Coronavirus – Be Part of the Solution

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has dominated the recent news headlines and was declared a National Emergency by President Trump on March 13, 2020.  The federal government has been at the forefront of this national emergency and has committed its full resources to address the pandemic.

The federal government has embarked on an aggressive public-private partnership to immediately deal with this national emergency.  The response has included an immediate $8.3 billion emergency funding package and the White House is requesting Congress for approximately $1 trillion in economic relief as part of an economic stimulus plan.  In addition the SBA intends to make $50 billion available for small business loans and the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates cut to -0-%.

To address the Coronavirus Pandemic, the federal government needs to rely on all resources available, which will result in mass purchases from federally registered vendors and GSA Schedule holders.  This will include federal contracting opportunities for small businesses across industries coming from DHS, FEMA, DoD, CDC, National Health Institute, and the VA to name a few.  These agencies have immediate need for medical equipment and supplies, IT support, cybersecurity, staffing, training, janitorial, logistics, security and transportation services.

Medical Equipment, Protective Gear and Related Supplies

There is an immediate need for venders for medical equipment, protective gear and related supplies.  This includes respirators, hospital beds, surgical masks, Tyvek suits, gowns, goggles, face shields, etc. to assist with the outbreak. The federal government needs to utilize these resources nationwide and in large scale quantities.  President Trump has already invoked the Defense Production Act in an effort to help the private sector ramp-up manufacturing and distribution of emergency medical supplies and equipment to address the growing pandemic.

Information Technology, Staffing and Training

In terms of emergency preparedness, there are approximately 2.1 million federal employees, as well as millions more serving in the military and working as government contractors.  Many of these employees, service members and contractors now have the ability to telecommute, which provides greater flexibility for people in high risk areas and allows federal workers who feel they might have an issue to self-quarantine themselves from their coworkers.  Therefore, the federal government will stay open for business, but needs to procure additional personnel services as they juggle new challenges that come with such a large number of employees absent or telecommuting, including IT support, cybersecurity, staffing and training.

Cleaning and Janitorial Services

During this time, federal facilities and hospitals require additional sanitation and sterilization to thwart any outbreak and to support the medical and research communities.  These service requirements are anticipated to double or triple the need for essential cleaning and janitorial services.

Security

The federal government needs to increase headcount from security firms to deal with securing goods, warehousing and other services often carried out by federal personnel that may have to be reassigned to other duties or quarantined during the emergency.

Logistics and Transportation

Logistics companies play an important role in any federal emergency.  The ability to move people and supplies to impacted zones will increase the federal use of logistics and transportation firms.

These are just a few examples of the requirements that federal government needs immediately in addition to its normally recurring contracts that expire on a daily basis and need vendor support.

Be a Part of the Solution

Don’t let COVID-19 slow your business down.  The federal government needs equipment and supplies today and is cutting through the red-tape to allow federal agencies to quickly access goods and services. 

FedBiz Access works with small businesses to help them get registered, get informed and get results in the federal contracting market, especially for SBA set-aside categories. FedBiz Access helps small businesses establish their foundation with the federal government through their initial registration and certification filings, as well as market research to find the right buyers. 

FedBiz Access is offering a free download to its guide to federal contracting – “10 Tips to Get you Started as a Federal Contractor.”

FedBiz Access helps companies build a clear path from registration to award.