F.No. 54011/5/2011-Estt.(NPPA)

Government of India

Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers

Department of Pharmaceuticals

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority

3^rd & 5^th Floor,

YMCA Cultural Centre Building,

1, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi – 110 001

Dated: 7^th December, 2012

TERMS OF RERENCE FOR SMS BASED HELPLINE FOR GENERIC/BRANDED MEDCINES

1. INTRODUCTION 

There are number of drugs available in the market with same medicament composition with wide variation in their prices.  The prescription of doctors also varies from low price to high priced drugs for the same ailment. Government of India intends to launch an SMS based patient awareness scheme which would enable the patients to know the cheaper alternatives medicines available.

2. OBJECTIVE

i) To operate an all India based SMS Helpline for general public awareness to provide information about the cheaper alternatives of minimum two allopathic medicines with generic and brand name within 160 characters which are available and sold in the market in various parts of the country.  It should include all scheduled/ NLEM / Jan Aushadhi drugs.

ii) The facility should be available 24 hours on all 7 days a week.

3. SCOPE OF WORK 

i) To track and update the latest market price on monthly basis of all generic and branded medicines including all scheduled/ NLEM/ Jan Aushadhi medicines available and sold in various parts of the country.

ii) Inclusion and exclusion of medicine(s) from the data base shall be informed to NPPA every month.

iii) The complete data base in respect of the above will be made available to NPPA and the Department of Pharmaceuticals in hard/soft copy on monthly basis.  The data base provided by the SMS service provider shall be the intellectual property of the NPPA and the Department of Pharmaceuticals.

iv) No advertisement/other revenue opportunities would be allowed  on the SMS

v) There shall be no limit of maximum queries for any mobile user.

vi) Government of India will be the custodian of the information for which a separate tripartite agreement would need be signed between the contractor, mobile service provider and the Government of India.

vii)  To impart the most relevant SMS reply considering the latest updated MRP of medicines in the order of the price from lower to higher.

viii) SMS service provider shall be responsible for correctness of the information.

4. DELIVERABLES 

i) To deliver SMS based information to the NPPA/individual patient queries on drug prices available in respect of different brands and generic medicines available in the market including imported medicines in finished form consisting of the same composition either in single or in combination drugs.

ii) Instant information through SMS (in 160 characters) reply on the minimum two cheapest alternatives of various generic and branded medicines of the same salt.

iii) If the query is for the price of specific brand, the SMS reply be for the latest MRP of the said brand and also for minimum 2 cheapest brands/ medicines within 160 characters.

iv) In case the query is for alternative without specifying any brand name, the information will be provided for cheapest alternative medicines.

v) If the query is received for the alternative in generic name, a reply on the latest market price of medicines available in different brand name based on the same drug is replied including Jan Aushadhi price wherever available.

vi) The bidder will cover a minimum 90% of the pharmaceutical market on annual basis.

vii) Where the alternative cannot be suggested the replying message should state “no alternative suggested”, and need be reported to NPPA on monthly basis.

5. TIMELINE:

Six month from the date of awarding the contract.

6. PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

i) Project Cost: Project cost shall cover the cost of creation/building of the Database, monthly updating/maintenance of the database, cost of development of software for onward transmission through SMS and other miscellaneous expenses related to the project. In this regard, payments shall be made in three instalments in the ratio of 20% as advance on finalization of the bid against the bank guarantee as per provisions covered under GFR 159, 50% within a period of six months after fully operational of the system and the remaining 30% after satisfactory yearly performance of the bidder in three equal instalments at the end of each year.

ii) Second and third stage payments shall be released only after satisfactory performance to the satisfaction of Chairman, NPPA and the Department of Pharmaceuticals.

iii) Recurring Cost: The actual bills from the mobile service provider shall be produced for payments in case of mobile originators.

iv) Any extra cost to the caller i.e. general public more than his normal plan will not be entertained in any case.

