GovWin SLED Coronavirus Recon

Word on the Street

(What our Analysts are hearing from government)

• RFP due dates getting pushed back, with direct mention of COVID-19

• Entities are changing their requirements for physical copies of proposals and instead asking for digital ones

• Most Q&A’s are still being posted in a timely manner; however, a few have been delayed.

 

General

• OMB Releases Guidance on Contract Performance Issues Impacted by COVID-19

• California health department issues updated information on governor’s COVID-19 self-quarantine order – What can stay open, what is closed, what businesses are exempt

• Phone booths, parades, and 10-minute test kits: How countries worldwide are fighting Covid-19

  • This article looks at how other countries have responded to COVID, which is some cases are very different from the US.

• National Guard activated for 3 states as US COVID-19 cases pass 33,000

  • The National Guard has been activated for New York, Washington, and California.

• Governor issues order suspending some open meeting rules, noise ordinance rules,  allows retired government employees to come back to work

  • On March 21, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-35-20 that relaxed/removed certain requirements that could impact the provision of public services/facilities. Restrictions on the employment of retired government employees have been suspended. The order also allows for certain communications between public officials outside of an open meeting. Lastly, the order provides for the extension of a number of statutory and regulatory deadlines, including the time within which an individual must file a Government Code claim against a public entity.

• What are essential businesses? Here’s what will remain open in Ohio

  • Certain government contractors, including IT contractors, are considered essential and should continue to work even through the “shelter in place”

• Maryland Guidance on What Constitutes Essential Businesses

  • Defense contractors are considered Essential

• State to fund hotline mired in controversy for COVID-19 information

   

Funding & Economic Impact

• Economic Recovery From COVID-19 And Geopolitical Ramifications

• The Crisis’s Impact on Budgets – States designing their tax structures to collect a disproportionate share of revenue from upper-income residents. Challenge with maintaining pension systems.  

• Gov. Newsom issues executive order to expand state's response to COVID-19 pandemic – directing emergency funding to expand California’s healthcare infrastructure to brace for an influx of patients

• COVID-19 fallout boosts outlook for long-term infrastructure funding

  • COVID could potentially spur interest in an infrastructure funding bill to rebuild transportation infrastructure across the country, boosting the economy with jobs and tax revenue.

• Gov. Abbott announces distribution of federal funding for COVID-19 response

  • Texas Governor Abbott announced that the state received $36.9 million in federal funds and will be distributed among local health departments and used for operational support in areas not covered by local departments.

• State treasurer: $250 million to be available for Small Business COVID-19 Relief Program

  • Illinois State treasurer will make $250 million available for small businesses and nonprofits through low-interest bridge loans.

• Dunleavy signs $4M funding bill for COVID-19 effort; closes state libraries, museums, archives

  • Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy signed a bill providing $4 million in state funding to hire temporary health positions.

• Murphy approves first batch of COVID-19 relief bills for workers, businesses

  • NJ Governor Phil Murphy just approved several measures to bring economic relief to the state.

• Stimulus Package Update: Small business loans – The $349 billion contained in the Senate version of the stimulus package would guarantee private-sector loans to companies through the Small Business Administration, freeing up more funds for outfits struggling to keep their head above water as revenue evaporates. The stimulus package has not passed through Congress as of March 23

 

Purchasing

• Records Requests Are Casualty of Chicago Coronavirus Staffing

  • The City of Chicago will be automatically denying all FOIA requests as a result of short staffing.

• (Connecticut) Suspension of certain real property and state contracting statutes - To expedite obtaining appropriate locations for emergency operations, the order suspends certain state contracting, leasing and procurement requirements to enter into emergency short-term leases and take other emergency measures.

• New Jersey Notice for all contracts entered to address the COVID-19 Emergency declared under Executive Order 103 – A memorandum stating that contracts being entered for COVID-19 requires the immediate delivery of goods and performance of services, and therefore, the requirements of L. 2005, c. 25 (c. 19:44A-20.13 to -20.25), and L. 2005, c. 271 (c. 19:44A-20.25) are not applicable to such contracts; vendors need not complete either: the Vendor Certification and Disclosure; nor the Vendor Certification and Political Contribution Form.

  • For all other contracts being procuredpursuant to a preapproval for a public waiver, in accordance with Treasury Circular 18-14-DPP, the remaining required forms are not waived but may be obtained from the vendor after work on the public exigency contract is begun.

