$17M approved in virus costs

Contracts awarded: Testing and contact tracing agreements top list

“Montgomery County’s 14day positivity rate has been under 5% since June 18 and continues to trend slowly downward.”

— Montgomery County Commissioner Dr. Valerie Arkoosh

The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners authorized a series of contracts last week related to the COVID-19 pandemic totaling more than $17 million.

Most notably, a $16,445,076 contract with Mako Medical Laboratories, LLC., of Raleigh, N.C., “provides for COVID specimen testing and transportation of tests to [the] facility,” according to the contract.

Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Valerie Arkoosh praised the new venture as the firm would be “contractually obligated to provide us with a 36-hour turnaround time.”

The Montgomery County Office of Health and Human Services and TJ Billing Company, of Lafayette Hill, entered into an agreement “for insurance claim submission services for COVID[-19] tests.”

According to the contract, the rates are $5 per new test and $7.50 for previous tests that require a follow-up.

Local leaders awarded a $144,517.80 contract for personal protective equipment, specifically face masks and shields, to Sun Scientific, of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., according to the contract.

The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners have emphasized the importance of complying with contact tracers in order to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus. Officials approved a number of contracts related to contact tracing.

A $24,636 contract with New Era Technology of Islandia, N.Y., to allocate “150 Avaya VOIP Speakerphones for use by contact tracers working remotely,” according to the agreement.

Additionally, the county’s information and technology solutions and CDW Government of Chicago entered into a $69,169.50 agreement for equipment, which is available through a contract via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Cooperative Purchasing Program. The “laptops and various computer accessories” would be used by “county employees and contact tracers” in a remote setting.

The Office of Health and Human Services will use $451,703 “for contact tracing services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the contract.

However, the following amendments, totaling roughly $1.28 million, would cover the hiring of 20 more full-time contact tracers:

• A $336,804-revised contract value agreement with ACLAMO of Norristown

• A $328,550-revised contract value agreement with Family Services of Montgomery County of Eagleville

• A $236,244- revised contract value agreement with Montgomery County OIC of Norristown

• A $325,588- revised contract value agreement with VNA- Community Services of Abington