I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5042 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 
under which the Secretary enters into partnership agreements with non- 
Federal entities for the construction of major medical facility projects. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2014 
Mr. MCNERNEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
a pilot program under which the Secretary enters into 
partnership agreements with non-Federal entities for the 
construction of major medical facility projects. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Jumpstart VA Con-
struction Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
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(1) The buildings of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs have an average age of 60 years. 
(2) Since 2004, use of Department facilities has 
grown from 80 percent to 120 percent, while the 
condition of these facilities has eroded from 81 per-
cent to 71 percent over that same period of time. 
(3) The Department currently manages and 
maintains more than 5,600 buildings and almost 
34,000 acres of land. 
(4) More than 3,900 infrastructure gaps remain 
that 
will 
cost 
between 
$54,000,000,000 
and 
$66,000,000,000 
to 
close, 
including 
$10,000,000,000 in activation costs. 
(5) The Veterans Health Administration has 21 
major construction projects dating to 2007 that have 
been only partially funded. 
(6) The total unobligated amount for all cur-
rently budgeted major construction projects exceeds 
$2,900,000,000. 
(7) To finish existing projects and to close cur-
rent and future gaps, the Department will need to 
invest at least $23,200,000,000 over the next 10 
years. 
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(8) At current requested funding levels, it will 
take more than 67 years to complete the 10-year 
capital investment plan of the Department. 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MAJOR 
MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS BY NON-FED-
ERAL 
ENTITIES 
UNDER 
PARTNERSHIP 
AGREEMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall carry out a 10-year pilot program under which the 
Secretary shall enter into partnership agreements on a 
competitive basis with appropriate non-Federal entities for 
the construction of major construction projects authorized 
by law. 
(b) SELECTION OF PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall select 
10 major construction projects for completion by 
non-Federal entities under the pilot program. Each 
project selected shall be a major medical facility 
project authorized by law for the construction of a 
new facility for which— 
(A) Congress has appropriated any funds; 
(B) the design and development phase is 
complete; and 
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(C) construction has not begun, as of the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) TYPE
OF
PROJECTS.—In selecting major 
construction projects under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall select— 
(A) four seismic-related projects; 
(B) four community based outpatient clin-
ic-related projects; and 
(C) two other projects. 
(c) AGREEMENTS.—Each partnership agreement for 
a construction project under the pilot program shall pro-
vide that— 
(1) the non-Federal entity shall obtain any per-
mits required pursuant to Federal and State laws 
before beginning to carry out construction; and 
(2) if requested by the non-Federal entity, the 
Secretary shall provide technical assistance for ob-
taining any necessary permits for the construction 
project. 
(d) RESPONSIBILITIES
OF SECRETARY.—The Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) appoint a non-Department of Veterans Af-
fairs entity as the project manager of each major 
construction project for which the Secretary enters 
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into a partnership agreement under the pilot pro-
gram; 
(2) ensure that the project manager appointed 
under paragraph (1) develops and implements a 
project management plan to ensure concise and con-
sistent communication of all parties involved in the 
project; 
(3) work in cooperation with each non-Federal 
entity with which the Secretary enters into a part-
nership agreement to minimize multiple change or-
ders; 
(4) develop metrics to monitor change order 
process times, with the intent of expediting any 
change order; and 
(5) monitor any construction project carried out 
by a non-Federal entity under the pilot program to 
ensure that such construction is in compliance with 
the Federal Acquisition Regulations and Department 
of Veterans Affairs acquisition regulations and that 
the costs are reasonable. 
(e) REIMBURSEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall reim-
burse, without interest, a non-Federal entity that 
carries out work pursuant to a partnership agree-
ment under the pilot program in an amount equal 
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to the estimated Federal share of the cost of such 
work. Any costs that exceed the amount originally 
agreed upon between the Secretary and the non-Fed-
eral entity shall be paid by the non-Federal entity. 
The Secretary may commence making payments to 
a non-Federal entity under this subsection upon en-
tering into a partnership agreement with the entity 
under this section. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not make 
any reimbursement payment under this subsection 
until the Secretary determines that the work for 
which the reimbursement is requested has been per-
formed in accordance with applicable permits and 
approved plans. 
(3) BUDGET REQUESTS.—The Secretary shall 
budget for reimbursement under this section on a 
schedule that is consistent with the budgeting proc-
ess of the Department and the ongoing Strategic 
Capital Investment Planning priorities list. 
(f) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.—The Comp-
troller General of the United States shall submit to Con-
gress a biennial report on the partnership agreements en-
tered into under the pilot program. 
(g) DEADLINE
FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—The Sec-
retary shall begin implementing the pilot program under 
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this section by not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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