Firm Claiming to Supply Pfizer, AstraZeneca Jabs to BMC Backs Out

The BMC had issued a global Expression of Interest (EOI) for 1 crore COVID-19 vaccines earlier this month.

Coronavirus Vaccine.

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Romania-based firm O2 Blue Energy SRL on Tuesday, 25 May, had submitted a proposal claiming that it can facilitate the acquisition of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, in response to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's call for procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

However, the firm withdrew its bid two days later, on Thursday, 27 May, without providing any justification for the same, as per report by The Indian Express.

The BMC had released a global Expression of Interest (EOI) for the procurement of 1 crore COVID-19 vaccines earlier this month. This was done in the interest of ramping up the city’s immunisation drive.

Pfizer-BioNtech had issued a statement on Wednesday, asserting that it had not authorised any other party to import, market or distribute its COVID-19 vaccine.

The drugmaker had also stated earlier that it would only deal with the central government in the matter of vaccine supply.

Pfizer's assertion spurred doubts regarding the legitimacy of the Romanian firm's offer to supply the vaccine. The firm had also requested an advance remuneration for its service, a condition that was against the BMC's clause.

The BMC has also indicated that the verification of the proposals received is a top priority for the civic body. It intends to analyse the documents of the bidders as well as check their connection with the vaccine manufacturers in order to verify their offer.

“We are verifying the claims of the firms. Many crucial documents like authorization letters from manufacturers are yet to be submitted. One round of interaction has been taken with five bidders," an official told The Indian Express.

BMC Commissioner, Iqbal Singh Chahal, on Tuesday, 25 May, had disclosed that the civic body had received eight bids till then, of which seven offers were for the Sputnik vaccine, while one was for Pfizer/AstraZeneca.

The BMC has also approached Serum Institute of India (SII) and Russian Direct Investment Firm, the latter being the global commercialisation partner for the Sputnik V vaccine, in order to solicit a tender for vaccine supply. However, it has no received no response from either of the firms so far.

(With inputs from The Indian Express.)