7. BIDDING PROCEDURE: 

i) The bid process should be on two bid system with technical and financial bids separately. The two bids should be put in two separate sealed envelopes with the words “technical bid”and “price bid”. Both envelops to be put in a larger envelop with the words “Technical and Price Bid for SMS Scheme”.  Price bids will be opened only if technical bids are acceptable.  Bids received beyond the specified date will not be considered in any case.

ii) The Price Bid should only contain the prices. Any extra information contained in the price bid will not be accepted and the price bid with any such extra condition may lead to rejection. The price bid should be comprehensive with no extra charges to be allowed and should contain single bid for price of one time supply of information uploading on the SMS service provider’s server and its regular monthly updation of information. It should also include SMS charges to the Government for initial 10 lakh SMSs per annum. If the numbers of SMS increase the threshold level of 10 lakhs per annum extra charge will be paid pro rata actual bills to be produced from the SMS service provider.

iii) To hold pre-bid meeting for ‘Technical Bids’ with prospective bidders to explain the scope of assignment, responsibilities of either party or other details in order to eliminate any ambiguity later on at the time of submission of technical/ financial bids.

iv) The terms of technical bids should be as under:-

• The company/firm/agency should have access to latest market price of all the generic and branded medicines including available and sold in various parts of the country including in the remote areas.
• The company/firm/agency should have the ability to track and update the new generic and branded medicines including prices on monthly basis to give the most relevant SMS reply considering the latest updated MRP.
• The company/firm/agency should have fully functional all India VAS platform.
• The company/firm/agency should be able to demonstrate its capabilities with reference to above points before the technical committee to be constituted by Govt. /NPPA.

v) Consortium of service provider:- (As per the para 1.4 of Manual of Policies and Procedure of Employment of Consultants)

vi) The price bid will be evaluated on the basis of total cost to the Government/NPPA for 3 years including the cost of threshold level of 10 lakh SMSs per year.

8. LAST DATE OF RECEIPT OF TECHNICAL/PRICE BID

 45 days from the date of publishing the advertisement in the newspapers/website which ever is later.

9. COVERAGE

All therapeutic segments including scheduled/ NLEM/ Jan Aushadhi medicines to be included subject to a minimum of 90% market coverage.  It will include only medicines and not hospital products.

10. METHOD OF MONITORING

The performance will be judged from the number of SMSs received and replied. It should not be less than 98% replies of SMSs received. 

11. PERIOD OF CONTRACT

 The contract will be provided for minimum 3 years, extendable with mutual consent every year.

12. BID SECURITY/ EARNEST MONEY

 The bidders should furnish bid security alongwith their bids amounting to Rs.1, 00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh Only). The bid security will remain valid for a period of 60 days beyond the final bid validity period. It will be substituted with performance security within the said period of 60 days. The amount will be forfeited if the bidder withdraws or alters its bid during the bid validity period.

13. PERFORMANCE

 Performance Security under rule 158 of GFR:

i) The successful bidder shall submit performance security deposit in the form of an account payee demand draft or a fixed deposit receipt from a commercial bank or bank guarantee from a commercial bank for an amount of 10% of the value of the contract as performance security to the Government.

ii) The security deposit will remain valid for a period of sixty days beyond the date of completion of all contractual obligations of the supplier including warranty obligations.

iii) Bid security will be refunded to the successful bidder on receipt of Performance Security within 45 days from the date of awarding the contract.

14. PENALTY FOR NON-PERFORMANCE:

i) If the system does not become functional within the specified period of six months, the performance security will be forfeited.

ii) If the bidder’s response to the SMSs is less than 98% of SMSs received his payment for the next stage will be proportionately reduced viz-a-viz total value of the contract.

iii) In case of complaint received from customer regarding incorrect information with proof of reply provided, penalty will be levied @ 10 times of charges payable to the service provider on each proven case on the basis of charges payable by NPPA/Government of India for each SMS.

15. DISCLAIMER

On implementation of SMS based information system, substitution of drugs/medicines is likely to take place and the question of shifting the responsibility of right medicines would be emerged.  In order to tackle such a situation, the following disclaimer shall be placed on top of the message while delivering every SMS based information –

          “Consult doctor before buying medicine”