Lab Matters Winter 2020 | Page 9

PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE Equipment and Supply Procurement Contractual Projects and Services Within 10 months of the initial award, APHL procured $2 million in equipment and supplies, such as high- capacity generators, laboratory testing instrumentation and consumables, and communication and office supplies. APHL established SharePoint sites specific to each jurisdiction to facilitate expedited ordering and tracking for supplies, equipment and services. In addition, staff negotiated shipping and other prices to achieve more cost-effective solutions for the jurisdictions (e.g., procurement of rabies vaccines and immunologics). As of January 2019, APHL has completed procurement in Houston while continuing this work in Puerto Rico and USVI. In addition, APHL works with contractors to provide public health services such as laboratory repairs, implementation of laboratory information management systems, and procurement of video direct-observed therapy for tuberculosis patients. It monitors contractors via routine calls and employs an expedited approach to contracting and purchase orders. The people of Puerto Rico, USVI and Houston depend on robust public health systems to safeguard their health and safety. Together, APHL, CDC and the jurisdictions are steadily restoring these systems to protect residents from actual and potential threats. n Staff at the US Virgin Islands Department of Health perform molecular laboratory testing using the Panther Fusion system The Association for Biosafety and Biosecurity Your Biosafety and Biosecurity Resource! ABSA International was founded in 1984 to promote biosafety as a scientific discipline and serve the growing biosafety and biosecurity needs of scientists, laboratorians, health care workers, and biosafety and biosecurity professionals throughout the world. ABSA International Activities and Resources • • • • • • • • Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conferences, Training Courses, and Webinars Agricultural and Biosecurity Symposia – offered alternating years Professional Credentials – Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) and Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) Applied Biosafety: Journal of ABSA International Biosafety and Biosecurity Publications – including Anthology of Biosafety series BSL-2/-3 and ABSL-2/-3 Accreditation Program – https://absa.org/lab-accred/ Animal Biosafety Training Videos – https://absa.org/absl/ Risk Group Database, Job Board, Biosafety Buyer’s Guide, Biosafety Listserve, Training Tools, and more… www.absa.org PublicHealthLabs @APHL APHL.org Winter 2020 LAB MATTERS 7