Pipeline Framework: Emergency Medicines Buffer Stock of Intravenous and Peritoneal Dialysis fluids

A pipeline has been launched for Emergency Medicines Buffer Stock of Intravenous and Peritoneal Dialysis fluids.The contract start Date is 14 June 2018. Approach to market date is 05 March 2018.DH owns an Essential Medicines Buffer Stockpile (EMBS), which was first set up in 2009. The purpose of the EMBS is to have medicines that are routinely used in the NHS, available for release into the UK supply chain in the event of pandemic or other health emergency. The current EMBS contract was finalised in November 2015 and runs for 4 years to November 2019.Clinical gaps in the current EMBS contract were identified of which the most important gaps are intravenous (IV) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) fluids for which there are at present no contracts or buffer stocks. Creating an Emergency Medicines Buffer Stock for IV and PD fluids is the subject of this procurement.The Emergency Medicines Buffer Stock for IV and PD fluids will operate differently to other national stockpiles in that the suppliers who win the contracts are required to store and rotate the stock through their normal supply chain to prevent it from expiring. All the stock must be held with at least a 12 month expiry date and it must be held within the UK. The Contract will be for a period of up to 31 months at the Authorities discretion.This is a potential opportunity from the government, and the pipeline gives advance notice of an opportunity that might be offered by the public sector in the future – allowing potential suppliers to plan accordingly. When a public sector organisation publishes a pipeline notice, it does not necessarily mean that an opportunity will be offered in the future.For more information contact: 39 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0EU, England. Email: sam.richman@dh.gsi.gov.uk.