UP govt to pave way for entry of foreign cos

State govt revises supply conditions, bid security and eligibility terms for bidders

LUCKNOW : With seven days left in the submission of bids for procurement of 40 million doses of Covid vaccines, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to persuade overseas vaccine makers, including Sputnik V, Johnson and Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer, to participate in the global tenders floated by the state government on May 5.

Former Drug Controller General of India (DGCI), Dr GN Singh, who is advisor to the UP government on health and FSDA, will hold talks with the foreign companies to supply Covid vaccines by participating in the global tenders.

“Along with foreign companies, Singh will also open the channel with vaccine companies that are likely to get licence to manufacture vaccine in India,” said Navneet Sehgal, additional chief secretary, information and MSME. UP government spokesperson and minister Sidharth Nath Singh said to pave way for the entry of foreign companies, the state government has already revised supply conditions, bid security and eligibility terms for the bidders.

In the revised tenders, the UP government has stated that the vaccine manufacturers requiring storage or transportation at temperatures like -20 degrees Celsius, -70 degrees Celsius or -80 degrees Celsius can participate in the tender process. The vaccine manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer are stored at low temperatures, he said.

When told that Moderna and Pfizer have expressed inability in supplying vaccine to the Punjab and Delhi governments, Singh said UP has not received such communication from the both the companies.

“We are hopeful that the two companies, along with the other companies – Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Cadila, Serum Institute of India (SII), Bharat Biotech and a Korean company, which have participated in the pre-bid qualification meeting on May 13, will submit bids to supply Covid vaccine doses. To ramp up its vaccine stock, the UP government is working to ensure that maximum number of companies participate in the bid,” he added.

UP finance minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, who is chairman of the committee constituted by the state government to procure Covid vaccine, said UP is working to ensure that maximum number of vaccine manufacturing companies (foreign as well as Indian) participate in the bid.

A meeting to review the procurement of vaccines was held under chairmanship of chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday evening. It was decided to open direct channel with vaccine manufacturing companies.

The state government is holding direct communication with foreign companies on the direction of the central government. The supply of vaccines must be according to the guidelines issued by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). Bidders having manufacturing licence should also hold valid WHO GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certificate, he said.

At present, UP is procuring vaccines directly from Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and Pune-based Serum Institute of India. “We are also getting vaccines from the central government quota for the states. The UP government has adopted a liberal policy by revising the terms of contract and extending the last date for the submission of bids on the request of the companies,” he said.