Manufacturers may be called up to defeat virus

The federal government has reached out to the manufacturing sector to help defeat the coronavirus now threatening Australia.

The government has issued a request for information from companies capable of supplying medical personal protective equipment (PPE).

This includes surgical gowns, gloves, goggles, hand sanitisers, clinical waste bags, waste bag closure devices (ties), blood and fluid spill kits, mask fit test kits and thermometers.

While this is not part of any procurement process at this stage, it indicates that the manufacturing sector might soon be mobilised to provide the wherewithal to defeat the virus.

The request for information appears on the government tenders site here.

The request said: “The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (the Department) is mapping domestic production capability of medical personal protective equipment (PPE).

“Initial responses to this annex should be submitted by email…(before) the AusTender response closing time, 17:00pm (AEST) local time in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) on Tuesday, 31 March 2020.”

The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre has alerted its followers of the tender and encouraged manufacturers to respond and spread the word to others in manufacturing.

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