The Battelle Memorial Institute has been awarded a contract to provide decontamination systems for N95 respirator masks by the Defense Logistics Agency, AFCEA reported on Tuesday.
The $415 million contract is for 60 such systems by the Columbus, Ohio based company, which can decontaminate up to 80,000 used N95 respirators per system daily, Department of Defense spokesman Lt. Col. Mike Andrews told Stars & Stripes. This would enable masks to be reused up to 20 times.
Earlier this month, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine pressed President Donald Trump to encourage the Food and Drug Administration to permit an expanded emergency authorization for the system’s use.
Six units have already been delivered to locations, including two to New York, and have provided the capability to sterilize 3.4 million masks weekly.
“Since bringing the first system online, we have received hundreds of requests for CCDS systems and services,” Battelle’s Contract Research President Matt Vaughan said. “The contract awarded to Battelle will allow us to staff additional systems to provide a continuous buffer against current and future N95 supply chain challenges.”
All 60 systems are expected to be ready by early May.
"I remain extremely proud of the selfless efforts of Department of Defense personnel who continue to do everything they can to help provide medical masks, test kits, medicine and meals to support America’s military, medical, emergency services and law enforcement professionals who are on the front lines and need them most,” Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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