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Other states involved in the initiative are Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island.
While the states will continue to partner with the federal government during the crisis, they will also work together to identify the entire region's needs for these products, aggregate demand among the states, reduce costs and stabilize the supply chain.
The states will also coordinate policies regarding the inventory of PPE each state's health care infrastructure should have to be prepared for a possible second wave of COVID-19.
The states will also coordinate policies on what supplies local governments should have on hand for their First Responders, and if any requirements regarding PPE for the non-for-profit and private sector are needed.
The states will then seek to identify suppliers within the country, region or state who can scale to meet the demand of the entire region over the next three months.
The goal of this approach is to decrease the potential for disruptions in the supply chain for PPE and medical equipment, including sanitizer and ventilators, and testing, and promote regional economic development.
In addition, the states are discussing how to collectively explore emerging technologies on an ongoing basis to take advantage of the potential associated with alternative methods of production for existing products and innovation that would lead to more effective and/or less expensive alternatives. For example, 3D Printers may represent an attractive alternative to manufacturing certain personal protective equipment and medical products.
"The COVID-19 pandemic created a mad scramble for medical equipment across the entire nation - there was competition among states, private entities and the federal government and we were driving up the prices of these critical resources," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "As a state and as a nation, we can't go through that again."
Cuomo said the new consortium will "increase our market power when we're buying supplies and help us actually get the equipment at a better price. I want to thank our neighboring states for their ongoing support, generosity and regional coordination on these important efforts."
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said, "I've long been advocating for the federal government to get involved because pitting all 50 states against each other to compete for these supplies has never made any sense. Partnering with our neighbors helps make our purchasing power stronger and more dependable."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said, "Our states should never be in a position where we are actively competing against each other for life-saving resources.
"By working together across the region, we can obtain critical supplies as we begin the process to restart our economies, while also saving money for our taxpayers. This concept is at the heart of the regional approach we've established."
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