AP govt floats global tender for 1 cr COVID vaccines

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday floated a global tender for procurement of COVID-19 vaccine, from foreign producers, sufficient to inoculate one crore people.

Global firms have been given time till June 3 to submit their bids, according to Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal.

“Some could be single dose and some double dose vaccine.

Based on the bids, we will make the purchase (of number of doses) accordingly,” Anil said.

In the tender notification, the AP Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation said the vaccines to be supplied must be in accordance with the ICMR guidelines.

The bidder having own manufacturing license should hold a valid WHO Good Manufacturing Practice certificate issued by the licensing authorities from where the product is being manufactured, it said.

“Manufacturing units and manufacturers authorized agents (for imported product only) are eligible to participate in the tender, provided they have valid license to manufacture/export the item(s) quoted, from the Competent Authority, Government of India.

DCGI approval for supply of the vaccines in Indian territory must also be submitted,” the notification said.

A GMP inspection certificate, in line with the WHO certification scheme on pharmaceuticals moving in international commerce, from the regulatory authority (RA) in the country of manufacture of the goods or certified by the competent authority of a member country of the Pharmaceuticals Inspection Convention (PIC) should be produced.

The bidder should also have a valid Certificate of Pharmaceuticals Product (COPP), as recommended by the WHO, for each product offered, it added.