Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord told lawmakers today the Defense Department will need to spend low, "double-digit" billions reimbursing contractors disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but she asserted DOD does not have the resources to so do without supplemental funding. Lord, appearing before the House Armed Services Committee, spoke specifically about Section 3610 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which is intended to allow federal agencies to reimburse contractors that cannot work, but are staying in a "ready state." "While the department may be able to use other appropriated funds to reimburse contractors, the cost for 3610 is likely well beyond the department's resourced ability to do so without significantly jeopardizing modernization and readiness," she said.
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