2020-07799: VA Acquisition Regulation: Contractor Qualifications; Acquisition of Utility Services; and Contract Administration and Audit Services

Summary

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to amend and update its VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) in phased increments to revise or remove any policy superseded by changes in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), to remove any procedural guidance internal to VA into the VA Acquisition Manual (VAAM), and to incorporate any new agency specific regulations or policies. These changes seek to streamline and align the VAAR with the FAR and remove outdated and duplicative requirements and reduce burden on contractors. The VAAM incorporates portions of the removed VAAR as well as other internal agency acquisition policy. VA will rewrite certain parts of the VAAR and VAAM, and as VAAR parts are rewritten, will publish them in the Federal Register. VA will combine related topics, as appropriate. This rulemaking revises VAAR coverage concerning Contractor Qualifications, Acquisition of Utility Services, and Contract Administration and Audit Services, as well as affected parts concerning Definitions of Words and Terms and Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 5 parts of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 48 CFR 802 Definitions of Words and Terms
• 48 CFR 809 Contractor Qualifications
• 48 CFR 841 Acquisition of Utility Services
• 48 CFR 842 Contract Administration and Audit Services
• 48 CFR 852 Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses