Department of Health and Social Care

39 Victoria Street

London

SW1H 0EU

UK

Contact person: Amy Watkins

E-mail: AntiviralsTaskforce@dhsc.gov.uk

NUTS: UKI32

Internet address(es)

Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care

Address of the buyer profile: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care

II.1.1) Title

Reference number: C51900

II.1.2) Main CPV code

33600000

II.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

II.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.

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.1.7) Total value of the procurement

Value excluding VAT: 1.00  USD

IV.1.1) Type of procedure

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition

Justification for selected award procedure:

The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: absence of competition for technical reasons

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.

IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

Pfizer Limited

Walton Oaks, Dorking Road

Kent

KT20 7NS

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: No

VI.4.1) Review body