The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has agreed a modification to the Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa Programme Phase II National and Community Technical Assistance Component contract with Palladium International Ltd. This notice is published in relation to additional antimicrobial resistance (AMR) transition services in Zambia, modified pursuant to Regulation 72(1)(b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The addition of delivery in Zambia has become necessary and was not included in the initial procurement. The wider Contract Amendment 003 package also includes changes implemented pursuant to Regulation 72(1)(a), including reductions in contract value, reprioritisation of delivery, revision of the Terms of Reference and a reduction in programme duration. The modification introduces targeted and time-limited AMR transition services in Zambia through to 31 March 2027. The wider amendment reduces the contract ceiling from £19,271, 765 to £14,145,592.57 inclusive of applicable taxes and shortens the contract end date from 31 March 2028 to 31 March 2027. The additional AMR transition services in Zambia have become necessary following the conclusion of UK-funded Fleming Fund support and the absence of a successor programme capable of managing transition arrangements. The services are required to protect and consolidate antimicrobial resistance surveillance, laboratory and workforce capabilities established through previous UK-funded investments and to support their transition towards sustainable national ownership. A change of contractor cannot reasonably be made for economic and technical reasons. The additional services require continuity and interoperability with existing AMR surveillance systems, laboratory strengthening activities, programme datasets, technical products and delivery arrangements already supported through TDDAP2 and previous UK-funded interventions. Palladium International Ltd possesses programme-specific delivery knowledge, technical information and established relationships required to support the transition within the remaining implementation period. Re-procuring and mobilising a replacement supplier during the remaining delivery period would introduce material transition risks and duplicate technical and management structures already in place. Changing contractor would also cause significant inconvenience and substantial duplication of costs. A replacement supplier would require a mobilisation period of approximately four to six months, reducing the time available for substantive transition activity before 31 March 2027. The Authority estimates duplicated mobilisation, management and assurance costs of approximately £100,000 and would be required to manage parallel delivery structures and technical dependencies between suppliers throughout the remaining implementation period. The value attributable to the additional Zambia services is £500,000. This represents approximately 2.5% of the original contract value of £19,271,765 and is significantly below the 50% threshold permitted under Regulation 72(1)(b). The Authority considers that the conditions in Regulation 72(1)(b) are satisfied because the additional services have become necessary, a change of contractor cannot reasonably be made for economic and technical reasons, changing contractor would cause significant inconvenience and substantial duplication of costs, and the value of the additional services is substantially below the applicable statutory threshold. This modification notice is published in accordance with the publication requirements applicable to modifications made under Regulation 72(1)(b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Following the modification, the contract will continue to provide national and community-level technical assistance to strengthen public health and emergency capability and improve the prevention, detection and response to infectious disease threats. Delivery will operate through a phased close-out and reprioritised model. Core TDDAP2 activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana and Kenya concluded in March 2026. Targeted antimicrobial resistance activity will continue in Ghana and Kenya. Delivery in Uganda and Malawi will continue through a defined transition and close-out period, with completion by 31 March 2027. The modified contract includes additional, targeted and time-limited antimicrobial resistance transition services in Zambia until 31 March 2027. These services focus on: protecting and consolidating antimicrobial resistance surveillance and laboratory capabilities; supporting laboratory and diagnostic systems; improving surveillance-data integration and use; supporting antimicrobial stewardship; strengthening One Health coordination; maintaining workforce capability; and supporting transition towards sustainable domestic financing. The contractor may also provide targeted and demand-led technical assistance for outbreak preparedness and response, including Ebola preparedness and response support, where requested by FCDO and agreed within the resources and health security objectives of the contract. The programme outputs concern: progress towards operationalising National Action Plan for Health Security priorities; health security workforce strategy and capability; surveillance, data integration and laboratory capability; and community and civil society participation in health security governance and surveillance.

Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)