Pentagon Accepts Bids on Long-Awaited Health Records Contract

The Defense Department on Monday opened its Healthcare Management Systems Modernization contract to bids, beginning what could be an $11 billion effort over the next decade to modernize the way the Pentagon provides health care to service members. DOD’s goal is to use this single award contract to eventually replace the entirety of its legacy clinical systems, including the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application, or AHLTA, which provide health care services for 9.8 million beneficiaries.

"We are not just buying an off-the-shelf system; we're really looking to modernize how the department delivers health care," said Christopher Miller, program executive officer for the Defense Healthcare Management Systems. "Ultimately, program success will result in continued improvement in patient safety, quality of care and readiness of forces worldwide."

Because of the scope and size of the effort – and because of the very ugly public rollout last year of the HealthCare.gov, the last high-profile government tech procurement – DHMSM is likely to be highly scrutinized, so the Pentagon has been careful to be as meticulously transparent as possible prior to the contract’s release. Over the past year, the Pentagon held four industry days, released three draft solicitations and answered more than 2,000 questions – 1,500 of which came directly from industry...