TRENTON – Gov. Phil Murphy Oct. 20 signed Executive Order No. 271, which requires new and potential state contractors to demonstrate that all of their employees who enter, work at, or provide services in any state agency location are fully vaccinated against Covid, or otherwise undergo weekly testing.
“This executive order will bring state contractors in line with the requirements set for all direct state employees,” stated Murphy. “Quite simply, we must ensure that everyone providing service to the people of New Jersey is being held to the same public health safety and standards.”
According to a release from the governor’s office, among the provisions in EO 271 are that:
- Each executive department and agency including independent authorities will to the extent permitted by law, ensure that contracts or agreements entered into by the executive department or agency include a clause that the contractor or any subcontractors, at any tier, that is a party to the contract must maintain a policy that requires all covered workers to either provide adequate proof to the covered contractor that they have been fully vaccinated or submit to Covid testing at minimum one to two times weekly
- The order will apply to any new contract, new solicitation for a contract, extension or renewal of an existing contract, and exercise of an option on an existing contract, if it is a contract for services, construction, including demolition, remediation, removal of hazardous substances, alteration, custom fabrication, repair work, or maintenance work, or a leasehold interest in real property through which covered workers have access to state property, and the cost or contract price thereof is to be paid, in whole or in part, with or out of executive department or agency funds.
- Covered workers must provide proof of vaccination which includes:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Covid Vaccination Card issued to the vaccine recipient by the vaccination site, or an electronic or physical copy of the same
- The official record from the New Jersey Immunization Information System (NJIIS) or other state immunization registry
- A record from a health care provider’s portal/medical record system on official letterhead signed by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, registered nurse or pharmacist
- A military immunization or health record from the United States Armed Forces; or Docket mobile phone application record or any state-specific application that produces a digital health record.
A copy of the order, which took effect immediately Oct. 20, is available here.
