HHS seeks pilot program to test advanced AI tools for specialized agency users

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) on June 8 to gather industry feedback on a short-term, fixed-price pilot program designed to test advanced artificial intelligence capabilities for its staff. The program targets HHS’s 'power users'—employees who rely on specialized AI features beyond basic chat and summarization tools.

The RFI outlines HHS’s goal to observe how these users interact with advanced AI models, including premium reasoning, long context, and agentic-capable systems, and how such capabilities align with agency mission workflows. The pilot will also evaluate necessary guardrails, administrative controls, security, privacy, records management, accessibility, and authorization requirements before any potential enterprise-wide scaling.

HHS specifies that the selected vendor must provide 'inclusive, all-you-can-eat-style access bundles' to allow power users to trial a variety of advanced AI solutions. The initial scope includes access for up to 1,000 authorized, portable HHS power users, with an option to expand to 10,000 users depending on the vendor’s proposal.

The agency’s efforts follow workforce reductions as part of the Department of Government Efficiency initiative, which included layoffs and job reclassifications at HHS. In April, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to hire 12,000 employees to 'rightsize' the agency, indicating a strategic pivot toward leveraging technology to address operational demands.