Contract dispute delays opening of $1.4B Army hospital another 6 months

The opening of a $1.4 billion Army hospital in El Paso, Texas, will be postponed by another six months due to a contract dispute, according to El Paso Times

The contract dispute is the latest delay in opening the William Beaumont Army Medical Center, which was originally slated to open in April 2017 and is $629 million over the original budget. 

The facility's opening is now slated for March 28, instead of the end of September. 

The dispute centers on a contract awarded to medication management firm Omnicell to provide the Army hospital with drug dispensing units, according to the report. 

CareFusion, now part of global medical equipment supplier BD, filed a bid protest over the contract given to Omnicell. 

The bid protest was filed with the U.S. Government Accountability Office in July. The GAO has until Oct. 26 to make a decision on the contract and bid protest. 

Hospital officials said the facility's opening will be delayed until the bid protest is settled and the drug dispensing equipment is installed.

"We are disappointed that implementation of these important care solutions is delayed due to this protest, but will be ready to support the medical center as soon as the situation is resolved," a spokesperson for Omnicell told El Paso Times. 

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