Defense Department awards contracts to purchase COVID-19 test kits

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has coordinated with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to purchase 380 million over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits.

Contracts were awarded to Orlando, Florida-based Abbott Rapid Dx North America, LLC; Mountain View, California’s iHealth Lab Inc.; and Indianapolis, Indiana-centered Roche Diagnostics Corporation toward purchasing a combined total of the test kits.

The endeavor supports the Biden administration’s plan to deliver 500 million free at-home COVID-19 tests to the nation in response to the Omicron variant, per officials, adding the funding stems from the American Rescue Plan Act as a means of supplying critical domestic medical resources.

The DoD Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense spearheaded the effort in conjunction with the Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell, Army Contracting Command, and the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.