WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) – chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Angus King (I-Maine) – members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA’s) acquisition processes to achieve improved outcomes for veterans.

Through creating a centralized Office of Acquisition at VA, the Acquisition Reform and Cost Assessment (ARCA) Act will allow VA to define major acquisition programs, streamline oversight and contracting processes, enhance accountability through independent evaluations and reporting, and implement improved training for VA personnel. This will address known deficiencies in VA’s current acquisition processes and strengthen VA’s ability to achieve timely and cost-effective results for veterans across the country. 

“VA should be high-performing, accountable and continually working to improve the services and benefits that our nation’s veterans have earned through their service,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation builds a modern and accountable procurement framework that makes certain VA can efficiently acquire the tools, technology and services veterans rely on without waste or delays, and I look forward to its passage in the House and to it being signed into law.” 

“We need to improve the systems that help prevent fraud, waste, and abuse for veterans,” said Sen. Blumenthal. “This bill will provide much needed oversight, structure, and guardrails for the restructuring of multiple acquisition offices at VA— benefiting veterans by delivering a more efficient VA in the process.”

“Veterans deserve a VA that works efficiently. VA procurement has been too slow, wasteful, and bureaucratic for too long,” said Sen. Banks. “This legislation modernizes inefficient processes to deliver the timely care and services our nation’s heroes deserve.”

“For generations, veterans across Maine and our nation have courageously answered the call of duty when serving, and we owe it to them to provide the very best support after they hang up their uniform,” said Sen. King. “That begins with a high-performing Department of Veterans’ Affairs with strong staffing. The passage of the bipartisan Acquisition Reform and Cost Assessment (ARCA) Act is a common-sense step forward that will ensure the VA is equipped to deliver top-notch care for our veterans in the 21^st century. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for proving once again that caring for our veterans is not a partisan issue.”

“Our veterans, who have served and sacrificed for our country, deserve quick access to high-quality care, and a VA that works for them,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m proud to have worked with Chairman Moran and bipartisan colleagues to pass this legislation that reforms and modernizes the way the VA manages acquisitions and its contracting processes, strengthens accountability, and improves the experience of veterans and their clinicians.”

“Our nation’s veterans deserve a VA that delivers results, not red tape,” said Sen. Rounds. “By simplifying the purchase of necessary supplies, we expedite the delivery of services to our veterans. I’m pleased that our effort to eliminate this red tape and speed up service for veterans has passed the Senate.”

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Since 2018, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has had the VA acquisition process on its “high risk list” and the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released multiple reports stating a need for acquisition reform.

This legislation will now be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Vietnam Veterans of America supports the Acquisition Reform Cost Assessment Act. Veterans need systems and facilities delivered on time and on budget,” said James McCormick, Executive Director of Government Affairs, Vietnam Veterans of America. “Earlier this year, we backed S. 2412 to fix fragmentation across VA construction, leasing, acquisition, and logistics and to strengthen the acquisition workforce; ARCA complements that work by sharpening cost review and transparency on major programs. Together, these reforms improve delivery and accountability for veterans and taxpayers.”

"The Acquisition Reform and Cost Assessment Act (ARCA) delivers common sense, strategic acquisition reform to VA procurement operations. ARCA creates an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Acquisition and Innovation and places all VA contracting officers and acquisition centers under this new office,” said Roger Waldron, President, Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement. “Consolidation of procurement operations will standardize practices, leverage resources, improve communication with industry, and streamline processes. The result will be a VA acquisition management framework that delivers essential goods and services to veterans more efficiently and at better value. The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement (the Coalition) applauds the passage of this strategic acquisition reform legislation."

“PSC commends Chairman Moran and his co-sponsors for their bipartisan leadership in advancing meaningful, practical reform at the Department of Veterans Affairs,” said James Carroll, Chief Executive Officer, Professional Services Council. “The ARCA Act addresses long-standing structural challenges at VA and puts the Department in a stronger position to deliver technology and infrastructure that directly improve outcomes for veterans. With the dedicated leadership of Secretary Doug Collins, VA is now positioned to deliver best-in-class outcomes for our heroes. Collaboration across the aisle was essential to moving this legislation forward. The senators’ commitment to strengthening VA acquisition systems and infrastructure will help reduce program risk, expand competition, and accelerate the delivery of needed, modern capabilities across the VA enterprise.”

Letters of support for the legislation from Vietnam Veterans of America and the National Veteran Small Business coalition can be found here and here.

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