Description
This is a Special Notice to all Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contractors and visitors to HHS buildings and federal facilities. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has updated its current operating procedures to align with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 Community Levels, and corresponding updated Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance. The most recent CDC COVID-19 health and safety recommendations provide a more adaptive approach to applying COVID-19 safety strategies for illness prevention, that directly correlate to the level of COVID-19 spread by distinct regions of the country. The CDC COVID-19 Community Level strategy assigns a community risk designation of Low, Medium or High based on defined regional health and safety indicators, which help to inform appropriate safety protocols for mask-wearing and testing screening requirements commensurate to the level of disease and community spread by region. The Administration’s paramount concern is the health and safety of the American public, all Federal employees, on-site contractors, individuals working in or visiting Federal buildings or on Federal lands, and the ability to capitalize on all available opportunities to maximize this capability. To continue to ensure that the goal of protecting the health and safety of the American public is achieved and in accordance with current CDC guidance, effective immediately, to gain access to an HHS facility, when the COVID-19 Community Level is Medium or High in a county where the HHS facility is located, onsite contractor employees must complete a Certification of Vaccination form attesting to whether they are: fully vaccinated, not yet fully vaccinated, unvaccinated, or decline to provide their vaccination status. Attestation comes with a potential penalty for providing false information. Onsite contractor employees must complete the Certification of Vaccination form prior to or when they enter an HHS facility and keep it with them during their time on HHS premises. When the COVID-19 Community Level is Medium or High in the county where the HHS facility is located, onsite contractor employees who are not yet fully vaccinated, unvaccinated, (or who decline to disclose their vaccination status) must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result from within the previous 3 days in order to gain access to the facility or when in that facility. As an additional measure of compliance with HHS attestation and COVID-19 testing screening procedures, when requested, onsite contractor employees must show the HHS Contracting Officer Representative (COR) or his/her designee, their Certification of Vaccination form or for those who are not yet fully vaccinated, unvaccinated, (or who decline to disclose their vaccination status) proof of a negative COVID-19 test result from within the previous 3 days when in that facility. Onsite contractor employees who are not yet fully vaccinated, unvaccinated, or decline to disclose their vaccination status and who are unable to show proof of a negative test within the previous 3 days, will be asked to leave the facility and the Contracting Officer (CO) will be notified by the COR or his/her designee. The contractor supervisor will also be notified. Note: HHS agencies will utilize their discretion on establishing plans for execution of attestation of vaccination or show of proof of a negative COVID-19 test result for onsite contractors. Onsite contractors should contact their respective CO for further information on specific HHS facility access requirements. The success of the HHS mission is contingent upon the collaboration and support of our industry partners and we appreciate your continued dedication to ensuring that HHS can deliver services that enhance the health and well-being of all Americans in these extraordinary times. Additional Resources : Safer Federal Workforce: https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/ CDC website: COVID-19 Community Levels (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels.html) Vaccination Attestation form: Certification of Vaccination form (https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/downloads/CertificationVaccinationPRAv7.pdf)