As part of President Joe Biden’s pledge to provide 500 million free at-home COVID-19 tests throughout the United States, the Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a $51.6 million contract to Goldbelt Security, LLC for delivery of test kits.
Kits will be provided over the counter at no cost to users – a way the federal government sees to combat the rapid spread of the omicron variant. However, no specification has been given for exactly how many tests Goldbelt would be responsible for providing under the contract.
Goldbelt is a products distribution and logistics company, as well as an Alaska Urban Native Corporation. The DoD’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense led the partnership alongside DoD’s Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell, Army Contracting Command, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
Procurement of funds was provided through the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package passed last year to hasten economic and health recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As part of that package, certain funds were allotted to supply critical medical resources for the United States.