Authorization to Begin Smallpox Vaccination Program (SVP) for Emergency-Essential (E-E) and Mission-Essential (M-E) Civilian and Contractor Personnel Supporting Marine Corps Units

1. GENERAL. 
A.  THIS MESSAGE CONSTITUTES AUTH TO BEGIN SMALLPOX 
VACCINATIONS FOR EMERGENCY ESSENTIAL (E-E) AND MISSION 
ESSENTIAL (M-E) CIVILIAN AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL 
SUPPORTING MARINE CORPS UNITS, AND ADVISES COMMANDERS 
ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND CLINICAL GUIDELINES RELATED TO
THE DOD SMALLPOX VACCINATION PROGRAM (SVP).  REFS A - G 
PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON SVP.
B.  DEFINITIONS IAW REF E: E-E: A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE 
ASSIGNED TO AN EMERGENCY ESSENTIAL POSITION THAT IS 
REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF COMBAT OPERATIONS OR 
TO SUPPORT COMBAT-ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS SUBSEQUENT TO 
MOBILIZATION, AN EVACUATION ORDER, OR SOME OTHER TYPE 
OF MILITARY CRISIS (SEE DOD DIR 1404.10).  M-E: A 
SERVICE PROVIDED BY A FIRM OR AN INDIVIDUAL UNDER 
CONTRACT TO DOD TO SUPPORT VITAL SYSTEMS CONSIDERED OF 
UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THE U.S. MOBILIZATION AND WARTIME 
MISSION. (SEE DOD INST 3020.37).
2.  CMC INTENT: IMPLEMENT THE DOD SVP IOT PROTECT CIVILIAN
AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL TO SUPPORT AND PRESERVE COMBAT 
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TOTAL FORCE IN THE EVENT OF A SMALLPOX
ATTACK.
3.  ACTION.  COMMANDERS WILL IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING:
STEP 1: IDENTIFY ALL FEDERAL CIVILIAN AND CONTRACTOR 
PERSONNEL THAT ARE EITHER E-E OR M-E AND MEET THE 
CRITERIA FOR STAGES 1A, 1B, OR 2, AS DESCRIBED IN 
REFS A, B, C, AND E.  COORDINATE WITH THE HEAD OF CIVILIAN
PERSONNEL AND HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER (HRO) TO IDENTIFY 
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO ARE E-E AND THROUGH THE CONTRACTING
OFFICER TO IDENTIFY M-E CONTRACTING PERSONNEL.  
ENSURE THAT THE POSITION DESCRIPTIONS (FOR CIVILIAN
PERSONNEL) AND CONTRACTS (FOR CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL) 
SPECIFY IN WRITING THAT THE PERSON IS E-E OR M-E, 
RESPECTIVELY.  IF NO SUCH SPECIFICATION EXISTS, BUT
THE COMMANDER CONSIDERS THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE EITHER E-E OR 
M-E, THE COMMAND WILL MODIFY THE POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND THE CONTRACTING OFFICER WILL 
ATTEMPT TO MODIFY THE CONTRACT FOR CONTRACTORS.  REFER TO
PARAGRAPH 5.12 OF CONTRACTOR SUPPORT IN THE THEATER OF 
OPERATIONS DOD DESKBOOK SUPPLEMENT, 28 MARCH 2002, FOR 
APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE 
(AVAILABLE AT WWW.HQMC.USMC.SMIL.MIL/PLN/PLN_HOME.HTM).  
IF THE PARTIES CANNOT AGREE, THEN THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD 
SEEK ANOTHER SOURCE.  ONLY VERIFIED E-E AND M-E PERSONNEL 
WHO MEET THE CRITERIA FOR STAGE 1A, STAGE 1B, OR STAGE 2, 
WILL RECEIVE VACCINATIONS.  PERSONNEL NOT IN STAGE 1A, 
STAGE 1B, OR STAGE 2 ARE NOT AUTH TO BE GIVEN VACCINATIONS.  
STEP 2: NOTIFY ALL E-E AND M-E PERSONNEL OF THE INTENT FOR 
THEM TO RECEIVE SMALLPOX VACCINATION.  COMPREHENSIVE 
PERSONNEL EDUCATION IS THE CORNERSTONE OF A SAFE AND 
SUCCESSFUL SMALLPOX IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM.  DISTRIBUTE 
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, INCLUDING SMALLPOX TRI-FOLDS, 
AND IMPLEMENT EDUCATIONAL TRAINING TO ALL E-E AND M-E 
PERSONNEL PRIOR TO VACCINATION.  REFERENCES AND 
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS MAY BE VIEWED AND DOWNLOADED 
FROM WWW.VACCINES.ARMY.MIL OR 
WWW.HQMC.USMC.SMIL.MIL/PLN/PLN_HOME.HTM.
STEP 3: DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT E-E CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
ARE COVERED BY A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.  
THE HRO CAN ASSIST IN THIS PROCESS.  NOTIFY LOCAL
COUNSEL, THE OFFICE OF COUNSEL FOR THE COMMANDANT 
(CODE CL), AND THE HQMC LABOR RELATIONS OFFICE 
(MPO-37), (703) 784-9382/83/84/ DSN 278; EMAIL TO 
LEE GALE, DEAN LEGACY, OR MICHELLE NERENG, WITH THE 
NAMES OF ALL PERSONNEL COVERED BY SUCH AN AGREEMENT.  
