VA Acquisition Regulation: Contracting by Negotiation; Service Contracting

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proposing to amend and update its VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) in phased increments to revise or remove any policy superseded by changes in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), to remove procedural guidance internal to VA into the VA Acquisition Manual (VAAM), and to incorporate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 These changes seek to streamline and align the VAAR with the FAR and remove outdated and duplicative requirements and reduce burden on contractors.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, we will publish them in the Federal Register. VA will combine related topics, as appropriate. In particular, this rulemaking revises VAAR concerning Contracting by Negotiation and Service Contracting, as well as affected parts covering the Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation System, Types of Contracts, Termination of Contracts, Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses, and Loan Guaranty and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Programs.