1. Why is Pfizer requesting proposals for these topics?
2. What if I have a proposed solution, but it requires collaborating with others?
3. How does Pfizer address confidentiality with my proposal?
4. What if I do not feel comfortable addressing a specific topic at this stage without a Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA)?
5. What is the process once I submit my proposal?
6. What if I have already completed some of the necessary research related to this?
7. What if my proposal is not accepted?
8. What if solving the problem requires more extensive research and Pfizer decides not to fund it?
9. Does Pfizer have completed or ongoing biomarker research which can be leveraged in addressing this topic? How do I incorporate that into my research plan or gain access to the data?
10. What is the deadline for submitting a proposal?
11. Is there any specified length or number of pages for the Request for Information (RFI) Response or Proposal?
12. Will Pfizer pay for bidder's purchase or access to facilities or instrumentation/equipment that may be required but do not currently have on hand should their Proposal be funded?
13. Will I be able to publish the results of this work?
14. Will Pfizer pay for any cost incurred in creating and submitting a proposal?

1. Why is Pfizer requesting proposals for these topics?
   Current understanding of disease is very observational. New scientific and technological advances provide Pfizer the opportunity to gain a more comprehensive definition of disease. Pfizer supports the principle of obtaining a greater understanding of disease and/or redefining disease in terms of improved measurements including biochemical/genomic/imaging. Pfizer believes in open and active collaborations with the external environment to address key development challenges to deliver drugs with maximum value to patients.
2. What if I have a proposed solution, but it requires collaborating with others?
   We understand that institutions may want to collaborate with others in developing the most appropriate solution and welcome a “network” approach. We do request that one center or institution take a lead in coordinating with others and indicate in your proposal that the parties are and which will be the lead institution. Alternatively, collaborative agreements can be worked as pre-competitive collaborations through various mechanisms (e.g. Biomarkers Consortium)
3. How does Pfizer address confidentiality with my proposal?
   Pfizer does not wish to receive confidential information from interested parties at the Request for Information (RFI), Request for Proposal (RFP) submission stages of the process. Your responses to these requests and any Proposal you submit should not include confidential information and Pfizer reserves the right to treat all submissions as public domain information. You should however indicate in your response the areas in which you hold confidential information and your willingness to discuss this with Pfizer subject to execution of a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA) should Pfizer elect to proceed with your bid past the Proposal stage.
   
   If Pfizer decides to proceed beyond the Request for Information, you will receive a detailed Request for Proposal (RFP). This RFP contains information proprietary to Pfizer; all information relating to Pfizer’s current and prospective activities as well as all information about the proposal process is deemed confidential and may be utilized solely for the purpose of providing a response(s) to Pfizer as specifically requested. Any other use of this information, including but not limited to the disclosure or release of this information to outside persons or organizations, without written authorization from Pfizer is strictly prohibited. To the extent that certain information is made public by Pfizer, for example by inclusion on our website, such restrictions on disclosure will not apply.
4. What if I do not feel comfortable addressing a specific topic at this stage without a Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA)?
   Please try to address the question or topic in as much detail as possible without disclosure of your confidential information and indicate specifically those topics where a CDA would be needed should Pfizer elect to pursue further discussions with you. We understand you may not be able to fully describe the detailed solution to our research problem at this time.
5. What is the process once I submit my proposal?
   First you will need to complete and submit the Request for Information (RFI) Template. This process is to screen bidders to ensure they have the requisite skills, track record, capabilities and facilities to submit a quality Proposal. The completed RFI Template should not disclose any confidential information of the bidder (See FAQ 4)
   
   Pfizer will then select bidders it wishes to invite to submit a fuller Proposal in response to the Request for Proposal (RFP). No undertaking, representation or warranty is made by Pfizer that any bidder(s) will be invited to submit such a Proposal or that any bidder(s) will be awarded any contract as a result of their participation in this process or otherwise all of which shall be at the sole discretion of Pfizer.
   
   Completion of a Proposal by selected bidders will therefore be a second step and again should not disclose any confidential information of the bidder.
   
   Proposals submitted by selected bidders in responses to this Request for Proposal (RFP) will be the basis from which this second selection decision will be made. However, Pfizer may require additional information and / or a presentation subsequent to submission of a Proposal. Pfizer reserves the right to negotiate additional terms, conditions, and discounts with selected bidders prior to a final decision.
   
