24 March 2020 – Supply Chain Strike Force has secured purchase orders for essential PPE supplies

Type of Intervention: Specific Action
Sectors Involved: Health, Supply Chains
Intervention Categories: Finance policy and financial aid; Financial aid to health services
Level of Jurisdiction: Texas
Lead People/Agency: Governor Greg Abbott

Overview: The Governor announced that the newly established Supply Chain Strike Force has already secured more than $83 million of purchase orders for essential PPE supplies. Additionally, the Governor announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) will begin receiving 100,000 masks per day by the end of this week and the Supply Chain Strike Force will begin receiving an additional 100,000 masks per day by the end of next week—meaning the State of Texas will soon be receiving more than one million masks per week.
Full details here: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-increased-ppe-supply-issues-executive-order-to-strengthen-reporting-capabilities

Type of Justification: Advice of EXTERNAL group of non-academics (e.g. business or community leaders)
Evidence/Justification: “The State of Texas is rapidly accelerating the purchasing and delivery of essential personal protection equipment and other supplies to aid in our COVID-19 response,” said Governor Abbott. “The Supply Chain Strike Force is working in concert with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to secure these vital resources and to swiftly distribute them to medical professionals, hospitals, and first responders in communities throughout the state. ” This follows after physicians stressed need for PPE, for example a group of Rio Grande Valley physicians recently sent an email to Gov. Greg Abbott outlining many concerns such as a lack of PPE.