DoD Health Data Exchange Gets Bridge Contract As GAO Hears Appeal

The Department of Interior has awarded a six-month sole-source “sustainment bridge” contract for continued operation and maintenance of the Defense Medical Information Exchange (DMIX) system, which enables the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs (DoD), and other federal agencies to share health data on military personnel, veterans, and their families across platforms and with outside healthcare providers. The sustainment contract was awarded to incumbent contractor ActioNet, while its appeal of the follow-on contract award to ASRC Federal Data Solutions is being reviewed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO is expected to render its decision in March. In its justification document for the bridge contract, the Department of Interior argued that ActioNet was the only contractor with the expertise to sustain the system while the appeal was being heard.