Friends,

 

Last week, Governor Holcomb unveiled his Back on Track plan for a phased reopening of Indiana over the next two months. The plan is the most data-driven, comprehensive state reopening plan in the country.

 

Along with announcing the Back on Track plan, the governor also announced the creation of the Indiana Small Business PPE Marketplace through the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). Today we learned some more about the program.

 

The marketplace will connect small business and nonprofit organizations with PPE so they can safely reopen.

 

To qualify an organization must:

 

• Be registered to do business in Indiana with the Indiana Secretary of State.
• Employ less than 150 associates.
• Be an organization that must use PPE to reopen and comply with safe workplace requirements.
  • Restaurants, retails stores, personal services and office environments.

 

What’s perhaps most exciting about the new PPE marketplace is that the PPE is made by Hoosiers across the state, it’s sourced by Hoosiers, and now it will be used by Hoosiers as we safely reopen in phases.

 

The marketplace will provide PPE in bundles, which will include masks, hand sanitizer and face shields. Currently, the marketplace will fulfill 10,000 requests for PPE bundles – and that number will rise as supplies are replenished.

 

To date the IEDC has procured over 9 million pieces of PPE. Initially, there will be no charge for the bundles to qualifying organizations. However, businesses should continue to try and source PPE through traditional supply chains. The new state PPE marketplace is designed as a backup option.

 

Just like we told you yesterday about increased testing – making sure our Hoosier small businesses have access to the supplies they need when they’re ready to restart operations is another important step as we enter Phase 2 of the Back on Track plan. It’s all about making sure we’re opening in a safe, measured way, and this marketplace is another tool that will be protecting our fellow Hoosiers across the state.

 

#BackonTrack,

-Your Holcomb Crew