BMC gets eight responses for global tender for COVID-19 vaccines, extends deadline till 1 June

Mumbai: The Mumbai civic body on Tuesday extended the deadline for accepting global expression of interest (EOI) till 1 June even after it has received positive response from eight firms for supplying COVID-19 vaccines. This is the second extension in deadline, which was to end on 25 May, by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for submission of bids by vaccine suppliers. “The BMC has extended its global EOI’s deadline till 1 June, though we have received some eight applicants so far expressing willingness to supply vaccines against COVID-19,” IS Chahal, BMC commissioner, said. The civic body has decided to wait for more applicants and details of their plans to execute the order and hence it has extended the deadline for submission of bids, said another official. The corporation first floated the global expression of interest earlier this month (the original deadline was 18 May) and received response from three suppliers. The last date for submission of bids was later extended till 25 May and now till 1 June. The COVID-19 vaccination drive in Mumbai has been plagued by a shortage of doses. It has been said the BMC is looking at procuring at least one crore vaccine vials for the city.