Four companies have won positions on a one-year, $803 million Defense Logistics Agency contract to supply nonprescription rapid antigen test kits for COVID-19 to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Department of Defense on Tuesday listed Access Bio, iHealth Labs, Orasure Technologies and Quidel as holding spots on the firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.
DLA Troop Support in Philadelphia is the contracting activity and is financing the award with fiscal 2023 defense working capital funds set aside for HHS in September 2022.
The contract award coincides with HHS’ $350 million initiative to boost the rate of vaccinations through department support to health centers backed by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
“We will continue to reach, vaccinate, and protect our most vulnerable people across the country working together with community health centers and community-based organizations,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said.
“We have seen COVID infections increase in prior winters, and it does not have to be that way this year. We now have updated COVID-19 vaccines to protect communities against the Omicron strain,” added Becerra, a previous Wash100 awardee.
