Request for Information: Domestic Pharmaceutical Vial Supply Chain Sustainment

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA) urgently seeks information from firms performing borosilicate/hybrid glass-plastic vial manufacturing in support of the COVID-19 and/or pharmaceutical supply chain, who are interested in or currently executing capacity expansion efforts to meet growing domestic and global demand in vial products. Information is requested for the purposes of determining sufficient availability of DOMESTIC sources currently manufacturing commercial consumables products and raw materials in support of COVID-19 and long term production supply chains, and to establish near, mid and long term (next 24 months) pharmaceutical vial supply chain sustainment goals to meet the ongoing crisis and growing long term demands. Interested firms are requested to submit white papers (2-8 pages) providing: Description of borosilicate glass/hybrid vial products currently being manufactured in support of COVID-19/other vaccine products. List of current vaccine producers being supported. Typical product manufacturing lead time, current backlog and projected backlog for next 12 months. Current annualized throughput (units/year) for each type of vial product. Description of any ongoing or planned efforts to increase/expand DOMESTIC vial manufacturing capacity, to include planned expansion effort, schedule and cost, and whether the planned effort can be accelerated with additional funds, with associated cost and schedule impacts. Please include: Description of planned/potential increase in domestic manufacturing capacity throughput or capacity expansion. Use current throughput as baseline, with projected expansion/increase expressed as percent increase over baseline. Innovative/advanced product claims for vial technology and/or manufacturing processes associated with planned/potential capacity expansion. Describe any anticipated acceleration of planned/potential expansion effort if additional funding is available to support the effort. Include projected schedule savings and associated funding increase required. Provide details regarding when new throughput/capabilities could come online, based on incremental percent increase over baseline (e.g. XX% increase in 6 months, YY% increase in 12 months, etc). THIS INFORMATION IS REQUESTED FOR INFORMATION GATHERING PURPOSES ONLY. NO SOLICITATION CURRENTLY EXISTS. This information will be used by BARDA to identify potential gaps and weaknesses in the current pharmaceutical vial supply chain, and to develop plans to close those gaps. White papers submitted in response to this sources sought may result in a request by BARDA for submission of a formal proposal to expand/accelerate current vial manufacturing capability to meet urgent and long term domestic manufacturing capability targets. Any request for proposal will be issued at the sole discretion of BARDA, and will include cost sharing between the US Government and the contractor in accordance with applicable federal guidelines.