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<p>All offers of personal protective equipment (PPE) were subject to the same assurance
process which selected suppliers based on the product type, clinical acceptability,
price, forecasted delivery dates, volume and financial standing. The overall basis
for awarding contracts, including the value for money consideration, involved a balanced
judgement of all these factors. While the price per unit is a factor, FFP3 masks require
FIT testing onto the wearer which is required by law. Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd offered
a mask which was already in use within the National Health Service and one which healthcare
workers had provided a positive evaluation of.</p><p> </p><p>Information on the unit
price of PPE ordered under each contract is commercially sensitive. While the unit
price for the FFP3 masks under this contact were higher, the Department considered
the urgent need for the product; the product had previously passed FIT testing and
was in use within the health system; and that other tried and tested FFP3 masks were
not available from other European sources at the time.</p><p> </p><p>The demand and
supply signals for PPE varied on a daily basis in light of infection rates within
the United Kingdom. The availability of product also fluctuated regularly due to competition
over manufacturing capacity and scarce supply. The Government supported the UK Make
programme for UK suppliers to develop manufacturing capacity for PPE at the end of
2020. The Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd contract provided a clinically approved product
before UK Make suppliers were able to distribute their products.</p>
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