Title: VA Procurement Efficiency and Transparency Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
VA Procurement Efficiency and Transparency Act
This bill addresses procurement procedures in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Specifically, the bill requires the VA to record the amount of any cost savings realized by using competitive procedures in awarding contracts reported in the Federal Procurement Data System (or successor systems).
The VA shall make available and use on a VA-wide basis the standardized procurement templates already used internally at certain VA offices.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1577 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1577

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the procurement 
    practices of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 6, 2019

 Mr. Wittman (for himself, Mrs. Hartzler, and Mr. Bergman) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the procurement 
    practices of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``VA Procurement Efficiency and 
Transparency Act''.

SEC. 2. INFORMATION ON COST OR PRICE SAVINGS FROM COMPETITION.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 81 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 8128 the following new section:
``Sec. 8129. Information on cost or price savings from competition
    ``(a) Recording of Information.--With respect to any contract 
awarded by the Secretary that is reported in the Federal Procurement 
Data System described in section 1122(a)(4)(A) of title 41, United 
States Code, or any successor system, the Secretary shall record 
information on the amount of any cost or price savings realized by 
using competitive procedures in awarding such contract.
    ``(b) Placement of Records.--The Secretary shall place recorded 
information under subsection (a) as follows:
            ``(1) With respect to contracts recorded in the Electronic 
        Contract Management System, or any successor system, in such 
        system.
            ``(2) With respect to contracts not covered by paragraph 
        (1), in a location determined appropriate by the Secretary.
    ``(c) Calculation of Cost Savings.--(1) In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall calculate the amount of cost or price savings 
realized by using competitive procedures in awarding a contract by--
            ``(A) subtracting the total value of the selected offer or 
        quote from the average of the total values of all offers or 
        quotes evaluated; or
            ``(B) subtracting the total value of the selected offer or 
        quote from the total value of the median offer or quote 
        evaluated.
    ``(2) If the difference calculated pursuant to paragraph (1) is 
negative, the Secretary shall record such difference as zero.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall make calculations under paragraph (1) 
with respect to a contract--
            ``(A) at the time at which the Secretary obligates amounts 
        under such contract; or
            ``(B) if such contract contains options, at the time at 
        which the option is exercised.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
8128 the following new item:

``8129. Information on cost or price savings from competition.''.

SEC. 3. USE OF STANDARDIZED PROCUREMENT TEMPLATES.

    To the extent practicable, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
make available and use on a Department-wide basis the standardized 
procurement templates used by the Central Office of the Department, the 
Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, 
and the National Cemetery Administration. In carrying out this section, 
the Secretary may customize such templates to address particular 
procurement situations.
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