Bill > HR6833

This bill, known as the ARCA Act of 2025 (Acquisition Reform and Cost Assessment Act of 2025), aims to significantly restructure how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) handles its acquisitions, which are defined as programs to acquire services, supplies, technology, or systems costing over $1 billion in total lifecycle cost or $200 million annually. It establishes a new Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Acquisition to oversee a consolidated Office of Acquisition, which will now include major acquisition program offices and report directly to this Assistant Secretary. This new structure will also include Deputy Assistant Secretaries for Logistics, Procurement, and Acquisition, Program Management, and Performance, along with Program Executive Officers responsible for specific areas like medical, IT, and professional services. The bill mandates that managers of major acquisition programs must be certified in project management and will be responsible for developing and managing a "program baseline" that details cost, schedule, and performance requirements. Furthermore, it introduces a Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation who will report directly to the Secretary and be responsible for independent cost estimates and program evaluations, with an annual report to Congress detailing cost estimation activities and any significant budget overruns. The bill also requires the VA to contract for independent verification and validation of major acquisition programs to ensure they meet defined requirements and baselines, and it prioritizes the use of internship programs to fill entry-level acquisition positions, aiming to double participation. Finally, it mandates a systems engineering analysis of the VA's acquisition process by the Department of Defense's Acquisition Research Center and the establishment of a standardized, data-driven process for developing requirements for major acquisition programs.