The Office of Personnel and Management has launched an effort to address the COVID-19 disease that has caused the U.S. government to declare a national emergency.

OPM said Friday its COVID-19 Surge Response Program aims to disseminate federal work opportunities in support of coronavirus response work.

The agency is using the Open Opportunities platform through which federal entities may post openings for rotational response work.

“The COVID-19 Surge Response Program will allow agencies to quickly realign their workforce so they can better accomplish their mission for the American people,” said Michael Rigas, OPM acting director.

Rigas recently released a guidance memo to help federal agencies screen new employees amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Battelle has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to support front-line healthcare workers as they face critical shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), the company announced on Sunday.

“I want to thank the FDA team for their professionalism and help in authorizing the use of our technology at this critical moment for our nation,” said Lou Von Thaer, President and CEO of Battelle and five-time Wash100 Award recipient. “Everybody who has worked on this project shares the same goal of protecting first responders and healthcare workers who are at the front lines of the pandemic.”

The Battelle CCDS Critical Care Decontamination System will operate at Battelle’s West Jefferson, Ohio facility under the EUA and is capable of decontaminating up to 80,000 respirator masks per system each day using concentrated, vapor phase hydrogen peroxide (VPHP).

The respirator masks are exposed to the validated concentration level for 2.5 hours to decontaminate biological contaminants, including SARS-CoV-2. Battelle CCDS can decontaminate the same respirator mask up to 20 times without degrading the mask’s performance.

Healthcare systems using Battelle CCDS will collect worn respirator masks daily in accordance with an approved procedure and courier these respirator masks to Battelle CCDS operations as systems come online.

The PPE will be labeled with a barcoded serial number for tracking the chain-of-custody throughout the process to ensure that the hospital system receives its own masks back. Each respirator mask will be marked with the number of times that mask has been processed.

“This will not only help Ohio’s healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, but Battelle will also be helping health care workers in hot spots throughout the country including New York and Washington states,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

About Battelle

Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries.

Jacobs has developed new initiatives in light of COVID-19 to ensure the safety and well-being of citizens and communities and deliver on the commitments to its clients, the company announced on Monday.

“As part of our Culture of Caring, we unite employees across the globe to foster a workplace that values the safety, positive mental health and inclusion of all employees,” said Steve Demetriou, chairman and CEO of Jacobs. “We took early, decisive action in a couple of critical areas to help in efforts to flatten the curve of the virus.”

Jacobs has executed a maximum remote working environment to support social distancing and are leveraging technology and optimizing our networks to facilitate flexible work scenarios for its employees to ensure business continuity and continued collaboration with its clients.    

The company has also supported essential and mission-critical activities, playing an integral role in supporting clients in their efforts to mitigate the spread, develop vaccines and therapies, and ensure the safety and security of countries and communities around the world. 

Jacobs will continue to work with its clients and have established project-specific plans to ensure the safety of our people and the integrity of the operation.  The company will also support efforts to solve challenges from the pandemic through client partnerships, including FEMA and U.S. Corps of Engineers support in creating mobile hospital units in hot zones of the U.S.

The company has donated $1 million to the COVID-19 crisis to help global organizations on the frontline of fighting this pandemic, including an employee matching program for local efforts. To support Jacobs' global giving efforts, the company’s senior executives have agreed to a 10 percent reduction in salary.  

“I am truly inspired by the actions and sacrifices we are making as a collective global community in the face of this pandemic. To see people across the world pitching in and helping each other in ways big and small fills me with confidence and optimism for the future.  Let's keep this going well past this current challenge,” concluded Demetriou. 

About Jacobs   

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. 

With $13 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector.