Bid guide
How to bid on Nutrition Care Services for five military hospitals, DEPT of Defense
What the agency is buying
The Defense Health Agency is seeking contractors to provide nutrition care food-service support at five military hospitals. These facilities are located at Fort Irwin, California; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Stewart, Georgia; and West Point, New York.
The work involves dining facility management, preparing therapeutic meals, patient tray assembly and delivery, clinical training, facility sanitation, and related logistics. The contract is expected to run from December 2026 through September 2029, including option periods. The contract will be firm-fixed-price, with a set monthly price for each location.
Key dates and deadlines
The official solicitation is anticipated to be released around September 10, 2026. The estimated deadline for proposals is October 1, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET. It is important to submit your proposal by this deadline.
A transition period for services is planned from November 1 to November 30, 2026. The base period of performance would then begin on December 1, 2026, and run through September 30, 2027, with two twelve-month option periods extending through September 30, 2029.
Who this opportunity suits
This opportunity is suitable for food service contractors. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 722310, Food Service Contractors, which has a size standard of $47 million.
While the solicitation will be full and open, the Randolph-Sheppard Act applies. This means that priority will be given to responsive State Licensing Agencies for the operation of cafeterias on Federal property. However, the evaluation criteria will be the same for all offerors. Other-than-small businesses and non-State Licensing Agencies will need to include a small business participation plan as part of their proposal.
How to respond
The solicitation and all related documents will be posted on sam.gov. You can access the opportunity by clicking “View original source” on the portal. If the first click takes you to the portal’s homepage, click it again to go directly to the bid.
You may need a free account on sam.gov to view all documents. Once the solicitation is posted, check sam.gov frequently for any updates or amendments. All questions about this notice should be submitted in writing via email to the listed points of contact, using the solicitation number HT940826RE017 in the subject line.
Practical tips for preparing a competitive response
Carefully review all draft documents provided, including the Instructions to Offerors, Evaluation of Offers, Performance Work Statement, and Technical Exhibits. While these are drafts, they offer a strong indication of the final requirements. Be prepared for some aspects to change in the final solicitation.
Ensure your company is registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) and has a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) before any award can be made. This is a mandatory step for all federal contractors. Pay close attention to the evaluation criteria, especially if you are not a State Licensing Agency, to ensure your proposal addresses all requirements, including any small business participation 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.