The eight proposals that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has received for its expression of interest (EOI) for 1 crore vaccine doses, include Indian suppliers and distributors of foreign vaccines and not the manufacturers of the vaccines. The civic body has not got a single response from either the foreign or Indian manufacturers. Officials are of the opinion that if the actual manufacturers had responded then the documentation and procurement process would have been easier, but now the entire scrutiny process would be a lengthy one.    
   
According to reports, the Russian Direct Investment Fund has allowed six manufacturers in India to produce Sputnik V but to the dismay of the civic body, none of them have sent a proposal. Not just this, even the two Indian vaccine producers — Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech — have not responded. The civic body has even written to one of the producers about the EOI. 

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