Proposal deadline extended for $1.4B DHA workforce contract

The Defense Health Agency has extended the deadline for the $1.4 billion Workforce 3.0 contract to June 2 from the previous due date of May 24.

Workforce 3.0 is the agency’s effort to transform how it provides health care-related technology services and products. DHA wants to become what it calls a “world-class technology organization.”

The contract will provide a vehicle for training and maintaining the workforce so it has cutting-edge skills around engineering, design and data science. It also wants access to companies that supplement those capabilities.

DHA wants to drive innovative procurement methods and attract more commercial technologies to the government market.

The contract is being managed by the Program Executive Office -- Defense Healthcare Management Systems, which is tasked with fielding the single electronic health record to the Defense Department through a contract with Cerner.

Workforce 3.0 will focus on priorities such as health management, advanced data applications, improved usability, and reduced provider and patient burdens.

“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 in the solicitation.

Workforce 3.0 will have two lots. The first will be a single award to deliver program management functions. Lot 2 will be multiple-award and companies will compete for task orders. The winner of Lot 1 cannot be a subcontractor to any of the Lot 2 winners.

Bidders have several gates to pass through before winners are picked later this year.