PDA

What PDA does

PDA Inc. is a privately held healthcare consulting firm headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, founded in 1979 as a partner to an architectural and planning firm to serve emerging rural economies and healthcare clients. The firm operates with a 1-10 employee core team augmented by project managers and subcontracted specialists, and is certified as an SBA woman-owned small business. Its practice spans strategic planning, Certificate of Need (CON) consulting, primary care advisory, community health assessments, facilitation, grant preparation, capital asset and master facility planning, and federal government contract services delivered through a GSA MOBIS schedule (GS-10F-0051R).

The firm's core product set is anchored on CON consulting, where it has submitted more than 350 applications representing $1B+ in project costs and sustained an 87% approval rate across multiple states. The technical foundation consists of proprietary template models for demand forecasting and pro forma financial statements used in CON applications, a proprietary database tracking applications, decisions, appeals, and utilization patterns, a state health plan development library, and GIS-based market mapping and visual data display capabilities. Service delivery is individualized: each engagement is managed by an assigned project manager who selects tailored expertise, research methods, and analytical tools.

PDA generates revenue through two streams: (i) private-sector healthcare consulting engagements sold via direct sales motion (website, phone, email) on a quote basis with multi-year contract cadences to hospitals, academic medical centers, physicians, post-acute providers, ambulatory centers, and rural health clinics; and (ii) government contract services delivered under GSA MOBIS SINs 74-1, 874-5, and 874-7 to federal agencies including the Veterans Health Administration, state health departments, and county/city governments. Customer breadth spans small rural community hospitals, large academic medical systems, the VA (Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Clarksburg, Philadelphia), high-technology diagnostic centers, skilled nursing and assisted-living facilities, and Accountable Care Organizations — supporting a relatively diversified client mix for a firm of its size.

Name

PDA

Legal name

PDA Inc.

Website

https://pdaconsultants.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PDA Inc. is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based healthcare consulting firm providing strategic planning, Certificate of Need (CON) advisory, primary care consulting, and federal government contract services to hospitals, physicians, post-acute providers, and government agencies across multiple U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including strategic planning, Certificate of Need consulting, market research, capital asset planning, master facility planning, facility space programming, primary and ambulatory care planning, community health assessments, facilitation services, executive retreats, staffing plans, surgery and central sterile planning, and population health research.
2. Government Contract Services: Services provided under GSA (MOBIS) contract GS-10F-0051R for federal government agencies including consulting services (SIN 74-1), ancillary supplies/services (SIN 874-5), and integrated business program support services (SIN 874-7). PDA also maintains SAM registration under multiple NAICS codes for government contracting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PDA is a healthcare planning and management consulting firm that delivers strategic planning, Certificate of Need (CON) application consulting, primary care advisory services, government contract consulting under a GSA MOBIS schedule, community health assessments, facilitation, and grant preparation. Services are delivered by assigned project managers who apply proprietary databases, demand forecasting models, GIS mapping, and qualitative research methods to healthcare providers, physicians, and federal, state, and local government clients nationwide.

