Department of Veterans Affairs April 3, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On January 24, 2003, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amended the VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) by establishing simplified procedures for the competitive acquisition of health-care resources, consisting of commercial services or the use of medical equipment or space, pursuant to the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 (38 U.S.C. 8151-8153). These procedures are codified at 48 CFR chapter 8. In developing these standards, VA performed a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis which indicated the rule could have a significant impact on a substantial number of small businesses. VA has initiated a review of this rule under section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act to determine if the rule should be continued without change, or should be amended or rescinded, to minimize adverse economic impacts on small entities. Please note that VA is in the process of rewriting the VAAR and will be reviewing the requirements of this rule in detail as part of this revision initiative. In the interim, VA solicits, and will consider, public comments on factors described in the Supplementary Information.