Okan Celik / iStock.com

Agencies Are Implementing New COVID-19 Protocols for Contractors

Several thanked contractors for their work during the pandemic. 

Agencies are starting to implement and issue guidance to carry out the Biden administration’s vaccine attestation and testing protocols for onsite contractors. 

President Biden announced on July 29 that onsite federal contractors, as well as federal employees, must attest to their coronavirus vaccination status or be subject to restrictions. The administration's Safer Federal Workforce Task Force has released several guidance updates to help agencies carry out the directives. One of the updates says that ​​onsite federal contractors who provide false information on their vaccination form could be removed from contracts. 

Since the president made the announcement, there has been some form of message or guidance on the process posted on the official website for doing businesses with the federal government for contractors with the Homeland Security, State and Health and Human Services departments; HHS inspector general; Federal Aviation Administration; Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility; and in General Services Administration-owned or leased facilities secured by the Federal Protective Service

The effective dates for the new policies range from immediately to September 3, for those noted. 

“I recognize the contractor community plays a vital role in achieving the department’s mission,” Michael Derrios, senior procurement executive at the State Department, wrote in a notice posted on August 13. “I wish to express my continued gratitude to the contractor employees who have been part of our workforce throughout this pandemic.” 

Government Executive reached out to other major agencies to see what they have been communicating to their onsite contractors. 

The Veterans Affairs Department shared a message the chief acquisition officer sent to the contracting community on August 26, which Government Executive put into a document that can be viewed here

“The Department of Veterans Affairs greatly appreciates our industry partners and their employees who have been working onsite at our VA facilities during this ongoing pandemic, and I thank you for your dedication to the VA mission,” said the message. “Since March 2020, many functions, including contract support functions, have been provided effectively in a telework environment. Unless notified otherwise, contractor telework should continue.”

The note recapped the Biden administration’s actions and said more details will be coming from contracting officers or contracting officer representatives.

“Treasury is in the process of implementing the COVID-19 Workplace Safety Agency Model Safety Principles issued by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force,” said a Treasury Department spokesperson. “This includes the requirement for Treasury to ask onsite contractors about their COVID-19 vaccination status. Contractors that are not fully vaccinated or who decline to provide information about their vaccination status must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test from no earlier than the previous three days prior to [gain] entry to a federal building.”

The Interior Department referred to this public web page outlining its coronavirus response that has the department’s workplace safety plan, dated July 22, 2021. 

The Education and Labor departments and Environmental Protection Agency referred to the Office of Management and Budget. 

OMB had no comment beyond the guidance the task force has released

The Biden administration has still not published what the exact definition of an “onsite contractor” is and has not outlined what happens if a contractor works at multiple agencies. These are questions many in the contracting community have.

Separately, some agencies have been posting contract opportunities and requests for information for services to help facilitate the new public health procedures. 

The Federal Maritime Commission, NASA, Environmental Protection Agency and 55th Contracting Squadron at the Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska put out requests to solicit information on possible sources for a testing program for employees.

NASA also put out a “sources sought notice” on August 26 seeking “technologies and software capabilities that would allow for quick and efficient survey of employees prior to entrance into a NASA facility by either verifying the employee’s COVID-19 vaccination status or a recent negative COVID test.”

Additionally, the VA put out a “sources sought notice” on August 5 looking for a contractor to provide coronavirus screening services. 

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.