02.10.2019
Subject: Lugar Center Purchases

Mr. Zaza, welcome!

We would like to inform you that in 2014, the Government of Georgia and the Government of the United States of America signed an agreement on the "transfer of costs and responsibilities related to the provision of a Unified laboratory System for specific dangerous pathogens, epidemiological surveillance and response measures." and the Richard Lugar Public Health Research Center in Georgia." The plan was approved by the Parliament, as well as by Resolution No. 446 of the Government of Georgia dated March 15, 2016 (developed in cooperation with the US Government /DTRA and representatives of Georgia).

Based on the above, a decree of the Government of Georgia was issued with the aim of conducting simplified procurement, and in 2016, the L. Sakvarelidze National Center for Disease Control and Public Health signed the Lugar Center's work plan for 2017-2019. An agreement for the purchase of operation and maintenance services, the term of which expires on December 31 of the current year.

To continue and fulfill this commitment, the Center began procurement procedures for the purchase of services for 2020-2022, in particular, it received approval from the Ministry of Finance of Georgia for multi-year purchases and submitted an application to the State Procurement Agency. In particular, the adjusted service life was set to 2 years instead of 3 years).

After uploading the application, the Procurement Agency contacted us with the following instructions, in particular, in the case of large funds, the prior consent of the Deputy Prime Minister's supervisor (presumably Ms. M. Tskitishvili) is required by order of the Prime Minister: In this case, the Procurement Agency will be able to make an official decision.

Since the Legal Adviser on Public Law cannot personally contact the State Chancellery and the Deputy Prime Minister, this question was sent to Ms. Tamar Gabunia for approval during my business trip. A petition to the State Chancellery and the Deputy Prime Minister.
In connection with the above, we ask for your help so that the center can complete the procurement procedures in a timely manner and not jeopardize the proper functioning of the Lugar Center.
If necessary, we are ready for additional oral explanations.

Also, support the following two questions:

• On September 3, 2019, in the approved budget plan for "Disease Control and Epidemiological Safety Programs" (Program code 27 01 03), the Center sent a letter to the Minister on behalf of the Minister on the amendment of the 18.4 thousand plan. Lari for the growth of non-financial assets at the expense of goods and services. / 3219 Letter (for consent and petition to the Ministry of Finance of Georgia).
The above change is required to purchase a very fast medical precision thermomixer for Lugar Laboratory, which is very important.

• LEPL - L. In September 2016, the Sakvarelidze Center for Disease Control and Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) signed a 5-year (30.09.2016-09 / 29/2020 ) the joint program: "Global protection of public health "Improvement: impact on the creation and strengthening of public health", which includes various research projects, including a training program for the field epidemiology of the South Caucasus.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has two employees working through the Center (Levan Gabelaya has been the project coordinator since April 1, 2017 and Vepkhvia Eliashvili has been the driver since March 15, 2017). The employment contract with them was extended annually, twice a year, at the beginning of the calendar year ("On determining the number of persons employed under an employment contract" according to the relevant annual resolution of the Government of Georgia) until August 31 and further from September 1 (beginning of December of the fiscal year). This includes the fact that the budget/fiscal year of this donor organization (CDC), as well as other US organizations, is determined by the period September-August.
Please give your consent to the extension of employment contracts with employees until the end of 2019.

Sincerely,

Amirani


Amiran Gamkrelidze, Md. Sci. Doctor, Professor
Disease control and the public
National Health Center
General manager

Kakheti highway 99, Tbilisi 0198
Phone: +995 32 2192599
Email address: a.gamkrelidze@ncdc.ge
www.ncdc.ge