DHA unveils final solicitation for $1.4B workforce contract

The final solicitation was released Thursday for the Defense Health Agency’s $1.4 billion Workforce 3.0 contract.

DHA’s Program Executive Office – Defense Healthcare Management Systems (PEO DHMS) has created the contract to turn the agency into what it calls a “world-class technology organization.” To do that, it needs a workforce that can bring innovation to how it develops and procures health care products and solutions.

Workforce 3.0’s role in that mission is to provide a vehicle for training and maintaining the workforce so it has cutting-edge skills around engineering, design and data science capabilities and access to companies that supplement those capabilities.

Those capabilities are critical to driving innovative procurement methods and attracting new, commercial technologies to the government market, DHMS has said.

In its Beta.Sam.gov posting, DHMS described a strong health care system as critical to the nation for the economy, military readiness and to support veterans. “A healthy society is the engine for these activities,” the agency wrote.

Companies have until May 24 to submit proposals.

DHMS is tasked with fielding the single electronic health record to the Defense Department through the contract with Cerner. But while a massive undertaking, that is not the agency’s sole charter.

Workforce 3.0 focuses on health management, advanced data applications, improved usability, reduced provider and patient burdens, and other priorities.

The contract will drive the talent pool that will support and implement that vision, but government workers alone cannot achieve that result.

“This contract will form the relationships with industry necessary to deliver those capabilities; subject matter expertise; and related studies, assessments, plans, and models,” DHMS wrote.

Workforce 3.0 will be a managed solution to deliver digital workforce capabilities.

The contract will have two lots and companies can only hold a prime position in one lot.

Lot 1 will likely be a single award and that team will be responsible for program management functions and delivery of a “new workforce paradigm.” The prime contractor in Lot 1 cannot be a subcontractor in Lot 2.

Lot 2 will be multiple-award, then companies compete on task orders to take on specific projects.

Bidders will need to clear five gates or factors.

Factor 1 will have bidders submit information on disruptive outcomes, product prowess and talent management.

Factor 2 will be a description of their transformation approach, including small business participation.

Factor 3 is something DHMS calls the "Behavior Model."

Factor 4 is the price proposal.

Factor 5 is a challenge scenario, which will be a recording of a live response to a challenge scenario.

Bidders must clear Factor 1 before moving to Factor 2, which they must pass through to move to Factor 3 and so on.