H.R. 3593 — what changed

Findings— Congress finds the following:

According to testimony by the Director of Physical Infrastructure of the General Accountability Office before the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives in May 2013, schedule delays of major medical center construction projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs have averaged 35 months, with the delays ranging from 14 months to 74 months.

The average cost increase attributed to such delays has been $336,000,000 per project.

Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that—

Appointment of special project manager— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to procure, on a reimbursable basis, 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 $60,000,000 to oversee covered projects until the date on which the project is completed.

Duties— A special project manager appointed under subsection (a) to oversee a covered project shall—

conduct oversight of all construction-related operations at the project, including with respect to—

the performance of the Department of Veterans Affairs involving the prime contractors; and

the compliance of the Department with the Federal Acquisition Regulation, including the VA Acquisition Regulation;

advise and assist the Department in any construction-related activity at the project, including the approval of change-order requests for the purpose of achieving a timely completion of the project; and

Completion plans— Not later than 90 days after being appointed under subsection (a), a special project manager shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate detailed plans of the covered project for which the special project manager is so appointed.

Progress reports— Not later than 180 days after being appointed under subsection (a), and each 180-day period thereafter until the date on which the covered project is completed, a special project manager shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing the progress of the covered project for which the special project manager is so appointed. Each report shall include—

an analysis of all advice and assistance provided to the Department under subsection (b);

an analysis of all changes ordered by the Department with respect to the project, or claimed to have been made by contract between the Department and the prime contractor, including the extent to which such changes comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation, including the VA Acquisition Regulation;

an analysis of the communication and working relationship between the Department and the prime contractor, including any recommendations made by the prime contractor to aid in the completion of the project; and

identification of opportunities and recommendations with respect to improving the operation of any construction-related activity to reduce costs or complete the project in a more timely manner.

Information— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide a special project manager appointed under subsection (a) with any necessary documents or information necessary for the special project manager to carry out subsections (b) and (c).

Assistance— Upon request by the special project manager, the Secretary shall provide to the special project manager administrative assistance necessary for the special project manager to carry out subsections (b) and (c).