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Members push acquisition reform and a VA leasing fund; VA signals support for ARCA but notes resourcing questions
Summary
Representative Barrett and General Berkman outlined acquisition and procurement reforms (H.R. 6833 and a VA contracting act) and argued for a centralized Office of Acquisition and a veterans leasing fund to speed projects. Phil Christie (VA) said ARCA and a leasing/infrastructure measure are well‑developed and can improve accountability, but cautioned resourcing and mechanical implementation need work.
Representative Barrett described H.R. 6833, the Acquisition Reform and Cost Assessment Act (ARCA), as a response to repeated procurement failures that balloon costs and delay major VA IT and medical systems, including EHRM. Barrett said ARCA would create a VA Office of Acquisition, better define major acquisition programs, require independent evaluations, and increase congressional oversight.
General Berkman urged modernizing procurement rules and said his contracting and procurement act would bar VA from entering contracts over $50,000,000 without specific congressional authorization (with exceptions for emergencies), require a standardized prosthetics catalog, and strengthen domestic‑preference rules for emergency inventories.
Phil Christie, VA’s chief acquisition officer, told the committee VA supports ARCA and a leasing/infrastructure act, calling them “well developed efforts that the department supports.” Christie explained a dedicated veterans leasing fund would bring independent authority, shorten coordination tied to GSA processes, enable risk‑sharing calculations (construction vs. rental), and allow congressional oversight of allocations. He also said implementing continuous product adoption for prosthetics has conceptual value but would require resources and careful contracting mechanics to preserve needed flexibility.
Members pressed for details about independent evaluation capabilities and single purchase‑order processing for prosthetics; Christie acknowledged current assessments are fractured and that ARCA aims to centralize independent verification and validation for major programs.
No committee action was taken; witnesses agreed to follow up with more technical details.
