Bill > HR3593

Introduced Session

VA Construction Assistance Act of 2013 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the management of the major medical center construction projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been an abysmal failure; (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should fully implement all recommendations made by the Comptroller General in an April 2013 report to improve VA construction procedures; and (3) management of the major medical facility projects currently underway in Denver, Colorado, Orlando, Florida, and New Orleans, Louisiana, (covered projects) should be subject to the oversight of a special project manager of the Army Corps of Engineers that is independent of the VA. Requires the Secretary, for any construction or alteration project that is a major medical facility project, to: (1) use the services of a medical equipment planner as part of the architectural and engineering firm for the project, (2) develop and use a project management plan to ensure clear and consistent communication among all parties, (3) subject the project to construction peer excellence review, (4) develop a metrics program to enable the monitoring of change-order processing time and goals for the change-order process consistent with the best practices of other federal agencies, and (5) use design-build processes to minimize multiple change orders. Directs the Secretary to procure the services of the Army Corps of Engineers with respect to appointing not less than one special project manager who has experience in managing construction projects that exceed $60 million to oversee such covered projects until completion. Requires a special project manager to submit to specified congressional committees detailed plans of a covered project and progress reports, which shall include an analysis of all changes ordered by the VA and recommendations for improving the operation of any construction-related activity to reduce costs or complete the project in a more timely manner.

Committee Categories

Mike Coffman (R)*,  J. Randy Forbes (R),  Cory Gardner (R),  Ann Kirkpatrick (D),  Doug Lamborn (R),  David Roe (R),  Steve Stivers (R),  Scott Tipton (R), 

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (on 09/17/2014)

Official Document