FOR IDENTIFIED EMPLOYEES COVERED BY A COLLECTIVE 
BARGAINING AGREEMENT, SATISFY ANY OBLIGATIONS UNDER 
CHAPTER 71 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE BEFORE 
VACCINATING E-E BARGAINING UNIT MEMBERS.  DIRECT 
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS PROCESS TO THE HQMC 
LABOR RELATIONS OFFICE.  
STEP 4: DIRECT THE VACCINATION OF ALL E-E PERSONNEL 
IDENTIFIED IN STEP ONE WHO ARE NOT COVERED BY A 
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.  VACCINATIONS WILL 
BE DONE PER REFS D AND E AND BE ADMINISTERED ACCORDING
TO FDA LABEL REQUIREMENTS.  UTILIZE ALL MEDICAL 
GUIDANCE AND PROCEDURES IN REF G FOR IDENTIFIED
CIVILIAN AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL.  PER REFS B AND E, 
SVP IS MANDATORY FOR ALL IDENTIFIED E-E PERSONNEL 
THAT ARE IN STAGE 1A, STAGE 1B, OR STAGE 2 STATUS.  
STEP 5: DIRECT THE VACCINATION OF ALL M-E CONTRACTOR
PERSONNEL INDENTIFIED IN STEP ONE.  VACCINATIONS WILL
BE DONE PER REFS D AND E AND BE ADMINISTERED ACCORDING
TO FDA LABEL REQUIREMENTS.  UTILIZE ALL MEDICAL GUIDANCE
AND PROCEDURES IN REF G FOR IDENTIFIED CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL.
PER REFS B AND E, SVP IS MANDATORY FOR ALL IDENTIFIED M-E 
PERSONNEL THAT ARE IN STAGE 1A, STAGE 1B, OR STAGE 2 STATUS.
VACCINATIONS WILL BE GIVEN AT NO COST TO AUTH PERSONNEL.
STEP 6: COORDINATE VACCINATION REFUSALS BY FEDERAL CIVILIAN
EMPLOYEES WITH THE HRO AND THE OFFICE OF COUNSEL FOR THE
COMMANDANT (CODE CL) OR ONE OF ITS FIELD OFFICES.  
EMPLOYEES THAT REFUSE VACCINATION MAY BE SUBJECT TO 
NON-ADVERSE ACTION (REASSIGNMENT TO A NON-E-E POSITION) OR 
ADVERSE ACTION, UP TO AND INCLUDING, REMOVAL FROM THE FEDERAL
SERVICE FOR FAILURE TO MEET A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.
IN THE EVENT OF VACCINATION REFUSALS BY AN EMPLOYEE 
COVERED BY A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, COORDINATE 
WITH HQMC LABOR RELATIONS OFFICE (MPO-37), (703)
784-9382/83/84/ DSN 278; EMAIL TO LEE GALE, DEAN LEGACY,
OR MICHELLE NERENG.  COORDINATE VACCINATION REFUSALS BY
CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL WITH THE APPROPRIATE CONTRACTING OFFICER
AND THE OFFICE OF COUNSEL FOR THE COMMANDANT (CODE CL)
OR ONE OF ITS FIELD OFFICES.  
4.  ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDANCE:
A.  MEDICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXEMPTION POLICIES, DETAILED
IN REF G, ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL CIVILIAN AND CONTRACTOR 
PERSONNEL. 
B.  ADMINISTRATIVE EXCEPTION POLICY IS CONTAINED IN REF E 
(APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE).  THESE ADMINISTRATIVE 
EXCEPTIONS APPLY TO THOSE PERSONNEL/UNITS NOT QUALIFYING
AS STAGE 1 OR STAGE 2 VACCINE RECEIPIENTS, BUT WHO WARRANT
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR VACCINATION DUE TO EXTENUATING
CIRCUMSTANCES.  SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR EXCEPTIONS THROUGH
THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO THE APPLICABLE COMBATANT
COMMANDER OR HIGHER HEADQUARTERS.  BASED UPON SUBSEQUENT
RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND,
EXCEPTIONS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE ASDHA,
IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DIRECTOR, JOINT STAFF AND THE
EXECUTIVE AGENT.
C.  DEPLOYABILITY.  PER REF E, ELIGIBILITY FOR 
SMALLPOX VACCINATION, INCLUDING INSTANCES WHERE AN
EMPLOYEE OR CONTRACTOR IS ADMINISTRATIVELY OR 
MEDICALLY EXEMPT, WILL NOT IN ITSELF BE A FACTOR IN 
DETERMINING THE INDIVIDUAL S DEPLOYABILITY.  CIVILIAN
AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL MAY BE DEPLOYED REGARDLESS OF
THEIR SMALLPOX IMMUNIZATION STATUS.  DEPLOYMENT
EXEMPTION AUTH RESTS WITH THE FIRST GO/FO TO
WHOM THE E-E OR M-E CIVILIAN OR CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL
IS ASSIGNED.  UPON DETERMINING TO DEPLOY A 
NON-IMMUNE/NON-VACCINATED INDIVIDUAL, COUNSE
L THE INDIVIDUAL THAT SHOULD AN OUTBREAK OF SMALLPOX OCCUR,
REQUIRING ACTIVATION OF THE DOD SMALLPOX RESPONSE PLAN, 
SECDEF INTENDS TO DIRECT SMALLPOX VACCINATION OF DEPLOYED
NON-IMMUNIZED INDIVIDUALS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
5.  THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS
RESERVE ONLY TO THE EXTENT WHERE THERE ARE QUALIFYING
CIVILIAN OR CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES.  
6.  EXPIRATION DATE CANNOT BE DETERMINED.