Thursday, March 19, 2020

Update: DoD's industry concerns

On March 17, the Defense Department and industry associations kicked off the first of daily talks about the effects of coronavirus on the defense industrial base. The novel coronavirus has infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed upwards of 100 in the U.S. The outbreak has upended the American lives, shuttered businesses, forced tele-work, travel restrictions, and bans on large gatherings. The pandemic raised concerns about potential effects on military programs and current/future contracts. DoD now has plans to reach out to industry groups on a daily basis to discuss the impacts. (Source: National Defense Magazine 03/18/20) https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/3/18/pentagon-defense-industry-associations-to-hold-daily-calls-about-coronavirus UPDATE: On Sunday, DoD released a statement which said: "During the 4 daily COVID-19 update calls with defense industry associations leaders this week … several key concerns identified by industry included 1) critical defense contractor workforce ability to continue working; 2) ensuring cash flow to the defense industrial base; and 3) getting standardized guidance out to industry. On Friday, the Department issued two memos that address all three concerns. (Source: DoD 03/22/20) https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2121122/partnering-with-the-us-defense-industrial-base-to-combat-covid-19/source/GovDelivery/

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