The Pentagon Reservation will reduce its Health Protection Condition, from Bravo to HPCON Alpha, effective 5 a.m. EDT Friday, July 9.
HPCON Alpha is not a return to pre-COVID-19 “normal.” While COVID-19 cases and positive test results in the National Capital Region and communities nationwide have significantly decreased since May 2021, the pandemic is still ongoing, and many people are not yet fully vaccinated. The Pentagon Reservation will continue force health protection measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within our workforce. Supervisors will continue to provide maximum telework opportunities and flexible scheduling to optimize the workforce while defending our nation, taking care of our people, and ensuring success through teamwork.
HPCON Alpha is not the final DOD plan for final reentry to the Pentagon Reservation or other military installations. Aligned with White House and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) direction, final reentry of the federal workforce to physical workplaces can only begin after OMB approval of DOD reentry and post-reentry plans, changes to DOD safe federal workplace plans, consultation and negotiations with unions as applicable and advance notice to DOD employees for reentry. The department will continue to work with OMB and the White House’s Safer Federal Workplace Task Force to finalize the department’s reentry plan.
HPCON Alpha provides the department more flexibility to meet our national security mission. Under HPCON Alpha, one of the key changes is that the occupancy goal will be no more than 90% of personnel in workspaces. However, this is a maximum goal, not a target to achieve immediately -- supervisors are expected to continue using telework and flexible scheduling and only bring in employees as needed to support their mission and to implement the Secretary of Defense’s priorities, while keeping a focus on defeating COVID-19.
Other changes under HPCON Alpha are outlined in the Director of Administration & Management memorandum, here.