GPO procuring 8.5 million antigen test kits this month
The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) is going ahead with the procurement of 8.5 million sets of antigen test kits (ATKs) to ensure they will be delivered by August-end, while assuring of transparency in the bidding process.
Sirinut Cheewanphisannukul, GPO deputy director, said the purchase was in line with the National Health Security Office (NHSO)'s terms of reference (TOR), stating that ATKs do not have to pass the World Health Organisation's standards.
She said the GPO, the NHSO and Rajavithi Hospital had improved some details in the TOR to ensure that high-quality ATKs, which are in line with Thai Food and Drug Administration's standards, will be delivered by August.
She added that the GPO would purchase the ATKs as per the agency's procurement regulations, as the NHSO and Rajavithi Hospital had not specified any ATK brands, while there were many ATK vendors who had participated in the bidding.
On August 10, the GPO asked 19 of the 24 ATK vendors to participate in bidding for the contract to purchase 8.5 million sets of ATKs.
Ostland Capital's “Sars-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kit” has been offered at a price lower than the budget set by the NHSO, saving more than THB400 million. The price of each test kit under the purchase contract is about THB70 [including VAT].