Dr Andrew Old, Deputy-Director General and head of the Public Health Agency, is joined by Dr Anthony Jordan, Clinical Director for the Northern Region Vaccination Programme, Te Whatu Ora to provide an update on COVID-19 response. Video / Supplied
The Government is set to award as many as 120,000 badges and citations to Kiwis who made a "significant and sustained" contribution to the Covid-19 response.
Procurement documents viewed by the Herald have also revealed for the first time the proposed design of the yellow metallic lapel pin and citation- based on fish scales symbolising protection.
The Government has set aside just over $5 million for the project, but the full amount allocated may not be used, said a spokeswoman for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).
The Covid-19 service award was first announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in March, to be given first to the managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) workforce.
It is understood the Defence Force considered its own military medals for MIQ service but feedback suggested there was no great demand for medallic recognition from Covid response veterans.
"This procurement is to appoint and to procure a provider who can manufacture up to 120,000 lapel badges and citations to enable the Government to award a tangible item of recognition to individuals who made a significant and sustained contribution to the Covid-19 response," the document said.
"The outcome we are seeking is that identified recipients feel that their service to the Covid-19 response has been acknowledged at an individual level."
The report said the DPMC expects manufacture and delivery to start in November 2022 with batches to be delivered periodically over about six months. The first tranche of pins and citations will likely be in the order of 20,000 items, the report said.
"It is important to DPMC that the badges and citations are not available for purchase by the public, including recipients who wish to purchase duplicate/multiple items."
One of the DPMC tender documents discusses the proposed design for the citation and lapel pin. Photo / Supplied
Another document provided to potential suppliers shows the intended design for the metallic lapel pin and citation.
They are both based on an unaunahi - a fish scale carving design - original artwork produced for the Unite Against Covid-19 (UAC) campaign by Zoe Morehu.
"The unaunahi artwork was produced for UAC for use when communicating messages that require a more passive rather than active action for protection, much like the fish scales that they represent," the document said.
"For example, scanning in, wearing face masks but not vaccinations."
A DPMC spokeswoman said in a statement the total amount appropriated by the Government in Budget 2022 for the project was $5.076M, but the full amount won't necessarily be used.
The MIQ workforce would be the first to be recognised and a further announcement will be made about the other recipients, the spokeswoman said.
"Cabinet Office has been working with MBIE [The MInistry of Business, Innovation and Employment] to determine the eligibility criteria for the MIQ workforce," she said.
"Other recipients will be identified by their agency or organisation based on the record of their service.
"We know many individuals will have moved on, so there will also be a process to allow those people to apply if they believe they were eligible."
A Defence spokeswoman said recognition for military personnel involved in the Covid response would be "included as part of the Government's response recognition programme".
