Jenniffer González announces President Trump Administration’s initiative to include Puerto Rico in their efforts to secure the national supply chain

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón welcomes the $10 million contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to a manufacturer located in Puerto Rico as an assurance that her initiative to turn Puerto Rico into a national manufacturing hub, while promoting economic development of the island, is on the right path.



"This contract represents a step forward in our efforts to bring manufacturing and the pharmaceutical industry back to the Island. I thank Rear Admiral Peter Brown and Dr. Peter Navarro for continuing to work with me on these efforts. Puerto Rico is ready to take the lead in securing our national supply chain. Our initiatives to turn the Island into a national manufacturing hub are advancing, "said Rep. González-Colón.



White House trade and manufacturing adviser Dr. Peter Navarro expressed on social media "China Fired, Puerto Rico, Hired! President Donald Trump has used the Defense Production Act and similar authorities 86 times to fight China Virus. Puerto Rico well on its way to becoming a premier medical supply manufacturing hub once again! #chinafired."



The Department of Defense, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded a contract of $10 million to the company Copan Industries Inc. to expand the capacity of industrial production of flocked swabs, primary material to conduct molecular tests to detect the coronavirus.



Copan Industries Inc. was one of the manufacturers that representative González-Colón visited with RADM Brown and personnel from the Department of Defense in August as part of a White House Delegation visit to the island to discuss the possibility of turning Puerto Rico into a national production center of medical equipment and drugs.



This contract will allow Copan Industries Inc. to establish flocked swab production capacity in Puerto Rico, which will increase its production capacity to 14.4 million swabs per month by February 2021 in support of national COVID-19 testing.



This effort has been led by DOD's Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), in coordination with the Department of the Air Force Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF ACT). The contract is awarded using funds from the HHS' Health Care Improvement Act (HCEA) to enable and support the expansion of the national industrial base for critical medical resources.