Medical equipment, contractor support among latest results from NDIA’s work with the Defense Department

ARLINGTON, VA – The Defense Department has acted swiftly to get more and faster medical assistance to U.S. areas affected by the COVID-19 virus outbreak, answering concerns addressed last week in several meetings with the National Defense Industrial Association, its fellow associations and the DoD, the Arlington, VA-based association announces today.

DoD also continues to address the issues facing defense contractors – particularly those in small business – in this challenge time. Details of all DoD’s actions can be found in this release.

Among the latest actions:

• The Defense Logistics Agency modified a contract to procure 8,000 ventilators from four vendors, worth nearly $85 million. This will be a time-phased delivery over the next several months, and shipment should start within the next few days.
• DLA will supply Navy hospital ships USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy with more than $2 million in pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, 975,000 gallons of fuel as well as food and repair parts. These ships are bound for New York and Los Angeles.
• Defense Threat Reduction Agency helped deliver six C-17 military air shipments, totaling 3 million COVID-19 test kit swabs, to support U.S. medical professionals testing needs.
• DoD will leverage its traditional Defense Protection Act Title authorities to support the industrial base and the national emergency response. To date, it has not executed any DPA efforts that fall under Executive Order 13909 the president issued March 18.
• Defense Contract Management Agency will use a mass modification to approximately 1,500 contracts to raise limits on progress payments from to 90% for large businesses and to 95% for small businesses. This brings immediate cash flow to industry, especially small businesses in the supply chain, once incorporated into the contract. 

Complete details and more actions may be found in today's Defense Department press release.

Under Secretary of Defense Ellen Lord's Acquisition and Sustainment leaders in Industrial Policy, Defense Pricing and Contracting, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Defense Contracting Management Agency continue to work closely with the military services, the Hill and state governors to support the COVID-19 response. Their talks with NDIA and its fellow trade associations will continue to ensure the defense industrial base stays strong for both national security and COVID-19 assistance.

“Two weeks of discussion set in motion all these actions, all this cooperation,” said Hawk Carlisle, NDIA’s president and CEO. “The communication among Ms. Lord’s officials, the military and the defense trades has been honest and productive, and we’ve made such strides. This steadies our defense industrial base in this difficult time and gives these companies the resources and ability to keep going, as well as answer needs for this emergency. It’s inspiring.”

The industrial policy defense trade associations calls will continue next week.

For media queries to NDIA, contact Evamarie Socha esocha@NDIA.org.

For media queries to DoD, contact Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Andrews michael.r.andrews16.mil@mail.mil