1785-S - Raw material for mRNA vaccine development

Tender description

CPI require a number of enzymes to use as part of its response to COVID-19 vaccine project. The Public Contract Regulations 2015 state in regulation 32.2) The negotiated procedure without prior publication may be used for public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts in any of the following cases:- (ii)competition is absent for technical reasons Raw material for mRNA vaccine development/manufacture of a COVID 19 vaccine. This is a fast moving and time limited project. As a synthetically expressed mRNA vaccine, a DNA template is required for expression and manufacture. The DNA template design is the key IP and any transfer to 3rd party manufacturing sites needs to be protected with relevant MTA agreements. The DNA template can be manufactured in a couple of different ways, either using E. Coli to make conventional plasmid DNA template which then needs to be purified, or using a unique synthetic manufacturing route developed by the supplier to make a DNA template called "Doggy Bone DNA" dbDNA. The supplier already have an MTA with the research company and have manufactured dbDNA in stock and ready for dispatch, any other supplier will need to negotiate an MTA with the research company and then develop a manufacturing process before being able to manufacture a product for sale. This process will take several months and cause a significant delay to the process development activities at CPI. The manufacturing process is unique to the supplier, fully validated and scalable and is able to supply any quantity of DNA required. No final decision can be made at this moment about the final supplier of the DNA template for final full scale manufacture but the supplier is the only company who is able to supply DNA to support the current development activities.