FOR RELEASE: May 2, 2002

EVANS CALLS FOR PERMANENT VA PROCUREMENT REFORM
Administrative Action Commended 

Washington, DC -- Congressman Lane Evans today commended the leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for taking administrative action to improve VA procurement policies and practices.  Evans, senior Democratic Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, called VA’s recognition of the benefits of greater use of the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) in its procurement activities, a “wise and responsible action” and a step toward better economy in VA procurement. 

While praising VA administrative efforts to improve VA procurement, Evans said administrative action alone is not enough.  By its actions, VA has clearly shown it understands that significant savings and improvements in procurement can and should be made.  These improvements should be established in law to make procurement improvement permanent.  Otherwise, the administrative action taken today to improve procurement can be undone tomorrow by a contrary administrative decision.  VA procurement reform is too important to be “here today and gone tomorrow,” Evans said. 

Earlier this year Evans authored and introduced H.R. 3645, the Veterans Health-Care Items Procurement Reform and Improvement Act of 2002.  Evans said it is important for Congress to consider this legislation soon.  This bill centralizes health-care items contracting, reduces VA’s overall procurement costs, and makes better use of taxpayer dollars which in turn improves access and service to veterans.  It is a win-win-win proposal! 

VA, the second largest federal agency, second in size only to the Department of Defense, will purchase over $2.5 billion in pharmaceuticals and 1.4 billion in health care items this year.  Since VA centralized much of its contracting and procurement processes for pharmaceuticals in 1996, the taxpayer has realized over $850 million in savings.  H.R. 3645 will save a proportional amount with its requirement for centralized healthcare items procurement. 

While acknowledging that procurement reform is not a hot button issue for most people, Evans said every dollar VA can save through procurement reform is another dollar VA can use to improve access to medical care for veterans.  Procurement reform can literally save VA millions of dollars – and those dollars can go a long way to improving healthcare delivery to our deserving veterans. 

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