Legislation Details

File #: 26-0103    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Financial Authorization Status: Passed
File created: 12/17/2025 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 1/8/2026 Final action: 1/8/2026
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 Pasteur, Inc. in the amount of $1,600,000 for various vaccines for the Refugee Health Screening Program for Public Health Services through September 30, 2026 with additional mutually agreed upon renewal option(s), using grant funds provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Refugee Medical Assistance Program.
Attachments: 1. 26-0103 Public Health or Safety Exemption Contract PJ166740 - Multiple Vendors

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 Pasteur, 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 Pasteur, Inc. in the amount of $1,600,000 for various vaccines for the Refugee Health Screening Program for Public Health Services through September 30, 2026 with additional mutually agreed upon renewal option(s), 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:  Choose an item.

County Strategic Plan Objective: Choose an item.

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): Choose an item.

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

 

Location: N/A

Address (if applicable):

Precinct(s): Choose an item.

 

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

$

$4,000,000

$4,000,000

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Existing Budget

$

$

$

$

Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form)

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Additional Budget Request

$

$

$

$

Total Funding Sources

$

$4,000,000

$4,000,000

$

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: 1/8/2026

 

Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item

 

Contact(s) name, title, department: Molly Brown, Associate Director, Public Health; Gustavo Castillo, Buyer, Purchasing

 

Attachments (if applicable): Letter