Procurement and Management for Essential Medicines Buffer Stockpile.

Descriptions

The Authority wishes to replace and continue to maintain the Essential Medicines Buffer Stockpile first created in 2009. The purpose of the stockpile is to have medicines, routinely used in the NHS, available for release into the UK supply chain in the event of pandemic or other health emergency.The Authority wishes to purchase certain medicines which will then be stored as a stockpile by the relevant contractor(s), those contractor(s) being responsible for rotating the stock so that it has a minimum agreed shelf life throughout the contract term. The stock must be stored in the UK. In the event of a UK shortage, the Authority can direct contractor(s) to buy back all or some of the stock they hold, and release it through the normal UK supply channels. Should there be such a release, the Authority may wish to build the stockpile back to its initial levels, and the contract makes provision for that.In the period leading up to expiry of the contract, the contractor(s) will be required, through an agreed exit plan, to buy back the stock. Title to the stock (prior to any buy back) will be with the Authority, but the contractor(s) must store the stock at their own risk and manage it, to include regular reporting and review meetings with the Authority. The stock should also be subject to the contractor(s) own internal audits and will be audited by NHS Business Authority on behalf of the Authority at least once a year.The contract is for 4 years, with the possibility of decreasing the level of stock held in years 3 and 4 by agreement should market conditions change.The volumes required are based on a three months provision for the UK. Multiple contracts may be awarded for each lot.