Bid guide
How to bid on Integrated Referral Management and Appointing Center (IRMAC) Services for the Defense Health Agency
What the agency is buying
The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity, Healthcare Contracting Division-West, is seeking a single contractor to provide Integrated Referral Management and Appointing Center (IRMAC) services. This includes centralized patient appointment scheduling, referral management, and medical report accountability for military treatment facilities in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest.
Services will be delivered by phone and electronically. The contractor must operate from a location within 25 miles of a US military treatment facility. This is an opportunity for firms specializing in administrative services, particularly those with experience in healthcare support and patient management systems.
Key dates and deadlines
The solicitation was published on August 27, 2026. The deadline for submitting offers is September 17, 2026, at 3:01 PM ET. It is important to submit your proposal by this exact time.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) protest is in progress, with an expected resolution date of November 23, 2026. While the agency intends to proceed with the solicitation using the current published dates, contract award will not be made before November 23, 2026, pending the protest's disposition. The transition period for services is scheduled from December 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027, followed by a base period and four option periods.
Who this opportunity suits
This is an 8(a) set-aside opportunity under NAICS code 561110, Office Administrative Services, with a size standard of $12.5 million. Firms must be eligible for an 8(a) award at the time of contract award, which is estimated to be no earlier than November 23, 2026. Firms that have graduated from the 8(a) Program are not eligible.
The opportunity is suitable for businesses with expertise in administrative services, call center operations, patient scheduling, and medical referral processes. Experience with military healthcare systems or similar large-scale patient management is beneficial.
How to respond
To access the solicitation documents, you will need to click the “View original source” link provided on the portal. If the first click takes you to the portal's homepage, click the link again to go directly to the bid. You may need a free account on the portal to view all documents, though this is not always required.
Review all amendments carefully, as they contain important updates regarding the period of performance, proposal format, page limits, and specific instructions for submitting past performance questionnaires and price proposals. The page limit for Factor 1, Technical Quality, has been increased to 50 pages total.
Tips for a competitive response
Given the nature of this service, clearly demonstrate your firm's capability to manage high-volume patient interactions and complex referral processes. Highlight any experience with secure data handling and compliance with healthcare regulations. Detail your proposed staffing model, even though an estimated count for Hawaii IRMAC services has been provided, as the agency expects offerors to propose their own.
Pay close attention to the revised proposal format and page limits, especially for Factor 1, Technical Quality, and the instructions for past performance and pricing. Ensure your past performance submissions clearly define recency. Address how your proposed solution will ensure seamless transition and continuous service delivery during the specified transition period. Since virtual participation in government meetings is now allowed, consider how this might impact your operational plan.
See the live bid — deadline, agency details, and how to respond
Dates and requirements can change via addenda; always verify on the bid page and at the original source before responding.
View this bid on BiddingSimpleThis guide was prepared by BiddingSimple from the solicitation’s public posting. It is not official guidance from Defense Health Agency (dha); the original posting controls.