August 26, 2021 – In order to expedite the vaccine distribution process, 25 states hired consulting firms like McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, and Blue Shield to deliver vaccines to “those at greatest risk.”
A report from The Washington Post questions the effectiveness of using the private consultants for vaccine distribution. State and county officials in California said that the $15 million contract with Blue Shield and the $13 million contract for McKinsey did not deliver on their promises to deliver the vaccine.
A spokesperson from McKinsey argued, “Our work helped state decision-makers quickly size up key factors impacting the effective distribution of vaccines. All our work was based on state-defined priorities, and the data we analyzed was provided by state and local public health authorities.”
The critics aren’t convinced that the contracts “improved government performance,” citing a lack of transparency and costly arrangements. Because the contracts of private consultants are regarded as internal documents, they are not subject to public records laws.
The decision to bring in consultants like BCG, Deloitte, and Blue Shield are even more perplexing considering they lacked experience in immunization and logistics. Without an expert in distribution and delivery, like Amazon or UPS, the report argues that it puts the movement of the vaccines at greater risk for error.
While it may have seemed an easy solution for a desperate period earlier this year, the “continued dependence on private consultants” doesn’t put the nation in a good position respond to any future health crises. According to the Post, contracts like these make Americans more reliant on private companies to safeguard their health.