Contra Costa County, along with Health Officers from the Bay Area, have announced a Public Health Order that requires residents to stay home to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. This order is in effect until April 7, 2020. It may be extended depending on recommendations from public health officials. This is a critical intervention to reduce harm from the spread of the coronavirus in our community. All Bay Area Health Officers observed quickly mounting cases and serious illnesses across the region. Because the virus spreads so easily, without dramatic intervention like this Order, it would result in so many people needing medical attention in a hospital setting that our hospitals will be overwhelmed. The County may not have enough beds or equipment to adequately care for the most seriously ill. And health care workers and other first responders, countywide, are also at risk. If those healthcare workers and first responders get sick there are fewer people to provide health care and first response services during the pandemic.  
  
The County has activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and serveral Department Operations Centers (DOC) to assist in the response to the pandemic. Those operations centers are the hub for procurement and distribution of services and equipment necessary to respond to the emergency. In support of this, the County Administrator, in his capacity of Administrator of Emergency Services (County Code Section 42-2.602) issued an emergency blanket purchase order in the amount of $20 million on Friday, March 20, 2020 for the procurement of services and supplies necessary to facilitate the COVID-19 response within the County. This emergency procurement is authorized as part of the County Administrator's emergency powers outlined in County Code Section 42-2.808(c), among other authorities. The issuance of this emergency blanket purchase order expedites the acquisition of goods and services for faster deployment to the field. To track these costs, two cost centers have been operationalized to track County costs related to the emergency response; one in the Hospital Enterprise Fund I for Health Services department related costs and one in the General Fund to track all other County departments. As purchases are made, suppliers will be provided requisition requests together with documentation establishing the requisition is being made under the blanket purchase order, to ensure the terms of the blanket purchase order apply to each purchase.  
  
When practicable, services necessary to respond to this emergency will be procured using existing or new services contracts. Costs incurred under services contracts are not included in the above $20 million authorization, but any response costs incurred under services contracts will be tracked for FEMA reimbursement purposes. In emergency and time-sensitive situations, services can be purchased under the blanket purchase order and charged against the above $20 million authorization.  
  
Today's action requests the Board of Supervisors ratify the emergency action of the County Administrator to issue an emergency blanket purchase order for COVID-19 response activities within the County.  
  

The emergency blanket purchase order will not be formally approved by the Board of Supervisors.