BIRMEX Publishes the Call for Bids for the 2027–2028 Consolidated Procurement: of Medicines Key Regulatory Implications for the Pharmaceutical Industry

July 17, 2026

The publication of the Call for Bids for the 2027–2028 Consolidated Procurement of Medicines marks the start of one of the most significant public procurement procedures for the pharmaceutical industry in Mexico. In addition to the volume of supplies to be procured to meet the needs of the National Health System over the next two years, the call for bids includes various rules regarding public procurement and health regulations that interested companies should review promptly to assess the eligibility of their products and prepare their participation strategy.

Key aspects:

• 766 drug line items for the supply of public health institutions during fiscal years 2027 and 2028.
• Participation is limited to goods originating in Mexico and certain countries covered by the international treaties specified in the call for bids.
• Application of the Subsequent Discount Offers (OSD, per its acronym in Spanish) mechanism.
• A timeline that will allow contracts to be awarded well in advance of the start of supply in January 2027.

On July 16, 2026, BIRMEX published the call for bids for the International Public Tender Under the Coverage of Treaties No. LA-12-NEF-012NEF001-T-218-2026, the purpose of which is the “Consolidated Procurement of Generic, Oncology, and Anti-infective Medicines for public institutions of the National Health System for fiscal years 2027–2028.”

One of the most significant aspects of this call for bids is that it was issued as an international public tender under the coverage of trade treaties, which means that only goods originating in Mexico and/or from those countries with which Mexico has concluded international treaties that include commitments regarding public procurement may be offered, specifically: the USMCA, the CPTPP, the Comprehensive Agreement with the European Union, as well as treaties signed with Japan, Israel, Chile, the EFTA countries, the Pacific Alliance, and the United Kingdom.

In practical terms, this decision limits the participation of goods originating from countries not covered by these international agreements, such as India and China—two of the world’s leading manufacturers and exporters of pharmaceuticals. While this does not mean that any company linked to those countries is automatically barred from participating, it does require a careful review of the origin of the goods being offered and compliance with the rules of origin set forth in the applicable international treaties.

Another noteworthy aspect is that the procedure was designed with a timeline that will allow the successful bidders to be identified well in advance of the start of supply in January 2027. Unlike previous consolidated processes, in which awards were issued with little time to prepare for the production and distribution of the medicines, this call for bids anticipates that the award decision will be issued in mid-September, giving the awarded companies more than three months to prepare to begin supplying the materials starting on the first day of 2027.

The publication of this Call for Bids marks the beginning of a process that will require a strategic assessment from both a regulatory and public procurement perspective. Interested companies should promptly analyze the eligibility of their products, compliance with technical and health requirements, as well as the commercial and logistical implications arising from the procedure.

At Arochi & Lindner, we are conducting a comprehensive analysis of the Call for Bids and its technical annexes to identify the main regulatory and legal challenges that could affect the participation of laboratories, manufacturers, holders of health registrations, and distributors, as well as to define strategies to mitigate risks and facilitate informed and competitive participation.