Primary Department: Purchasing
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Kimberly J. Williams, JD
Secondary Department: Public Health Services
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Merck & Co., Inc. d/b/a Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC; GlaxoSmithKline Holdings (Americas) Inc. d/b/a GlaxoSmithKline LLC; Sanofi Vaccines US Inc.
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval of a Public Health or Safety Exemption from the competitive bid requirements with Merck & Co., Inc. d/b/a Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC; GlaxoSmithKline Holdings (Americas) Inc. d/b/a GlaxoSmithKline LLC; and Sanofi Vaccines US Inc. in the amount of $1,600,000 for various vaccines for the Refugee Health Screening Program for Public Health Services for the period of October 1, 2026 - September 30, 2027 using grant funds provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Refugee Medical Assistance Program.
end
Background and Discussion:
The Refugee Health Screening Program is required by the grant to provide various vaccines to incoming refugees which are purchased through the vendors listed above.
Expected Impact:
The Refugee Health Screening Program (RHSP) of Harris County Public Health (HCPH) provides vaccines along with various other services to incoming refugees as part of the grant requirement. The HCPH RHSP is the only refugee program in the Houston area providing such services to incoming refugees.
Alternative Options:
Due to the amount of health services needed by the refugee population, the limited resources they process and their immigration status at the time of entry, limited resources exist as alternative options.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 4. Improve physical and mental health outcomes across all communities.
County Strategic Plan Objective: O: Increase access to quality health care, including preventive and behavioral health.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): O4: Increase community health care capacity.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
01/25/2022 |
341 |
Exemption Approved |
|
01/10/2023 |
328 |
Exemption Approved |
|
01/30/2024 |
402 |
Exemption Approved |
|
12/10/2024 |
16 |
Exemption Approved |
|
11/20/2025 |
18 |
Exemption Approved |
|
01/08/2026 |
253 |
Exemption Approved |
Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
|
Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
|
Service Name |
Various Vaccines for the Refugee Health Screening Program and Health Events for Harris County Public Health Services |
|
|
|
Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
Existing Budget |
|
|
|
|
|
Grant |
$ |
$1,600,000 |
$1,600,000 |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$1,600,000 |
$1,600,000 |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$1,600,000 |
$1,600,000 |
$ |
|
Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
|
Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
|
CAO Reviewer Name and Title |
|
CAO Review Completion Date |
Click or tap to enter a date. |
Anticipated Court Date: 8/25/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 10/1/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Dr. Ericka Brown, Director of Community Health and Wellness Division, Public Health Services; Roberto Torres, Buyer, Purchasing
Attachments (if applicable): Letter