CDC: Three Scientists Per Month Expected To Catch Ebola As A result of US Surge Into Africa

Update: As of early September the CDC is already evacuating DOUBLE the number of expected Ebola infected personnel at a rate of 7 doctors per month.

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The US State Department has issued a 6 month $4.9 million dollar contract to  Phoenix Air Group for use of the only two Aeromedical Biological Containment System [ABCS] aircraft available in the World. The aircraft are needed to support a surge of US government personnel into Ebola torn regions of Africa. The contract justification states that CDC is expecting to internationally evacuate up to three EVD cases per month

The following rationale was given supporting the rush sole source contract.

1. Professional medical personnel were refusing to deploy to AFRICA without an evacuation plan
2. Mexico, Japan, Canada, UK, UAE, WHO, and the UN were attempting to contract for these aircraft. The Obama Administration had previously dropped funding for these aircraft
3. CDC regulations for transport of ASYMPTOMATIC Ebola exposed personnel are so onerous that only the ABCS aircraft can support evacuation of exposed personnel

Other illuminating information from the contact include:

• Europe has denied overflight for Ebola MEDEVAC flights 
• The Azores denied civilian airport access for Ebola MEDEVAC Aircraft refueling
• All Ebola flights must land a military airfields "for security reasons"
• The US Military has a "transport pod" but it does not allow access to patients and Government regulations prevent its use on commercial aircraft

ANALYSIS:

The purpose of the State Department's contract is to give a false sense of security to CDC personnel who wouldn't otherwise deploy to Africa. Nothing in the contract addresses Aircraft support services such as manufacturer response to Aircraft stuck On the Ground [AOG] in Africa. Aircraft don't fly long without support, and Bio-level 4 aircraft maintenance is non existent.

Moreover, the contract stated repatriation rate of 3 Ebola infected or exposed US personnel per month assumes an insanely small amount of interaction between the pool of people at risk. Alternatively, it means only the creme-de-la-creme of USA response personnel will be evacuated and the rest will have to remain in Africa.

Sources:

Emergency Aeromedical Evacuation Services Solicitation Number: SAQMMA14C0155

Sole Source Justification