Message to DHS Contractor Community on Screening Process for Access to DHS Facilities or Work Spaces Due to COVID-19

In furtherance of the Office of Management and Budget guidance issued March 15, 2020, and updated March 16, 2020, all DHS Components must maintain safe working environments and implement substantial mitigation strategies.

To comply with this guidance, DHS facilities and work spaces may institute revised access procedures in order to protect the health and safety of all those that must perform functions on site. The following procedure will be instituted at the DHS St. Elizabeth campus beginning Thursday, March 26, 2020, and may be instituted at other DHS facilities and work spaces.

• a. Admission to the facility or work space will be limited to individuals who have been authorized access during the COVID-19 restricted access timeframe, and who have a government Personal Identity Verification (PIV), Common Access Card (CAC), or other documents allowing access to the facility or work space.
• b. Buildings, facilities, or work spaces may close without prior notice and may occur because of COVID-19 related exposure or other reasons.
• c. Everyone including employees, contractors and visitors entering a DHS facility or work space may be screened prior to entry. At the St. Elizabeth campus the screening process will include a temperature check to assess that the person's temperature is less than 100 .4 °F. In addition, the person being screened will likely be asked a series of questions to determine whether the person should be permitted to enter the facilities or work space.

People without proper credentials or documentation, people who may be ill, and/or people who may pose a risk to others will not be granted access.

Contractor and subcontractor employees who are denied access to DHS facilities or work spaces should notify their employer of the denial and the basis for it. Companies doing business with DHS should take the appropriate action to keep the employees and their coworkers safe and healthy. The health, welfare, and safety of the DHS federal and contractor workforce is paramount during this unprecedented time. In addition, in the event a contractor or subcontractor employee is denied entry, it is requested that the company notify the appropriate Contracting Officer, or Contracting Officer's Representative. If contract performance is anticipated to be affected due to the COVID-19 situation, please discuss the situation directly with the Contracting Officer immediately.

Contractors and subcontractors should assume that the Government will need to sustain these mitigation and containment strategies for a minimum of 30 days beginning on March 25, 2020. However, these containment strategies will stay in place for as long as needed which could mean several months of screening and restricted access to DHS spaces. DHS is instituting these procedures to ensure its critical functions continue while complying with public health mitigation and containment strategies to protect the health of all Americans. We appreciate your continued support of the DHS mission. As we combat COVID-19 together, these extra precautions will help keep us safer.