The BMC has received no bids for its global expression of interest (EOI) floated last week for procurement of 1 crore vaccine doses. Sunday was the last day for accepting queries from interested bidders. The tender will close on May 18.
On May 12, BMC became the first municipal corporation in the country to float a global tender for the purchase of vaccines. The civic body gave bidders six days to respond. As per the tender condition, bidders were supposed to send their queries related to the tender by May 16. Officials from the BMC have hinted that the civic body may extend the deadline.
“No bids were received till Sunday. We will wait till the last day of the EOI and then decide on extending the deadline for the tender, “said P Velrasu, Additional Municipal Corporation (Projects), who is handling the vaccine procurement.
BMC had floated a tender for procurement of 1 crore vaccine doses. Apart from Covishield and Covaxin, the corporation is eying global vaccine firms like Sputnik V, Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson. India has so far given approval to only three vaccines – Covishield made by SII, Covaxin by Bharat Biotech, and Russian vaccine Sputnik V. On Friday, the first dose of Sputnik V was administered in Hyderabad.
Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnson are yet to get final approval in India. According to officials, the firm bidding for supplying vaccines to Mumbai will have to secure all mandatory clearances including from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
As per the tender condition, the bidding firm will have to provide the required storage facility for the vaccine if it is other than what is available with the BMC.
Surjitt Sahani
