Drawing on private sector resources is critical as, in many countries, it is a dominant provider of health services, including for the poor. One important tool for increasing capacity in this way is contracting. This primer offers a practical introduction to contracting the private sector in support of national COVID-19 responses. Its target audience is policymakers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that have, at this time, limited experience of using contracts for health services but are expected to do so in the emergency conditions created by COVID-19