VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act

To make certain improvements relating to the supply chain of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act 2. Department of Veterans Affairs supply chain resiliency (a) Report on critical items and requirements Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing each of the following: (1) A description of the items and types of items the Secretary considers critical with respect to— (A) the ongoing response to the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; and (B) future epidemic, pandemic, emergency, national emergency, or natural disaster scenarios. (2) The quantities of the items described in paragraph (1) that are available, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, in inventories, emergency caches, or other emergency inventories of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (3) The anticipated quantities of the items described in paragraph (1) that would be necessary under potential epidemic, pandemic, emergency, national emergency, or natural disaster scenarios the Secretary determines to be relevant for planning purposes. (4) The assumptions and key planning factors used by the Secretary to identify the items, types of items, and necessary quantities of items for types of scenarios, as described in paragraphs (1) and (3). (b) Participation in Warstopper Program Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall enter into an agreement to provide for the participation of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the program known as the Warstopper Program (1) ensure the maintenance and stability of the items that are identified as critical in the report required under subsection (a) and that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense determine are appropriate for the Warstopper Program; (2) establish guidance for the participation of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Warstopper Program that includes an identification of the items and types of items that are critical to the needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and (3) use existing contracts and agreements and enter into new contracts and agreements, as necessary, with manufacturers and distributors to reserve the supply of such critical items rather than rely on holding physical inventories of such items. (c) Report on implementation (1) In general Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the implementation of this section. Such report shall contain each the following: (A) An implementation plan for the participation of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Warstopper Program, including milestones and timelines for related administrative, contracting, and readiness activities. (B) For each of the items and associated quantities identified in paragraphs (1) and (3) of subsection (a)— (i) the method by which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs plans to ensure the Department continues to have access to adequate quantities of such items and types of items, including in the Warstopper Program and in regional, physical inventories; and (ii) justifications for the method or methods identified under clause (i). (2) Updates to report The Secretary shall update the report required under paragraph (1) on an annual basis for each of the two years following the submission of the report under paragraph (1) and submit such updates to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives. (d) Prohibition on exclusive reliance on regional inventories The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the Department does not exclusively rely on holding regional, physical inventories of critical items in order to respond to greater than expected needs for such items during epidemic, pandemic, emergency, national emergency, or natural disaster situations.

Summary: VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act This bill addresses the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) supply chain processes, particularly during emergency periods. The bill requires the VA to submit a report containing a description of the items and quantities of items that are critical with respect to the VA's ongoing response to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and future epidemic, pandemic, emergency, national emergency, or natural disaster scenarios. The VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) must enter into an agreement to provide for the participation of the VA in the Warstopper Program of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) of DOD. The Warstopper Program was established to satisfy requirements for sudden and sustained increases in production of critical industrial and medical items. Under such an agreement, the DLA must ensure the maintenance and stability of the items the VA identifies as critical in its report (and that the VA and DOD determine are appropriate for the program), establish guidance for the participation of the VA in the program, and use existing and new contracts and agreements to reserve the supply of critical items. Finally, the VA must ensure it does not exclusively rely on holding regional, physical inventories of critical items in order to respond to greater than expected needs during epidemic, pandemic, emergency, national emergency, or natural disaster situations.