Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Contact
Amy Watkins
AntiviralsTaskforce@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.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
PF-07321332 Supply Agreement for Pandemic Purposes
Reference number
C51900
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 33600000 - Pharmaceutical products
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
Vaccines have been shown to be highly effective in the fight against COVID-19, to date. However, there is a cohort of individuals who either cannot take the vaccine or for whom it is ineffective. There is therefore an urgent need to find an effective alternative. So far there are no primary care antiviral drugs that can be easily dispensed specifically to treat SARS-CoV-2 and prevent its transmission in the community.This agreement is for the procurement of 250,000 units of PF-07321332/ritonavir . It is one of the first oral and direct-acting antiviral drugs globally and is part of the UK’s multi-layered approach to COVID-19.
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 USD
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 PF-07321332/ritonavir.
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
- The services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- absence of competition for technical reasons
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
Explanation:
Regulation 32(2)(c)The procurement was initiated on the basis that Regulation 32(2)(c) was applicable. In April 2021, the Antivirals Task Force (ATF) was established as it was recognised there was an urgent to find alternative novel anti-viral treatments. As far as is strictly necessary: The use of antivirals was identified as strictly necessary for the cohort of individuals for whom a vaccine is not an option. There are genuine reasons for extreme urgency: The procurement of antivirals aims to protect vulnerable cohorts of the population. This risk of public health presents a genuine emergency.The events that have led to the need for extreme urgency were unforeseeable: There are many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been entirely unforeseeable. DHSC is acting on the newest information it has available to tailor its COVID-19 response accordingly. The situation is not attributable to the contracting authority: The situation of extreme urgency is not attributable to DHSC.It is impossible to comply with the usual timescales in the PCR: When the need for antivirals was urgently identified in April 2021, DHSC conducted a comprehensive market review. The result of this exercise was that it became clear that a procurement exercise could not be run due to the absence of competition. If the ATF were to run a procurement process now, it would worsen DHSC’s position.Regulation 32 (2) (b) (ii)In the course of this procurement, it has become clear to DHSC that Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) is applicable. The antivirals market is inverted, with an imbalance between demand and supply and limited worldwide supply capacity. This means there will be a finite supply of antivirals available in 2021/22: to date only two antivirals have received or have the potential to gain MHRA approval for Autumn/Winter 2021.Looking forward, DHSC is expected to publish a Prior Information Notice (PIN) in November in respect of its likely further portfolio requirements with a view to running future open procurement exercises where possible. Please see Contracts Finder Notice for full justification.
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
18 October 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
Pfizer Limited
Walton Oaks, Dorking Road
Kent
KT20 7NS
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
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 USD
Lowest offer: 1 USD / Highest offer: 1 USD 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