The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) “has awarded over $367 million for the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) to replenish the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) in preparation for future public health emergencies.” Their website has the news.
The contracts are spread across six companies and have a “combined estimated potential total value of up to $510 million.” The companies under contract, including Airboss Defense Group in Maryland and Essential Safety Products in Houston, “will produce isolation gowns that are domestically sourced, and manufactured in the U.S., in compliance with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).”
The awarded contracts “will help ensure that the U.S. can maintain a robust stockpile of critical PPE to support health care workers and the public during public health events. This represents an important step in bolstering national security, supporting the economy by creating domestic manufacturing jobs, and improving preparedness for future public health responses.” The devices and supplies in the stockpile “can be used as a short-term, stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of these materials may not be available or sufficient.”
