Veterans Affairs News 
Top News
- IRS to pay $70M in bonuses, Grassley says
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- As VA works to eliminate one backlog, one more might emerge
- BRAC-like commission proposed to hunt down government cost savings
- Senators seek cost cuts for F-35 fighter jet
- Fed pens new furlough song
- Web guru Dorris brings new life to government websites
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- NSA leak case gives vendors reason to reevaluate personnel
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
VA to reevaluate T4 protester's bid
The Court of Federal Claims rules in VA's favor on five of six counts. But VA must relook at Standard Communications' bid to see if it meets the solicitation's best value criteria.
Labor Department rolls out job-search website for veterans
Jane Oates, the assistant secretary for the Employment and Training Administration at the Labor Department, joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris to discuss how a new veteran-specific job website works.
Analysis: Vets need small biz guidance
Scott Denniston, executive director of programs at the National Veteran-Owned Business Association, discusses the barriers to veterans getting small business contracts.
New federal hiring concentrated in DoD, VA, DHS
Despite considerations to cut federal workforce sizes, three agencies' staff have been growing in recent years.
Senators call for probe into veteran-owned contracting
Three senators are calling for a Government Accountability Office investigation to ensure federal contracts are actually going to businesses owned by veterans and service-disabled vets.
PTSD — there's an app for that
A smartphone application — released by the Defense and Veterans Affairs Departments in the spring — leverages the power of mobile technology to help veterans better manage post-traumatic stress disorder.
OMB wants 'single door' for vendors at each agency
Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel wants agencies to create vendor management organizations to centralize how contractors work with departments. So far, four agencies are piloting the vendor management organizations. VanRoekel, who also wants agencies to use investment review boards more for strategic goals, said the use of both tools "very much align with our priorities to do more with less."
VA's mobile strategy aims for flexibility, multiple devices
The Veterans Affairs Department wants to hedge its bets when it comes to its planned rollout of up to 100,000 tablet devices. IT leaders worry about the unpredictability of the mobile technology landscape, and don't want to spend millions to develop apps for a platform that risks being superseded by a competitor.
DoD, VA health IT records require speaking in 'same language'
Beth McGrath, the deputy chief performance officer at DoD, discussed why an interoperable electronic health record — or EHR — makes sense and how the project is coming along.
Agencies can say no to GAO recs
By law, agencies do not have to follow GAO's recommendations — but most do, says William Welch, chair of the Government Contracts Practice Group at General Counsel.
VA envisions deployment of 100,000 tablet computers
The Department of Veterans Affairs is taking another step toward the deployment of tablet computers to its workforce. VA has sent a request for information to industry in the hopes of buying a mobile device management platform that will let it secure and manage tens of thousands of tablets across the enterprise. The plans call for a deployment of 10,000 tablets running Apple's iOS, Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows Mobile to start. They plan to eventually increase that to up to 100,000 tablets.
VA begins "ruthless reductions"
The Department of Veterans Affairs thinks it can squeeze around 50 million dollars from its technology budget by using hardware and software more efficiently. VA is launching what it calls its ruthless reduction project. For example, employees will be given a choice of a laptop or a desktop computer - not both. VA will get rid of printers at individual employee desks and move to multifunction devices. And they'll implement more server virtualization, to cut down on the physical IT infrastructure they operate.
VA's Blue Button now being adopted by private sector
The Veterans Affairs Department is trying to get the wider public to adopt the "Blue Button" technology it developed to give its patients direct access to their medical information. Atlanta-based RelayHealth won a department-sponsored contest for the fastest company to develop and implement the single-click technology that allows patients to download their health records.
Mental health care not meeting VA standards
Veterans with mental health issues receive care comparable to that available in the private sector but the care falls short of standards set by the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a new report. Dr. Kate Watkins, who conducted the study for the RAND Corporation, told Federal News Radio where VA has succeeded and where it has failed.
Did banks defraud veterans?
Bill Bransford, a partner at Shaw, Bransford and Roth joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morristo discuss the latest developments in the case and what veterans should know about securing loans.
VA gives the go ahead to its 'ruthless' IT reduction plans
The agency's task force detailed potential areas to cut the cost of technology in a 104-page report sent to the chief information officer this week. Stephen Warren, VA's principal deputy CIO, said the agency expects to save at least $50 million over the next year.
VA funds ideas to help disabled vets get jobs
VA will test the use of the ideas in the agency's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program, according to a VA release.
VA gains granular view of impact of green IT
The Lebanon Medical Center in Pennsylvania is using a new dashboard to measure how it's implementing sustainability efforts. VA expects to save or avoid about $178,000 in the first year of the portal's use at the facility.
Top 10 agencies with telework issues
How does your agency compare to others when it comes to allowing employees to telework? The latest Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey gives some insight.
VA to slow-roll use of smartphones, tablets on network
Roger Baker, the Veterans Affairs Department chief information officer, said only about 1,000 users will have agency supplied devices that will be allowed to access VA systems. VA eventually wants to create an apps store where externally and internally developed software will be made available for doctors, nurses and other employees.
