SPECIAL NOTICE
99 -- Senior Procurement Executive Message on Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors
- Notice Date
- 10/10/2021 10:12:33 AM
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- Contracting Office
- ACQUISITIONS - AQM MOMENTUM WASHINGTON DC 20520 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20520
- Solicitation Number
- 19AQMM22
- Response Due
- 10/10/2021 12:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 10/10/2022
- Point of Contact
- Matt Colantonio
- E-Mail Address
-
AcquisitionsInquiry@state.gov
(AcquisitionsInquiry@state.gov)
- Description
- Department of State Contractor Community, On August 13, 2021, I provided guidance to you regarding the Department of State�s (DOS) operating procedures in response to the implementation of Executive Order No. 13991, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandums M-21-15 and M-21-25, and updated COVID-19 Workplace Safety; Agency Model Safety Principles issued by the President�s Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force).� The purpose of this communication is to provide you an update regarding the Department�s posture regarding new policy proclamations for contractors. On September 9, 20201, President Biden signed Executive Order 14042, Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, (�the order�) which directs executive departments to ensure that covered contracts and contract-like instruments include a clause (�the clause�) that the contractor and any subcontractors (at any tier) must incorporate into lower-tier subcontracts. �This clause requires that contractors or subcontractors must, for the duration of the contract, comply with all guidance for contractor or subcontractor workplace locations published by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (�Task Force�) which will promote economy and efficiency in Federal contracting.� Subsequently, the Task Force issued guidance to implement the order, which requires: All covered contractor employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by December 8, 2021, except in limited circumstances where an employee is legally entitled to an accommodation; All individuals, including covered contractor employees and visitors, to comply with published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for masking and physical distancing at a covered contractor workplace, as discussed in the Task Force guidance; and Covered contractors to designate a person or persons to coordinate implementation of and compliance with the Task Force guidance and the required workplace safety protocols at covered contractor workplaces. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) provided direction to agencies for the incorporation of a clause in solicitations and contracts in the memorandum titled �Issuance of Agency Deviations to Implement Executive Order 14042�, dated September 30, 2021. On October 7, 2021, the Department issued a FAR Class Deviation to comply with the order and explains the process contracting officers will use to incorporate the clause.� Prior to contract modifications, the Department must continue to ascertain the vaccination status of our onsite contractor workforce and require compliance with mask wearing and testing protocols consistent with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Task Force, until they�re formally subject to the new contractual requirements.� Specifically, that means contractors must complete and have in their possession a completed Certification of Vaccination form before arriving at DOS facilities. In lieu of printing and hand carrying the form, contractor employees are permitted to complete the form electronically and store it on a mobile device, which they will be required to show upon entry to a DOS facility. Any contractor attesting to any status other than fully vaccinated, must continue to provide a negative COVID-19 test from no later than three days before entering the facility and comply with enhanced mitigation protocols, including mask wearing and physical distancing.� Any COVID-19 test authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to detect current infection and produce a dated result is acceptable. Following these procedures helps to protect all of the workforce and bolsters public health and safety. I wish to express my continued gratitude to the contractor community who play a vital role in achieving the DOS mission. Please direct any other questions concerning this letter to your cognizant DOS contracting officer. Sincerely, Michael W. Derrios Senior Procurement Executive
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://beta.sam.gov/opp/1836a776990d462d87458dabe3503e5f/view)
- Record
- SN06155004-F 20211012/211010230105 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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