Market Engagement for Storage & Distribution of Human Medicines, Vaccines & Associated Medical Products

A new storage and distribution contract is needed to ensure that storage and distribution of UKHSA-owned goods, including, but not exclusively limited to, consumables, pharmaceutical goods including controlled drugs (CDs), medical devices, immunoglobulins, antitoxins, antivenoms and vaccines, can continue to be safely received from manufacturers, stored, and distributed to the NHS and other specified recipients under appropriate conditions as per licence requirements. The products require specialist storage and distribution to ensure that they are not damaged, both physically and biologically. To support this, effective stock management and audit systems are essential in accordance with GDP requirements.<br/>The proposed requirement is to provide ambient temperature controlled (ie. below 15C to 25C), chilled (ie. 2C to 8C), frozen (ie. -15C to -50C) and ultra-low temperature (eg. -60C to -90C) warehousing, distribution and management services across the UK (including Northern Ireland and Crown Dependencies) for the supply of human medicines, vaccines and associated medical products, covering a multi-tiered response level (including scheduled routine deliveries and urgent same-day service levels). Prior to the operational service commencement date the provider should also have the capability for repack and thaw activities in compliance with its Manufacturing Specials (MS) Licence.<br/><br/>The requirement is critical to UKHSA in order to allow the uninterrupted and continued service for:<br/>

• National Immunisation Programmes - the importance of population-based immunisation in protecting public health through minimising/eradicating the incidence and spread of vaccine preventable diseases is well established. The UK has one of the most comprehensive immunisation programmes in the world, with protection throughout the life course starting before birth, continuing into childhood, adolescence and adulthood including older adults.<br/>
• Pandemic Preparedness Portfolio (PPP) – the stockpiling of medicines, vaccines and associated consumable products in preparedness to respond to a future pandemic.<br/>
• Covid Vaccine Programme – The UK continues to respond to the threat of COVID-19 through a targeted vaccination programme for those most vulnerable to the virus. This includes older people, people with underlying health conditions, and frontline health and social care workers. <br/>
• Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response programme (EPRR) – the UK has provisions in place for responding to accidental or intentional releases of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) materials.<br/>
• Rapid Deployment Treatments (RDT) - includes small volumes of chilled pharmaceutical goods held for rapid deployment and delivery within a best endeavours target of 5 hours in support of a healthcare emergency in the UK <br/><br/>The overall need of UKHSA is to ensure that requirements and outputs are managed in a way that:<br/>
• continues to provide a high-quality flexible service that can adapt to suit changing needs;<br/>
• drives maximum savings;<br/>
• increases UKHSA efficiency;<br/>
• promotes the use of ‘best practice’ in line with Good Distribution Practice (GDP), and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulatory requirements; and<br/>
• provides full transparency of reporting and record keeping. Additional information: Additional Information can be found at the following attachment: atamis-1928.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/0O000000rwim/a… ↗ <br/><br/>Previous notices associated with the opportunity include: <br/>www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026501-2023 ↗<br/>www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/9f7f2e0f-8d01… ↗