Initial documents reviewed by Breaking Defense said only that the agency had determined that “this acquisition is no longer necessary.” A separate document, a letter from DHA to the Government Accountability Office, confirmed that the request had been canceled Tuesday, adding that the request for a “biometric wearables program” was “no longer considered a priority for the Defense Health Agency.”
DHA did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
The move ends a contentious agreement in which two giants in the wearable technology sector negotiated a lucrative department program and traded accusations against each other.
Last August, DHA posted a notice on the government contracting site Sam.gov announcing that it was awarding a $96 million contract for wearable devices and a “wellness platform” to Ouraring, the U.S. subsidiary of Finnish firm Oura Health. A wellness platform refers to a system that takes data from a user’s wearable device, such as a ring, watch, or band, and creates a custom plan based on what the user’s biometrics indicate needs improvement.
$96 million isn’t a big deal by Pentagon standards, but it was a big win for Oura; for comparison, its December Series D funding round was $200 million.
“This contract was intended as an efficiency initiative, and we believe DHA had a clear business case for how it could have reduced costs and operational inefficiencies from burnout,” an Oura executive told Breaking Defense. “If the insights gained from the successful wearable initiative at DHA had led to just a 1% reduction in burnout and turnover, the contract could have provided a positive return on investment for an agency that spends billions of dollars on staffing.”
With the contract canceled, DHA told the GAO that opposition to WHOOP was now “academic or moot.”
In a statement Thursday, WHOOP said, “We commend the Department of Defense for intervening in favor of fair competition and common sense. We believe wearables will transform the way DOD supports core readiness, but the future should not be built on backroom deals that inexplicably exclude deserving American businesses. WHOOP looks forward to competing on a level playing field for future opportunities to support DOD’s warfighters.”
DHA Cancels $96 Million Ring Tracker Program Amid Vendor Disputes and Procurement Concerns
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) has canceled a $96 million request for wearable biometric devices, specifically ring trackers. The decision concludes a contentious process marked by vendor opposition, allegations of bias, and a broader shift in defense spending priorities.
In August 2024, DHA announced a $96 million sole-source contract for wearable biometric sensor devices and associated wellness services to Ouraring Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Finnish company Oura Health. The contract was intended to provide Oura’s smart rings to monitor a variety of physical metrics, including stress levels, recovery, resilience, and overall well-being. The initiative sought to enhance the health monitoring capabilities of medical staff, potentially leading to improved performance and reduced burnout.
DHA’s decision faced immediate challenges, most notably from WHOOP, a competitor in the wearable technology market. WHOOP filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in October 2024, arguing that the Sole-Source award lacked sufficient justification and that the requirement for a ring-form factor was overly restrictive, effectively precluding other wearable devices capable of meeting DHA’s needs.
In response to the protest, DHA canceled the initial Sole-Source contract. However, in November and December 2024, the agency issued new requests for information and proposals that still specified the need for a ring-based wearable device. This continued emphasis on the ring form factor led WHOOP to file a second protest in January, alleging that the request was tailored to Oura’s technology and did not allow for fair competition.
Developments surrounding DHA’s wearable device program have drawn the attention of lawmakers concerned about procurement practices and budgetary decisions. Some members of Congress have raised concerns about potential vendor bias and the integrity of the contracting process. Representative Morgan Luttrell, a member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Cyber, Information Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee, stressed the need for competitive processes that allow innovative American companies to participate.
Further Reading: SpaceX Launches X-37B Spaceplane on Secret Mission with New Tech Demos
Pentagon Expands Use of Oura Rings for Workforce Health and Biometric Analytics
While the department did not specify in the award announcement how many rings will be purchased under the firm-fixed-price contract — the rings retail for $299-$349 — it explained that the contract will also provide a suite of data analytics services that the Pentagon’s health branch can use to act on biometric information generated by the devices.
“This contract will provide the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Wellbeing Office with the delivery of Oring Inc., a biometric sensor device; data analytics that include monitoring physical stress, recovery, resilience, and well-being indicators; visualization of individual biometric data; visualization of overall well-being for the agency; and delivery of wellness-related insights and training materials,” the award announcement said.
Along with these services, Oura will also provide “workforce wellness services including high-performance medicine, mindfulness training, leadership coaching, protective factors, and peer-to-peer support training,” and “will offer its wellness services at military medical treatment facilities (130 subordinate institutions) for delivery to the entire DHA workforce.”
This isn’t the first time the DOD has used Oura rings. The department’s Defense Innovation Unit used the device with Garmin watches during the COVID-19 pandemic for its Rapid Assessment of Threat Exposure project, which combines commercial biometric technology with artificial intelligence algorithms to detect infectious diseases before symptoms appear.
“DOD has invested heavily in maintaining the readiness of its workforce to carry out essential missions. However, the risk of infectious diseases like COVID-19 has long been an unpredictable variable. With RATE, DOD can use commercial wearable devices to non-invasively monitor a service member’s health and provide early warnings of potential infection before it spreads,” said Jeff Schneider, the project’s program manager at the time.
Similarly, the Air Force distributed more than 1,000 Oura devices to First Sergeant Academy graduates last year. And, in 2021, the Navy gave nearly 300 rings to sailors and Marines aboard the amphibious assault ship Essex to study fatigue.
What was the Aura Ring project about?
DHA is part of the U.S. military. It looks after the health of soldiers, veterans and their families. In 2024, DHA wanted to buy 200,000 Aura Rings for $96 million. These are small, smart rings that you wear on your finger. They track things like sleep, heart rate and stress. DHA thought the rings could help doctors and nurses in military hospitals stay healthy. The rings would detect stress or fatigue early, so workers could rest and avoid burnout.
The plan was big. It involved not just the rings but also a special platform. This platform would collect health data and show leaders how their staff were doing. DHA chose Finnish company Aura Health to make the rings. Aura’s rings are popular because they track health well and are comfortable to wear. DHA believed that this would make their workers stronger and better prepared for difficult tasks.
Why did DHA cancel the scheme?
In March 2025, DHA discontinued the scheme. They said it was “no longer needed” and “not a priority.” But the real story is more complicated. A lot of things went wrong. Let’s look at the main reasons.
Read More: Air Force Unifies Cyber, IT Functions with New Cyberspace Capabilities Center
FAQs
The DHA Oura Ring project was a plan to provide smart rings to military doctors, nurses, and staff. The rings tracked things like sleep, heart rate, stress, and recovery. DHA wanted the rings to help medical workers stay healthy, detect stress early, and prevent burnout. The rings were part of a larger system that could show hospital leaders health data and wellness insights.
DHA canceled the project in March 2025, saying it was “no longer needed” and “not a priority.” The decision came after complaints from a competing company, WHOOP, and questions about whether the contract was fair. Lawmakers also expressed concerns that the process would level the playing field for other U.S. wearable companies.
Oura Rings have already been used by the military in past programs. During COVID-19, the Defense Innovation Unit used Oura Rings with Garmin watches to track health and detect early signs of infection. The Air Force gave more than 1,000 rings to First Sergeant Academy graduates, and the Navy gave 300 rings to sailors and Marines to study fatigue.
Yes! Wearable tech and smart rings are trending worldwide for workplace wellness. Companies are using them to track stress, sleep, and activity to improve health and productivity. Despite the cancellation of the DHA project, smart rings and other wearable devices are increasingly being used in hospitals, offices, and gyms to help workers manage stress and avoid burnout.
Also Read: Air Force Unifies Cyber, IT Functions with New Cyberspace Capabilities Center
Leave a Reply