Product overview

PDA is a professional healthcare consulting firm offering a suite of advisory and planning services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings are Strategic Planning Services, Certificate of Need (CON) Consulting, Primary Care Consulting, Government Contract Services (via GSA MOBIS), Facilitation Services, Grant Preparation, and Community Health Assessment — all organized under its consulting services umbrella. Capital Asset and Master Facility Planning is a specialized sub-module within the strategic planning portfolio. The services are delivered through assigned project managers who apply individualized expertise, research, analytical tools, and proprietary models. PDA does not offer a software product, platform, or API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Planning Services Comprehensive strategic planning services including organizational review, market research and environmental assessment, demand forecasting, scenario/model building, feasibility studies, physician development plans, and capital asset planning. Includes trend reports, competitive analysis, GIS-based market mapping, community health assessments, and qualitative research for healthcare organizations.
• Certificate of Need (CON) Consulting End-to-end Certificate of Need consulting covering strategy development, application preparation and submission with market and financial forecasts, competitive analysis, litigation support and expert testimony, public support strategy, and petitions for changes in State Health/Facility Plans. Maintains proprietary databases of applications, decisions, appeals, and utilization patterns with a record of 340+ CONs submitted and an 87% approval rate.
• Primary Care Consulting Services Advisory services for primary care providers navigating healthcare reform, care management models, patient-centered medical homes, and telehealth. Includes briefings on new primary care models, impact analysis across emergency departments, physician networks, and hospital services, facilitation for medical home transitions, outcome-based incentive payment support (MIPS), and facility space retrofit planning.
• Government Contract Services Support for federal government agencies through GSA MOBIS contract (GS-10F-0051R) covering consulting services (SIN 74-1), ancillary supplies/services (SIN 874-5), and integrated business program support (SIN 874-7). Includes VA Medical Center master facility plans, process improvement for pharmacy/surgery/central sterile services, facilitation services, executive retreats, and healthcare cost studies.
• Facilitation Services Meeting facilitation including agenda development, time management, solution-building, interactive strategy setting, and participant engagement. Experience spans strategic planning sessions, joint-venture negotiations, board retreats, and government procurement sessions across government and private sector settings.
• Grant Preparation Grant writing and preparation services with experience in NIH and HRSA submissions. Has successfully raised millions for clients and offers staff training on grant preparation models.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% Certificate of Need application approval rate across 350+ submitted applications exceeding $1 billion in project costs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2018Research partnership for Appalachian health studies. PDA and UNC Sheps Center co-authored studies for the Appalachian Regional Commission examining Bright Spot communities in Appalachia where health outcomes were better than expected. Studies included data for all US counties to understand and address community health factors.
• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2018Research partnership for Appalachian health studies. ARC funded and partnered with PDA and UNC Sheps Center for Bright Spot health research examining factors that support a culture of health in Appalachian communities. Research identified counties where health outcomes were better than expected.
• The Robert Wood Johnson FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2018Foundation partnership for Appalachian health studies. Funded research with ARC and UNC Sheps Center examining Bright Spot communities in Appalachia where health outcomes were better than expected. Studies explored factors that support better-than-expected health outcomes.
• The Foundation for a Health KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2018Foundation partnership for Appalachian health studies. Funded research with ARC and PDA examining Bright Spot communities in Appalachia where health outcomes were better than expected.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Health Management Associates (HMA): National healthcare consulting firm specializing in strategy, policy, and operational planning for providers, payers, and government agencies — directly comparable to PDA's healthcare planning and CON-style regulatory work at a larger scale.
• BESLER Consulting: Healthcare consulting firm serving hospitals and health systems with revenue cycle, regulatory compliance, and strategic advisory services — comparable niche-scale firm with similar client base and professional services model.
• Sg2 (a Vizient company): Healthcare intelligence and consulting firm focused on strategic planning, demand forecasting, and service-line strategy for hospitals and health systems — overlapping PDA's strategic planning and market forecasting capabilities.

Regional players

• Stratis Health: Nonprofit healthcare consulting organization focused on rural health, quality improvement, and community health assessments — directly comparable to PDA's rural health clinic and community health assessment work in a specific regional context.

Broad incumbents

• The Chartis Group: Healthcare advisory firm providing strategic planning, facility planning, and clinical performance services to hospitals and health systems — closely comparable to PDA's strategic and facility planning offerings at national scale.
• Advisory Board (now part of Optum): Healthcare research and consulting firm serving hospitals and health systems with strategic planning, workforce, and operational insights — comparable to PDA's strategic planning and primary care consulting offerings, with broader scope and a subscription research model.
• The Lewin Group (now part of Optum): Healthcare and human services consulting firm delivering policy analysis, strategic planning, and federal program support — comparable to PDA's government contracting and healthcare planning services, but at much larger scale.
• FORVIS (formerly Dixon Hughes Goodman): Large professional services firm offering healthcare consulting, assurance, and advisory services to hospitals and rural providers — comparable in serving similar client segments, particularly rural and community hospitals.
• Premier Inc. Healthcare improvement company providing consulting, data, and supply chain services to hospitals and health systems — overlaps with PDA's facility planning and performance improvement work for hospitals.

Emerging players

• Community Health Solutions: Smaller-scale healthcare planning and consulting firm focused on community and rural health system strategy — comparable niche peer to PDA in the rural and community hospital planning space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PDAConsultants

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PDA