# Court Rejects Protest of $1.6B DHA Award

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims dismissed a protest challenging the Defense Health Agency’s $1.6 billion health services contract associated with Optum, leaving the award in place. The available report excerpt does not identify the protestors, contract number, or the specific grounds for dismissal, so it does not establish a broader rationale for the ruling.

- DHA suppliers and prospective bidders should treat the award as remaining in place based on this decision; the excerpt does not provide information about any subsequent proceedings.
- The ruling is relevant to firms assessing competition for federal health services work, but the limited reporting does not support conclusions about which protest arguments were rejected or how the decision may apply to other procurements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Healthcare
**Published:** October 30, 2026

### Government Entities
- Defense Health Agency (DHA)
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC)

### Vendors
- Optum (awardee)

### Sources
- [Judge Rejects 'Kitchen Sink' Protest Of Optum DHA Deal - Law360 Healthcare Authority](https://www.law360.com/healthcare-authority/other/articles/2544143/judge-rejects-kitchen-sink-protest-of-optum-dha-deal) - Law360