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The CMS RMADA contract is entering a new phase after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services agreed to reevaluate proposals from Accenture Federal Services and the RAND Corporation. Both companies protested their exclusion from the agency’s $3.5 billion Research, Measurement, Assessment, Design and Analysis blanket purchase agreement. After CMS informed the Government Accountability Office that it would take corrective action, GAO dismissed the protests on August 20, 2026.
The development could change the final vendor lineup for one of CMS’s largest research and analytical support vehicles. CMS initially selected 17 companies from 34 proposals for RMADA 3, but the reevaluation could result in additional awards.
CMS RMADA Contract Enters Reevaluation
CMS awarded positions on the third iteration of RMADA earlier in 2026. The five-year blanket purchase agreement has an estimated ceiling of $3.5 billion and gives CMS access to contractors providing research, evaluation, data analysis and technical assistance.
Accenture Federal Services and RAND were not among the original awardees. RAND filed a GAO protest on July 29, followed by Accenture on August 3. Both challenged CMS’s evaluation of their proposals.
CMS later told GAO it would reevaluate the two submissions and determine whether either company should receive an award. Because that action could address the protest issues, GAO dismissed both cases on August 20.
CMS RMADA Contract Corrective Action Explained
Corrective action allows a federal agency to address concerns raised during a bid protest without waiting for GAO to decide the merits. GAO says corrective action may include reevaluating proposals, making a new award decision or amending a solicitation.
CMS’s decision does not automatically add Accenture or RAND to RMADA 3. The agency could reaffirm its original evaluation or conclude that one or both companies should receive awards.
RMADA 3 Supports Major CMS Programs
RMADA stands for Research, Measurement, Assessment, Design and Analysis. The vehicle provides analytical and technical assistance for CMS models, demonstrations and healthcare programs.
Work can support Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Affordable Care Act programs, along with initiatives involving private payers. Contractors may help CMS evaluate healthcare models, conduct surveys, analyze data, provide rapid-cycle feedback, prepare reports and review grant proposals.
This gives CMS access to specialized research capabilities that can influence how federal healthcare initiatives are measured and evaluated.
CMS RMADA Contract Builds on Prior Spending
RMADA 3 follows the second version of the contract, awarded in 2019. CMS obligated about $1.2 billion through RMADA 2 task orders, according to GovTribe data cited by Washington Technology.
The $3.5 billion ceiling does not guarantee revenue. Work will still be awarded through task orders, but companies outside the BPA generally cannot compete for those opportunities.
CMS Initially Selected 17 Vendors
CMS received 34 proposals and initially selected 17 companies, including Abt Global, Acumen, Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte Consulting, General Dynamics Information Technology, Guidehouse, Mathematica, RTI International, Westat and several other research and consulting organizations.
Many are incumbents, while Guidehouse, L&M Policy Research, Livanta and Tria Federal entered RMADA as newcomers.
CMS awarded positions to companies with the highest technical scores and reasonable prices, according to Washington Technology. That places significant weight on technical capability for research, data analysis and program evaluation.
CMS RMADA Contract Could Add Vendors
The reevaluation does not necessarily require CMS to remove any existing awardees. Because RMADA is a multiple-award BPA, the agency could potentially add Accenture, RAND or both if the new evaluation supports additional awards. Washington Technology previously noted that CMS could add companies beyond the original award group.
For current contractors, that could mean greater competition for future task orders rather than losing their positions. For Accenture and RAND, the corrective action creates another opportunity to access a major federal healthcare research vehicle.
Bid Protests Can Reshape Contract Decisions
CMS’s action illustrates how federal bid protests can affect contract awards even when GAO does not issue a ruling sustaining a protest.
An agency can voluntarily review its decision when a protest identifies an issue that deserves reconsideration. If corrective action makes the original dispute academic, GAO may dismiss the protest. GAO specifically identifies proposal reevaluation and new award decisions as common forms of corrective action.
This gives CMS an opportunity to verify that proposal evaluations were consistent with the solicitation and that vendors were treated fairly. It can also create uncertainty while existing awardees and protesters wait for the revised decision.
CMS RMADA Contract Enters Next Phase
The CMS RMADA contract remains a strategically important vehicle for research, analytics and technical support across federal healthcare programs. Its $3.5 billion ceiling and five-year term create significant opportunities for contractors that secure a place on the BPA.
CMS’s decision to reevaluate Accenture Federal Services and RAND does not overturn the original awards. Instead, it reopens part of the evaluation process and leaves open the possibility that the vendor pool could grow.
The next major development will be CMS’s revised assessment and whether it changes the RMADA 3 lineup. Until then, the 17 initial awardees remain in place while Accenture and RAND have another opportunity to compete for inclusion.
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