New Jersey-based small businesses and nonprofit organizations with 100 or fewer employees may apply to receive 25% discounts on purchases of personal protective equipment (PPE) from vendors approved by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA).
The discounts are available under Phase 2 of the NJ Small and Micro Business PPE Access Program, which the NJDEA launched on Nov. 10.
Small businesses and organizations interested in receiving 25% discounts must apply at https://covid19.nj.gov/ppeaccess.
Once the NJEDA has confirmed their eligibility, they will receive vouchers for purchases from a “designated vendor” of their choice. This discount will automatically reduce the costs of online purchases the participating small business or organization makes from that designated vendor by 25%. The discounts will expire after 14 days, or on Nov. 30.
During Phase 1 of the program, the NJEDA identified and vetted “designated vendors,” including Boxed, Office Depot and Staples, which have partnered with the authority to create “microsites” where New Jersey-based businesses can purchase a curated selection of PPE products at a 10% discount. The NJEDA also collaborated with the New Jersey Department of Health to create an online PPE Planning Tool that helps businesses understand PPE product requirements and estimate their organizational PPE needs.
Links to the designated vendor microsites and the PPE Planning Tool are available at https://covid19.nj.gov/ppeaccess.
The second phase of the PPE Access Program makes $20.4 million available to subsidize small and micro businesses’ PPE purchases from Staples and Office Depot. During this phase, businesses with 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) can receive grants equal to 25% of the cost of purchases made through these designated vendors. All eligible businesses can receive up to $400 in discounts, and businesses operating in one of New Jersey’s 715 census tracts that were eligible to be designated as Opportunity Zones can receive up to $500.
These grants are applied in addition to the 10% discount offered to all businesses, meaning small businesses can save up to a third of the cost of their PPE purchases.
In addition to the PPE Access Program, the NJEDA administers a variety of grant, low-cost financing, and technical assistance programs for small and mid-sized businesses impacted by COVID-19. Comprehensive information about these programs and other state support for businesses impacted by the pandemic is available at https://cv.business.nj.gov.
