To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Acquisition Review Board of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to establish the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Department, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 20, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
The Acquisition Reform and Cost Assessment Act of 2023 establishes new oversight structures within the Department of Veterans Affairs to better manage and evaluate major acquisition programs—those with estimated life-cycle costs of $250 million or more. The bill creates two main entities: an Acquisition Review Board chaired by the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve and monitor major acquisition programs, and a new Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation to provide independent analysis of acquisition costs and program performance. Program managers for major acquisitions must develop detailed plans called "program baselines" that outline costs, timelines, and performance metrics for each phase, with the Review Board required to approve advancement between phases. The legislation also requires the Director to submit annual reports to Congress on cost estimation activities and mandates that the Government Accountability Office review operating cost growth in VA acquisition programs and financial information reliability within one year of enactment. These reforms aim to improve accountability, reduce cost overruns, and strengthen the VA's ability to deliver acquisition projects on budget and on schedule.
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