COVID-19 Contract Performance & Guidance

<p>Date Published:  April 17, 2020                                                                                     Episode #127</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Welcome to Federal Contracting Made Easy (FCME), where we take the complex world of Government Contracting and break it into simple steps that anyone can master.  We are on episode number 127, and we are going to look at the COVID-19 Contract Performance & Guidance.<br /> <br /></p> <h2><strong>Essential Business and Operations<br /> <br /></strong></h2> <p>The government must restrict contract performance to those "Essential Business and Operations" contracts. But what is the definition of Essential Business and Operations? The following meets the government's requirements:</p> <ul> <li>Groceries & Medicine;</li> <li>Food, beverage, and licensed marijuana production & agriculture;</li> <li>Organizations that provide charitable and social services;</li> <li>Religious entities</li> <li>Media;</li> <li>First Amendment protected speech;</li> <li>Gas stations and businesses needed for transportation;</li> <li>Financial and Insurance Institutions</li> <li>Hardware & Supply Stores;</li> <li>Critical trades;</li> <li>Main, post, shipping logistics, delivery and pick-up services;</li> <li>Educational institutions;</li> <li>Laundry Services;</li> <li>Restaurants (Take out only)</li> <li>Supplies to work from home;</li> <li>Supplies for essential businesses and operations;</li> <li>Transportation;</li> <li>Home-base care and services;</li> <li>Residential facilities and shelters;</li> <li>Professional Services;</li> <li>Manufacture, distribution, and supply chain for critical products & Industries;</li> <li>Critical labor union functions;</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p> </p> <ul> <li>Hotels and motels; and</li> <li>Funeral Services.</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p>Next, we will look at Shelter-in-place.<br /> <br /></p> <h2><strong>Shelter-in-place<br /> <br /></strong></h2> <p>Shelter-in-place orders are handled differently depending on the state. Some states require all non-essential