Conclusion of a framework agreement for the supply and provision of rapid nasal antigen tests for self-testing for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in schools in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Due to the ongoing corona pandemic and its dynamic and unpredictable development, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, represented by the Ministry of Schools and Education (MSB), continues to face the challenge, taking into account the measures necessary and taken to contain the pandemic, to provide school-age children with the best possible school education - especially in the form of face-to-face lessons - under the given circumstances.

At the time of conclusion of the contract, the pupils as well as the staff and teachers at the schools in NRW are given the opportunity to use rapid antigen tests for self-testing (hereinafter: antigen self-tests) to check any existing Covid infection in the event of typical symptoms of illness, which are provided by the state of NRW.

In view of the sometimes dynamic developments in the context of the pandemic, however, there is also the possibility that significantly intensified, regular testing will be necessary with regard to future developments, but on the other hand it cannot be ruled out that no more tests will be planned at schools in the future. The framework agreement put out to tender is intended to ensure the supply of rapid nasal antigen tests for self-testing to approximately 7,000 sites for the duration of the contract.

In the tender documents, MSB has stated a total contract volume of 336 million antigen self-tests for the duration of this framework agreement (including extension options). This is an estimate by the WG with regard to the maximum conceivable need, provided that random serial testing (2.8 million persons, 3 antigen self-tests per person per week, with 40 school weeks in calendar year 2023) should take place during the maximum term of the framework agreement (including extension option). This total order volume is unlikely to be achieved on the basis of previous experience.

According to the current plans of the AG (i.e. with an assumed event-related test offer of 5 x per month per person), a total of approx. 14 million antigen self-tests per month could result (i.e. 5 antigen self-tests per month for 2.8 million persons). According to the AG's estimates, however, this amount could also increase, for example, to a total of approx. 36 million antigen self-tests per month (assuming that 3 antigen self-tests per week are mandatory for 2.8 million people), but could also be well below 14 million antigen self-tests per month in the absence of events.

The average weekly consumption in one school week since the beginning of testing in schools in NRW in 2021 was 3.5 million antigen self-tests; this includes both the test-free weeks before the 2022 summer holidays and the series tests in winter 2021/2022.

The weekly information on consumption refers to one school week at a time. The calendar year 2023 comprises 40 school weeks. The Contractor must take into account in his plans that he must also process incoming orders from the schools during the school holidays.

Both the MSB's estimate of the total order volume and the exemplary number of monthly tests and monthly test consumption are estimates that are based on previous experience and are not entitled to any liability in view of the dynamic pandemic events.

In view of the development of the pandemic, it is not clear how long and to what extent the provision of services in schools will continue. Accordingly, MSB will not guarantee a minimum purchase quantity within the framework of the tender. Rather, in view of the pandemic development, the MSB must have an extraordinary right of termination, an adjustment of the scope of services, suspension of the provision of services, etc. expressly reserved.

Further details can be found in the tender documents.