DHA Cancels Ouraring Biometric Ring Solicitation – Inside the £75M Pentagon Reversal

DHA cancels Ouraring biometric ring solicitation amid fierce procurement battle

The Pentagon has torn up a controversial £75 million contract for Finnish-made health tracking rings, leaving military health tech plans in limbo and sparking fresh questions about procurement fairness.

Defence officials confirmed yesterday that the biometric monitoring project, which would have equipped medical staff across 130 military facilities with Oura smart rings, has been officially terminated.

“The programme is no longer required and no longer considered a priority,” a DHA spokesperson said Tuesday, offering minimal explanation for the abrupt about-face.

Behind the scenes, insiders tell a more complex story of American corporate rivalry, security clearance paradoxes, and budget battles under the new administration.

“Oura got caught in a perfect storm,” a defence contractor familiar with the project told this newspaper. “A fierce procurement fight with WHOOP, Pentagon budget cuts, and a leadership shake-up at DHA all hit simultaneously.”

The cancelled contract, identified as HT0011-24-C-0033, was initially awarded to Ouraring Inc., the US subsidiary of Finnish firm Oura Health. The company had earmarked the government deal as a major milestone following their recent £156 million Series D funding round.

US rival fights ‘ring-only’ requirement

Boston-based wearable tech firm WHOOP triggered the contract’s unravelling last October by filing a protest with the Government Accountability Office.

WHOOP challenged the original sole-source award and slammed what they called unfair exclusion of American companies. The DHA responded by withdrawing the initial contract and launching a competitive process.

But when new solicitations emerged in November, they still specified the wearable must be a ring form factor rather than WHOOP’s wrist-worn device.

“Classic procurement trap,” explained a Pentagon contracting veteran speaking anonymously. “Only Oura had secure facility clearance for rings, but specifying ‘ring only’ looked like rigging the competition. Procurement officials hate that kind of spotlight.”

WHOOP struck again in January with a second protest against solicitation HT001125R0006. Weeks later, before the GAO could rule, DHA brass pulled the plug on the entire project.

Documents obtained by this publication reveal DHA officials had previously acknowledged to lawmakers that “Oura is the only wearable ring company cleared by DoD for use in secure facilities,” creating a competitive minefield.

WHOOP celebrated the cancellation, issuing a statement commending the DoD for “intervening on the side of fair competition and common sense.”

“Wearables are going to transform the way DOD supports core readiness,” the company added, “but that future should not be built on backroom deals that inexplicably exclude qualified American businesses.”

Budget cuts, leadership turnover sealed deal’s fate

The procurement battle was just one factor in the cancellation. Pentagon bean-counters have been slashing programmes since Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a sweeping budget review aimed at redirecting roughly £39 billion toward border security and other priorities.

“Health monitoring rings were easy pickings when ammunition stocks need replenishing,” a former Pentagon budget official noted. “Nice-to-have wellbeing tech rarely survives when core combat capabilities need funding.”

The project also lost its champion when DHA Director Lt. Gen. Telita Crossland was forced into retirement in early March. Reuters reported her exit as part of wider leadership changes across the Pentagon.

The situation echoes other cases where leadership transitions derailed established agreements, similar to the recent property rights dispute at Montecito Country Club that unravelled under new management.

Form factor battle exposed tech divide

The technical specifications reveal why the ring versus wristband dispute became so pivotal:

Military personnel typically prefer rings for operational environments as they don’t interfere with weapons handling or get caught during physical training. However, WHOOP maintained its wrist devices could deliver equivalent health monitoring capability.

Cybersecurity experts call this the “security certification paradox” – Oura’s exclusive security clearance became both its strongest selling point and ultimately its fatal weakness in competitive procurement.

Cancellation puzzling after successful trials

The termination particularly stings given Oura’s successful military pilots:

• Defense Innovation Unit study with 9,381 personnel during 2020-2021
• Air Force deployment of 1,000+ rings to First Sergeant Academy graduates
• Navy trial aboard USS Essex tracking fatigue levels in 300 sailors

Scientific Reports published results showing the technology could detect infection risks up to six days before symptoms appeared, with an average 2.3-day early warning.

“These devices were showing real promise for keeping our people healthy and mission-ready,” admitted a military doctor who participated in one trial. “The procurement issues are unfortunate.”

Tech companies regroup after setback

Oura executives have acknowledged the cancellation’s impact. “This contract was meant to be an efficiency initiative with a clear business case,” a company spokesperson told Breaking Defense. “If insights from this programme had led to even a 1% reduction in burnout, the return on investment would have been achieved.”

Neither Oura nor WHOOP responded to requests for additional comment.

Military health tech specialists predict the DHA might eventually relaunch a broader health monitoring programme without form factor restrictions, but current budget constraints make immediate revival unlikely.

For defence contractors, the saga offers cautionary lessons about security requirements, domestic preference influences, and justifying wellbeing tech in combat-focused budget cycles.

The DHA cancels Ouraring biometric ring solicitation, but industry watchers believe biometric monitoring technology will eventually return to the military health landscape – with procurement lessons firmly learned.