Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced Saturday the creation of the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Call to Action Portal to mobilize the state’s manufacturers producing or looking to produce medical and other COVID-19-related supplies.
“As we work to protect public health and safety and create a robust supply chain, we know that there are manufacturers across the commonwealth who are willing and able to help,” Davin said. “This portal will help facilitate the connections businesses need to get critical COVID-19-related products to market or retrofit their operations to begin production of those products.”
The portal allows the DCED to match manufacturers and distributors filling specific supply chain needs, assist manufacturers that have workforce needs or gaps, and identify manufacturers that can pivot or innovate operations to fulfill supply demands.
The Pennsylvania Manufacturing Call to Action Portal builds on the efforts of Gov. Tom Wolf’s recent creation of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Critical Medical Supplies Portal, which seeks to source the most needed supplies for medical providers, emergency responders, and health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“By consolidating the efforts of various state agencies, we will streamline the procurement process and allow these supplies to get to our health care providers and medical professionals as quickly as possible,” Wolf said about the launch of the critical medical supplies portal on March 26.
DCED developed the portal as part of a joint effort with the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, the Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, IRC Network, Life Sciences PA, Pennsylvania Life Science Greenhouses, and the PA Chamber of Business and Industry.