In June 2022, HERA launched a pilot Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) to better address the needs of Member States and the Commission in joint procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The DPS streamlines future joint procurements for medical counter-measures to counter cross-border health threats. It enables companies wishing to offer products to pre-qualify and register within the system. As a result, HERA will be able to save precious time to identify adequate potential candidates when procuring PPE in times of a health crisis.
The pilot phase is based on a fully electronic procedure, supported by an external electronic platform.
PPE suppliers are invited to participate in the DPS in order to be eligible for future tenders. The pre-qualification phase will remain open for 4 years (until May 2026).
More information on DPS: Published tenders (mercell.com)
Next steps
On the basis of the outcome of the pilot, the Commission might consider extending the DPS to other medical countermeasures.
Background
The Commission is supporting the preparedness and response efforts of all Member States in times of health emergencies. One of the key goals of the Commission's Health Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) is to ensure the development, manufacturing, procurement, and equitable distribution of key medical countermeasures.
The EU's Joint Procurement Agreement (JPA) offers the 36 participating countries to jointly procure medical counter-measures for cross-border health threats as an alternative or complement to procurement at national level. The JPA has been a key element in helping Member States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its usefulness, the JPA was not designed as a tool to be used during an emergency. While the pandemic highlighted the importance of adequate preparedness for emergencies, it placed enormous strain on the mechanism. Against this background, the joint procurement team is exploring a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS).
Details
- Publication date
- 4 October 2022