State Serves 10,000 Small Businesses Through PPE Marketplace in First Week

Since launching the Indiana Small Business PPE Marketplace on May 6, the state has received nearly 20,000 orders for personal protective equipment (PPE) and has fulfilled 10,000 orders, shipping bundles of hand sanitizer, face masks and face shields to Hoosier small businesses and nonprofits across the state.

The new marketplace, powered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and the Indiana Small Business Development Center, serves as an added resource to help companies safely reopen in the coming weeks. PPE order capacity is expected to increase by 20 percent next week, with the marketplace able to fulfill and ship 12,000 orders in partnership with Indianapolis-based Langham Logistics.

Indiana small businesses and nonprofits with less than 150 employees may place orders for PPE through the marketplace online at backontrack.in.gov/ppemarketplace.htm. The contents of available PPE bundles will be posted online as orders are expected to fluctuate based on current supply of items.

All businesses and nonprofits are encouraged to first source and procure PPE on their own with the Marketplace serving as an alternate backstop for employers. While the state will make every effort to provide needed supplies, it cannot guarantee the integrity of the PPE supply chain due to increasing demands worldwide. All requests will be evaluated and fulfilled based on work environment risk profile, stock availability and the number of outstanding requests. At times, partial or delayed fulfillment of requests may occur. More frequently asked questions and answers can be found here.

In addition to managing the Marketplace for small businesses, the IEDC continues working to secure PPE for the state’s hospitals, first responders, long-term care facilities and health care providers treating COVID-19 patients. To date, the state has secured commitments for more than 12.2 million pieces of PPE – up from 6.3 million reported April 24 – with more than 8 million items already delivered to the Indiana State Department of Health for distribution.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Indiana is home to approximately 104,335 small businesses that employ fewer than 150 associates. Together, they support 941,578 Hoosiers across the state. To learn more about COVID-19 resources and no-cost counseling available to Indiana entrepreneurs and small businesses, visit isbdc.org/indianacovid19smallbusiness.