• (Delaware) The State of Delaware has received numerous vendor requests offering the sale of goods and/or services in response to the Governor’s Declared State of Emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure that inquiries are handled promptly and efficiently, all vendors wanting to offer their capabilities should send an email to the state’s central contracting team.

• (Florida) - All vendors’ employees performing services under any State Term Contract or Alternate Contract Source with the State of Florida are expected to follow the mandate given to all State of Florida State Personnel System employees by Governor Ron DeSantis.

• Ige suspends public meetings and records laws as part of response

• Colorado COVID-19 Personnel and Procurement Information

   

Technology

• Tech-focused lenders are lobbying to be part of a government stimulus plan for businesses hurting from the coronavirus slowdown.

 

Education

• Pelosi to Propose $10 Billion for Higher Education, Relief for Borrowers: this provides flexibility for Higher Edu facilities to continue operation during the crisis. The breakdown of funding is roughly $40 billion into schools and universities, with $30 billion directly provided to states to help them stabilize their funding for schools and nearly $10 billion to help alleviate the harm caused by COVID. See Inside Higher Ed’s live feed updating the legislation moves here.

• Southern New Hampshire University created a suite of free resources in light of the novel coronavirus, including modules on how to run a drive-through COVID-19 test site. See press release from SHNU

   

Health Care

• Maine’s certificate of need law could hinder the state’s COVID-19 response efforts

• Nevada Medicaid prepares COVID-19 response, highlights changes to telehealth policy

  • This article shows how Nevada’s Medicaid has added Telehealth services to its coverage.

• Healthcare Workers Targeted By Dangerous New Windows Ransomware Campaign Using Coronavirus As Bait

• Oregon reports 24 new COVID-19 cases; announces funding for Local Public Health and Tribes

 

Social Services

• Unemployment office: COVID-19 impacted workers “eligible to file” but not necessarily approved for benefits – (Mississippi) Impacted people, such as those laid off due to COVID-19 closures, may file a claim but determination of unemployment will not be automatically granted, determination will be made concerning eligibility on a case-by-case basis

• Minnesota Employment Law Update on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

• Providers warn coronavirus is straining Connecticut’s safety net - Connecticut’s social services safety net is bracing for a double-whammy as the coronavirus crisis intensifies. Dozens of nonprofit group homes are preparing emergency quarantine scenarios — if necessary — as they struggle to maintain residential services for the developmentally disabled, the mentally ill, drug addicts and others. At the same time, hundreds of community-based agencies could soon find themselves hemorrhaging cash — some more than $1 million per month — if the pandemic forces a broad-based shutdown of daily programs.

• Department of Edu to use SNAP and other initiatives to address food insecurity

• Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Will Rise During Quarantines. So Will Neglect of At-Risk People, Social Workers Say

   

Justice/Public Safety

• Coronavirus has transformed policing in the US, as officers scramble to get tested, stay safe

  • Police forces across the country are changing the way they police, going virtual with reporting and practicing social distancing as much as they can. Some officers are at higher risk than others as there is not enough protective personal equipment to go around. It is anticipated that the size of police forces on the streets will lower as officers get sick, but police departments are doing their best to have that not be the case.

• First Federal COVID-19 Related Enforcement Action Filed as DOJ and FBI Commit to Preventing Fraud in the Nation’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Coronavirus cybercrime task force launches in Virginia

  • A Virginia COVID Fraud Task Force has been created that includes the U.S. attorney’s offices for the eastern and western districts of the state and the Virginia State Police. The task force will prioritize the prosecution of cybercriminals who attempt to exploit the public health crisis.

 

Transportation

• Tips to Reduce Fleet Driver Exposure to COVID-19

  • While many are able to work from home, this article highlights the need for those who cannot work from home, specifically fleet drivers. These drivers have to be out in the field and deliver packages or make repairs; here is what they are doing to keep safe while keeping industries moving.

• Automotive Fleet's COVID-19 Resource Center - Resource for fleet managers and drivers.

 

Utilities

• U.S. power industry may ask key employees to live at work if coronavirus worsens

  • The power industry is working on contingency plans to have workers stay at facilities to keep them up and running if the COVID situation worsens. Supplies are being stockpiled in preparation for this possible scenario.

• Coal industry seeks federal help amid coronavirus outbreak

  • The coal industry is asking for a bailout which has resulted in a renewed discussion of the industry in the political world. This will be interesting to watch and see how the coal industry is affected by the COVID pandemic.

     

State COVID-19 Portals

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming