I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2384 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs to conduct cost-benefit analyses of certain contracts. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 24, 2011 

Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct cost-benefit analyses of certain contracts. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accountability in Con5 tract Execution Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COST-BENEFIT ANALYSES OF CERTAIN CONTRACTS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 5 of title 

8 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 

9 the following: 


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1 ‘‘§ 517. Cost-benefit analyses of certain contracts 

2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) The Secretary shall— 

3 ‘‘(A) conduct a cost-benefit analysis of each 

4 contract described in paragraph (2); and 

5 ‘‘(B) notify the Committees on Veterans’ Af6 fairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate 

7 of each such contract and the office of the Depart8 ment where the cost-benefit analysis for such con9 tract is located. 

10 ‘‘(2) A contract described in this paragraph is a con11 tract awarded by the Secretary that is valued at more than 

12 $100,000,000, including— 

13 ‘‘(A) a sole-source contract; 

14 ‘‘(B) an undefinitized contract; 

15 ‘‘(C) a split contract; or 

16 ‘‘(D) an indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity 

17 contract. 

18 ‘‘(b) ELEMENTS.—Each cost-benefit analysis con19 ducted under subsection (a)(1)(A) shall include— 

20 ‘‘(1) a cost analysis detailing— 

21 ‘‘(A) the economic feasibility of the con22 tract, including the costs and benefits; 

23 ‘‘(B) the technical feasibility of the award24 ed contract, including its effectiveness and ade25 quacy at achieving the stated goal of the con26 tract; 


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1 ‘‘(C) the cost effectiveness of the contract, 

2 including why selecting the particular con3 tractor provides the best value for the dollar 

4 amount of the contract; and 

5 ‘‘(D) the manner in which the Secretary 

6 adhered to best industry practices in writing, 

7 bidding, and awarding the contract, including a 

8 description of— 

9 ‘‘(i) any industry expertise used; and 

10 ‘‘(ii) the primary stakeholders related 

11 to the contract and the manner in which 

12 the Secretary identified such stakeholders; 

13 and 

14 ‘‘(2) written certification that, during the con15 tracting process, the Secretary considered all alter16 natives in a fair, competitive, and ethical contracting 

17 environment. 

18 ‘‘(c) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Upon request by 

19 the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep20 resentatives or the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

21 Senate, the Secretary shall submit to such committee a 

22 cost-benefit analysis conducted under subsection (a)(1)(A) 

23 by not later than the date that is 10 days after the date 

24 of the request.’’. 


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1 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

2 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 

3 after the item relating to section 516 the following new 

4 item: 

‘‘517. Cost-benefit analyses of certain contracts.’’. 

5 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 517 of title 38, 

6 United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall 

7 apply with respect to contracts entered into by the Sec8 retary of Veterans Affairs on or after the date of the en9 actment of this Act. 

Æ 


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