§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the smallpox contract awarded to Powderject and supplied by Bavarian Nordic is to be subcontracted to IDT. [67557]
§ Mr. HuttonThe contract has been awarded to PowderJect. Therefore, PowderJect is responsible for the supply of properly manufactured vaccine that meets our specific requirements.
Under the terms of this contract, the smallpox vaccine will be manufactured in Germany by Impfstoffwerke Dessau Tornav GmbH (IDT).
§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how long he estimates it would have taken to complete the tendering process for the smallpox vaccine order if the usual tendering process had been used. [67548]
§ Mr. HuttonIf the usual open tendering processes had been used for the procurement of smallpox vaccine, the complete process is likely to have taken as long as four to five months to complete. Potential suppliers must first submit an expression of interest in response to the 37-day advertisement in theOfficial Journal of European Communities and must accompany that expression with evidence requested by the contracting organisation. From those who satisfy this first stage, tenders would be invited from some or all, and a period of 40 days is usually allowed for potential bidders to submit bids. There then follows a period during which the tenders are evaluated, terms agreed and a contract is prepared.