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News

Open Market Consultation: Sustainable personal protection against pathogens in the healthcare context

Published on
11 April 2024

PROCURE4HEALTH wish to engage with interested suppliers in the marketplace through an Open Market Consultation (OMC) for the future Pre-Commercial Procurement of R&D services concerning Sustainable Personal Protection Against Pathogens in the Healthcare Context.

Registration

Parties interested in participating in the OMC activities can find full details and registration for the online event HERE

Scope and main objectives

Through this OMC, the Public Buyers Group (PBG) of PROCURE4HEALTH, with Zespol Opieki Zdrowotnej W Suchej Beskidzkiej as lead procurer, aims to challenge the market to develop innovative solutions for implementing a sustainable and effective pathogen protective system in the healthcare context that can operate as an alternative to single use face with better environmental, economic and social impact. The solution must significantly contribute to waste reduction, environmental sustainability, cost savings, and improved public health outcome.

In this context, the purpose of the OMC is to inform technology providers and other relevant stakeholders about the needs of the PBG and to gather their input about the PROCURE4HEALTH challenge for developing a solution to mitigate the environmental impact of disposable face masks, while ensuring effective pathogen protection and promoting sustainability in the healthcare sector with the following required functionalities:

  • Effectively filter airborne particles, including pathogens, to reduce the risk of inhalation or transmission.
  • Meet necessary regulatory and safety standards for personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure its effectiveness.
  • Prioritize occupational health by being free from harmful chemicals (PFAS, graphene, etc..) ensuring a safe environment for healthcare workers.
  • Have a minimal negative impact on the environment and human health throughout its cradle-to-grave life cycle, encompassing everything from manufacturing to disposal and waste management. - Prioritize comfort to minimize fatigue and discomfort during extended use.
  • Designed for multiple uses, allowing it to be washed, sanitized, or replaced as needed, reducing waste generation.
  • Promote sustainable practices and help prevent unnecessary waste generation, include comprehensive education and training programs to ensure healthcare workers understand the proper usage, maintenance, and disposal procedures for PPE. Another objective of the OMC is to understand the technology providers’ capabilities to satisfy the public buyers’ needs and to obtain their input on the viability of the procurement plans and conditions as described in this document and annexes. In sum, the objectives of this OMC are to:
  1. Validate the findings of the State-Of-The-Art (SOTA) analysis and the viability of the set of technical and financial provisions.
  2. Raise awareness of the industry and relevant stakeholders regarding the upcoming PCP.
  3. Collect insights from the industry and relevant stakeholders (including users) to finetune the tender specifications.

Who can participate?

The target groups of this OMC are technology providers and end users. All interested parties are invited to take part in the OMC. However, please note that technology providers established in countries not eligible to participate in Horizon Europe Innovation Actions in any capacity cannot participate in the PCP procedure. Nevertheless, it is possible to form alliances of technology vendors (consortia).

Key Dates

5 January 2024:

Publication of the general Prior Information Notice (PIN) on TED, click HERE

1 April 2024:

Publication of the Prior Information Notice (PIN) on TED (specific for this challenge). Publication of the OMC documents on the project’s website, click HERE

8 May 2024: OMC Event in English (online) (10:00 – 11:30 CET), click HERE

20 May 2024:

Deadline for the submission of questions via the OMC questionnaire (17:00 CET)

30 May 2024:

Publication of the OMC findings, including all questions and answers to the OMC questionnaire.

31 May 2024: Closure of the OMC

Further Information

Join the upcoming online Open Market Consultation session on 8th May 2024 (10:00 – 11:30 CET) by registering HERE

Get to know further details on the challenge by clicking HERE

Please submit questionnaires and any questions regarding the OMC as directed via the following LINK

Please note: This is an Open Market Consultation (OMC) for pre-tender supplier engagement only.