The Department of Defense announced 51 defense contracts Monday, worth more than $2.14 billion combined. A significant number of the announced awards concerned the delivery of medical devices and supplies. Among them:
- Abbott Laboratories (ABT -0.02%) was awarded the second of seven possible one-year option periods on a contract to supply various medical and surgical products to the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Valued at up to $45.3 million for just this one option year, this contract will now continue through at least Sept. 27, 2014.
- Zimmer Holdings (NYSE: ZMH) was awarded the first of seven possible one-year option periods on a similar contract to supply various medical and surgical products, also to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. This contract is valued at up to $36.9 million, and it will run through at least Sept. 26, 2014.
- Johnson & Johnson (JNJ -0.43%) subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics won the second of seven one-year option periods on a contract to supply various medical and surgical products. Smaller in dollar value at just $18.9 million, J&J will be supplying the same customers, and its contract will run through at least Sept. 24, 2014.
- Finally, a somewhat different award went to Cardinal Health (CAH -3.95%). This one, worth up to $7.1 million, is for the second out of four potential option years, but it concerns not medical supplies but rather "the establishment of a license agreement for use of various software applications." Once again, though, the beneficiaries are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Completion date: Sept. 25, 2014.
