SPECIAL NOTICE
99 -- Message to FEMA Contractors regarding COVID-19
- Notice Date
- 3/19/2020 2:33:07 PM
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- Contracting Office
- FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- FEMA_OCPO_Special_Notice_03192020
- Response Due
- 3/1/2020 1:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 04/17/2020
- Description
- FEMA continues to prepare for eventualities that may result as COVID-19 continues to affect communities across the United States. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is continuing to closely monitor an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID?19) which continues to expand and is currently impacting individuals in over 47 countries. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CDC have the lead in the U.S. response to COVID?19. FEMA has been closely coordinating with our interagency partners in support of these efforts to minimize the risk to public health. The purpose of this communication is to provide further guidance to our contracting partners in the event novel Coronavirus impacts or delays a contractor�s performance.� FEMA is working in conjunction with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide the most up?to?date information related to the COVID?19. Our priority is ensuring the safety of the FEMA workforce, contractors and visitors to FEMA facilities. The following prevention steps are offered in support of keeping the workforce healthy. Prevention While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, everyone can do their part to help us respond to this emerging public health threat: It�s currently flu and respiratory disease season, and CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine, taking everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed. If you are a healthcare provider, be on the look?out for people who recently traveled to or from a country where the illness has been confirmed and have fever and respiratory symptoms. If you are a healthcare provider caring for a COVID?19 patient or a public health responder, please take care of yourself and follow recommended infection control procedures. If you have been in a country where the illness has been confirmed or have been exposed to someone sick with COVID?19 in the last 14 days, you will face some limitations on your movement and activity. Please follow instructions during this time. Your cooperation is integral to the ongoing public health response to try to slow spread of this virus. If you develop COVID?19 symptoms, contact your healthcare provider, and tell them about your symptoms and your travel or exposure to a COVID?19 patient. For people who show signs of flu like symptoms, please follow CDC guidance on how to reduce the risk of spreading your illness to others. In the event of notification of Coronavirus in the workplace, early communication between the Contractor, CO and COR is essential.� The contractor should have established preparation plans for such situations to ensure there is minimal impact to contract performance. If your employees are feeling sick with influenza-like symptoms (cough, fever, difficulty breathing), whether at home or while traveling, please have them contact their supervisor to discuss options to stay home for the duration of their symptoms. Please engage with your employees as soon as possible to discuss options or any specific concerns they may have. If your employees must travel to affected areas, please have them contact you prior to their return to discuss possible telework or leave options. Please advise your employees to contact you immediately if they have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, or if they went through airport screening upon their return to the United States and were told to self-observe or self-quarantine. If your employee experiences any symptoms while traveling, please have them report to the local public health department and you. Contractors should work with the CO to take the following actions in advance of a notice of Coronavirus in the workplace. Review to see if some contractor employees may be permitted to work from alternate locations, such as from a contractor � owned facility if required.� Whether a contractor employee can continue to be productive, can work with little or no oversight, and has the necessary equipment to perform necessary tasks may be a case-by-case determination that should be discussed with the CO in advance of a shutdown. As a note, if the federal employee is teleworking and this affects contractor oversight, a clear discussion must be held between the CO, COR and contractor especially in the case of testing, delivery and acceptance of contract requirements. The contractor�s employer may request it for the CO�s consideration. If a Contractor employer elects to have its employees telework or work from an alternate location (and if approved by the CO), there should be no additional cost to the Government since the Contractor employer elected to do this. General Information.� Remember, there is NO requirement to stop, delay or terminate a contract during the time Coronavirus is present.� Contractors should ensure there are measures in place to ensure continuity of operations and delivery of services.� Some circumstances, such as quarantine of contractor employees who are paid for hours worked (this should not be the norm for larger contractors but more likely for smaller contractors), may require unique solutions to ensure that contractor employees are safe and do not potentially transmit the Coronavirus.� Remember that each individual�s privacy shall be of upmost importance so do not state any names of individuals or hold discussions with anyone that does not have a need to know. That is a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://beta.sam.gov/opp/2e10ac0778cc4e929c23b2a5cd9368d9/view)
- Record
- SN05594220-F 20200321/200319230139 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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