Improving Standards in VA Contracting Act of 2016

Improving Standards in VA Contracting Act of 2016

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop uniform policy guidelines for officials, including contracting officers, of the VA's Real Property Service of the Office of Construction and Facilities Management for evaluating potential lessors of property on which to build medical facilities.

Such guidelines shall include evaluating the potential lessor's: (1) past performance on federal contracts, (2) ability to control the property, and (3) conduct of proper due diligence prior to submitting an offer to enter a lease with the VA.

[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5822 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5822

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop uniform policy 
  guidelines for evaluating potential lessors for purposes of leasing 
 property on which to build medical facilities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 14, 2016

 Mr. Boustany introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop uniform policy 
  guidelines for evaluating potential lessors for purposes of leasing 
 property on which to build medical facilities, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Standards in VA 
Contracting Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS UNIFORM POLICY GUIDELINES FOR 
              LESSORS OF PROPERTY FOR MEDICAL FACILITIES.

    (a) Uniform Policy Guidelines.--By not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall develop uniform policy guidelines for officials, 
including contracting officers, of the Real Property Service of the 
Office of Construction and Facilities Management of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in evaluating potential lessors for purposes of 
leasing property on which to build medical facilities. Such guidelines 
shall include--
            (1) the evaluation of the past performance of the potential 
        lessor with respect to past contracts with the Federal 
        Government and other entities, if any;
            (2) criteria to specifically address the ability of the 
        potential lessor to demonstrate control of or the ability to 
        control the property, including specific documentation of the 
        potential lessors' ownership of or right to lease the property, 
        as well as any encumbrances on this or other property that 
        could affect the lessors' ability to enter into any agreement 
        with the Department regarding the property in question;
            (3) criteria for ensuring that the potential lessor 
        conducted proper due diligence prior to submitting an offer to 
        enter into a lease with the Department; and
            (4) such other matters as the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.
    (b) Consultation.--In developing the guidelines under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall consult with the Federal Real Property Council 
of the General Services Administration.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 30 days before the 
guidelines developed under subsection (a) take effect, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on the guidelines.
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