AstraZeneca, RDIF evince interest in Telangana's global tender for Covid-19 vaccine

Hyderabad: AstraZeneca and Russia’s Sputnik V are the only two vaccine manufacturers which have participated in a pre-bid meeting held by Telangana government for procuring 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, though the conference witnessed participation of a few trade representatives, sources said on Thursday. The pre-bid meeting was held on May 26. The last date to submit the quotation is June 4.

Telangana recently issued a global-tender notice for procuring ten million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from manufacturers or their agents in case of imported jabs.

“Representatives of AstraZeneca and Sputnik V participated, though some trade representatives also took part in the pre-bid meeting,” sources close to the development told PTI.

The bidders can quote their offers to supply the vaccine in part also, provided that monthly supply shall not be less than 1.5 million and the total supply of 10 million doses shall be completed within six months from the issuance of Letter of Intent (LoI), according to the tender document.

Any vaccine supplier should comply with the standards set by the Drug Controller General of India for the jabs, sources add.  AstraZeneca sells two Covid-19 vaccines. It tied up with Serum Institute and rolled out Covishield in India while it sells the jab under brand name Vaxzevria in Europe and other countries.

Russian Direct Investment Fund inked a pact with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories for the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of Sputnik V in India.