which has the potential to be MHRA approved for non-hospitalised patients in time for Autumn/Winter 2022. This mAb is therefore critical for the protection of the immunocompromised cohort of the UK population..2. Extreme UrgencyThe potential impact on public health if this contract award is not made is significant and therefore DHSC has an urgent requirement for mAb therapies to be available for Q3 and Q4 2021. The UK is seeing daily case numbers increasing rapidly and new virus mutations spreading globally, despite ongoing international travel restrictions. The UK must act on the most up to date data it has access to, which indicates that there is a severe threat to public health for the immunocompromised cohort of the UK population which must be addressed. 3. UnforeseeableThere are many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, since its original outbreak, which have been entirely unforeseeable and which have resulted in nations across the world struggling to respond. DHSC is acting on the newest information it has available to tailor its COVID-19 response accordingly.4. The event was not caused by DHSCThe events leading to the requirements for neutralising mAb treatment are not attributable to any action by DHSC. Rather the requirement is being driven by the mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the consequential evolution of a global pandemic.5. Minimum procurement timescalesTime is of the essence in relation to the need to secure the mAb supply. Wave-3 is underway and wave-4 is predicted to have begun by Q4 of 2021. In light of that and the fact that this mAb is yet to obtain final MHRA approval to make it lawful for use by DHSC, it will not be possible to comply with the minimum timescales of a standard open, restricted or competitive negotiated procedure procurement exercise.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
11 August 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 0
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
GlaxoSmithKline UK Limited
GSK House, 980 Great West Road, Middlesex
Brentford
TW8 9GS
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
04310159
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1
Lowest offer: £1 / Highest offer: £1 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Information on contract value is being withheld due to commercial sensitivity under Regulation 50(6)(b) and (c) as the publication of the price may enable competitors to calculate cost per dose. This will (i) commercially prejudice the supplier in its ongoing negotiations with other national governments; (ii) commercially prejudice the contracting authority in its ongoing negotiations with other vendors and (iii) impact fair competition between vendors
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
generaloffice@administrativecourtoffice.justice.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom