Companies that enter into new contracts with the federal government or agree to let the federal government exercise an option or extend an existing contract may be subject to new federal contractor vaccine requirements.
Executive Order 14042, Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, mandates COVID-19 vaccines for federal contractors and subcontractors and ensures other workplace safety protocols for these contractor employees. The White House Safer Federal Workforce Task Force released guidance covering the COVID-19 vaccine, mask, and social distancing requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors and issued new FAQs that provide additional clarity on that guidance.
Federal agencies must incorporate the COVID-19 safety requirements in existing contracts awarded before October 15, 2021 when an option is exercised or an extension is made, and in new contracts awarded on or after November 14, 2021. For contracts and solicitations issued between October 15 and November 14, federal agencies must include the requirements in solicitations and are encouraged to include the requirements in contracts awarded during this time. Companies that are not subject to these federal contractor COVID-19 safety requirements, however, may still be subject to the OSHA or CMS vaccine mandate rules.
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