March 31, 2020

The Local Government Enablement Team and everyone at the Operational Services Division hope this communication finds you well, and we wish you and your family good health and strength during this difficult time.

As with many of you in this COVID-19 environment, OSD staff are working remotely to support our customers. Over the last week, we fielded a number of questions and below we are providing information on these topics, as well as other resources that you and your staff may find useful:

  • Requests for Personal Protective Equipment
  • COVID-19 Products and Services List
  • Need Resources for Working at Home, E-Learning? We Have Statewide Contracts for That
  • Online Training - Live Webinars Now Up and Running!
  • Schools and Libraries: E-Rate Filling Window Extended
  • Reach the OSD Help Desk

Contact us if you have questions or need assistance.

Best regards,
Operational Services Division
Requests for Personal Protective Equipment

The Operational Services Division has received inquiries from municipal organizations seeking guidance to secure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items.

We have been in contact with representatives from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), who directed that municipal organizations work with their Local Emergency Management Director or Board of Health to obtain these PPE items. Once MEMA receives the requests for items which they have in stock, they will reach out to the municipality to arrange a time and place for pick up.

Currently, there is more demand than supply for most items. Organizations are encouraged to find these needed items on their own. See below our article on the COVID-19 Products and Services List .
COVID-19 Products and Services List

 On a daily basis, OSD continues to have conversations with vendors and updates the COVID-19 Products and Services list which identifies personal protective equipment (PPE) and other products and services to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus. We share this information with municipal organizations to keep you informed of OSD's actions related to purchasing goods and services to help combat the COVID-19 virus.

Our March 12 communication detailed a tiered hierarchy for State Agencies. Municipal organizations are not required to follow this purchasing hierarchy and we recommend you follow your organization's procurement policies and procedures and the 30B requirements to acquire the goods and services needed to combat the COVID-19 virus.
Need Resources for Working from Home, E-Learning?
We Have Statewide Contracts for That

 For many of us, our stay-at-home work environments are necessitating some new tools. Take note of the following resources available on Statewide Contract:
  • ITC47: IT hardware, including Laptops, Chromebooks, Tablets, computer supplies, and accessories;
  • ITT46: Network services, including:
  • Category 3: MiFi cards for internet access; devices, such as Tablets and Chromebooks, equipped with internet access;
  • Category 4: Virtual Private Networking (VPN) services; Audio and web conferencing; Broadcast communications, video streaming and online learning services; FTP services for large file sharing;
  • PRF61: Consulting and training services through the Education Services and Professional Development categories: student supports; research-based strategies; assessment; professional development; and other services.

Select the links above to identify available Statewide Contract Vendors, listed at the end of each Contract User Guide.
Online Training
Live Webinars Now Up and Running!

 For some staff, this time away from the office may present an opportunity to catch up on training. In this COVID-19 environment, OSD is offering several of its courses online.

Review our Buyer Training Schedule for available classes, dates, and times. Send questions to the OSD Training Team .
Schools and Libraries: E-Rate Filling Window Extended

 The filing window for the Federal Communications Commission's
E-Rate Program has been extended and now is expected to close on
April 29, 2020 .

The E-Rate Program offers eligible schools and libraries discounts for the purchase of qualifying telecommunications services and products, and buyers may use Statewide Contracts to streamline the E-Rate purchasing process.

View our flyer for additional details.
Reach the OSD Help Desk

As previously mentioned, OSD staff are working remotely and you may continue to contact us by phone or email:

888-MA-State (627-8283) or OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov .

Please refer COVID-19 questions to COVID19Purchasing@mass.gov .
Statewide Contract (SWC)
Reference Guide
Review the latest Statewide Contract Reference Guide to see the range of products and services offered on Statewide Contracts. This list is updated every two months.
Local Government Enablement Team



Wishing you and your family good
health during this challenging time
and hoping to see you in the not too distant future.