   Pfizer reserves the right to amend all documentation and processes associated with this activity at its sole discretion. Pfizer will notify all bidders in this event.
   
   Final selected Proposal(s) will require a fully executed contract between Pfizer and the bidder based on Pfizer’s terms and conditions in order to be binding on both parties.
   
   Pfizer anticipates that the review and follow-up process should take 4–8 weeks from the Request for Proposal (RFP) response due date but this should be considered as a guideline only.
6. What if I have completed some of the necessary research related to this?
   Pfizer expects to derive full commercial benefit from all research that it funds. To the extent that such benefit is contingent upon pre-existing research by the bidder (itself or in a consortium of parties) Pfizer will require access to such pre-existing research (usually under license) to the extent required to derive full commercial benefit from the research funded by Pfizer. The terms of any such previously conducted research will need to be understood by Pfizer in the course of contracting research resulting from any Proposal.
7. What if my proposal is not accepted?
   All submitted responses will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and confirmation of our decision to proceed or not as the case may be. We appreciate the time and effort taken to submit all Proposals. In submitting a Proposal to Pfizer, bidders acknowledge that Pfizer cannot fund all Proposals and any Proposals funded shall be at the sole discretion of Pfizer whose decision shall be final in all matters.
8. What if solving the problem requires more extensive research and Pfizer decides not to fund it?
   Pfizer is supportive of the development of industry-wide standards that enhance the precision of acquisition of biomarker information or samples, the methods of processing and analyzing signals, and the data transfer, archiving and management. Areas requiring extensive research and funding may be considered for approaches involving a consortium of participants interested in addressing the highlighted challenge. With your agreement, Pfizer may bring your proposal to a consortium for funding.
9. Does Pfizer have completed or ongoing biomarker research which can be leveraged in addressing this topic? How do I incorporate that into my research plan or gain access to the data?
   Pfizer partners with many companies, research groups, public and private institutions, etc. and has access to the results of such collaborations. As such it often has the right to use with other partners unpublished and/or proprietary biomarker data, knowledge, assays, technologies or samples. Where this may be leveraged in finding a solution to the problems addressed by the Proposal, there may be opportunities to gain time, increase value or reduce cost in achieving the objectives of the Proposal. Pfizer therefore expects bidders to be dynamic, responsive and open minded in response to Pfizer’s wider portfolio approach to solving the problems addressed under the Proposal in terms of how any relationship between the Pfizer and bidder may evolve.
10. What is the deadline for submitting a proposal?
    Each problem description will have its own submission deadline date. Please refer to the area you are interested in check the “Request for Proposal (RFP) Due Date.” To ensure we meet our timelines and have adequate time to review all proposals, the due date will be strictly enforced.
11. Is there any specified length or number of pages for the Request for Information (RFI) Response or Proposal?
    Submitted Request for Information (RFI) and Proposals should be concise, be comprehensible to technical and business reviewers alike, and address the required information detailed in the Request for Proposal (RFP) in an adequate way.
12. Will Pfizer pay for bidder's purchase or access to facilities or instrumentation/equipment that may be required but do not currently have on hand should their Proposal be funded?
    The potential collaborator is expected to have in-depth expertise and access to relevant facilities and instrumentation/equipment at the time of submitting the Proposal for serious consideration under this process. If relevant specialized equipment or instrumentation is needed to execute the specific Proposal, it must be explicitly detailed in the Proposal and accounted for in the budget/cost information required.
13. Will I be able to publish the results of this work?
    Pfizer acknowledges the importance of peer reviewed publications to scientific advancement and the promulgating of new standards and best practices in turn benefiting patients worldwide. Pfizer’s policy regarding publication of results under its research collaborations is to allow publication where this is not detrimental to its business interests. This involves review and in some cases reasonable amendment and delay of proposed publications where this would compromise the commercial value of the results to Pfizer.
14. Will Pfizer pay for any cost incurred in creating and submitting a proposal?
    Unless and until a contract is signed between Pfizer and any bidder, Pfizer shall have no liability whatsoever for any costs or liabilities incurred by any bidder whether relating to the Request for Information (RFI), Request for Proposal (RFP), Proposal preparation, or otherwise.

Top