The Veterans Affairs Department today announced it has dropped plans for its next-generation departmentwide contract to purchase hardware and software and instead opted to use NASA’s Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement contract vehicle.
The move reflects the Bush administration’s goal of moving agencies toward governmentwide contracts and away from departmentwide contracts, said Gary Shaffer, VA’s director of IT capital execution in the department CIO’s policy, plans and program office.
VA evaluated the cost that it would incur by building its Procurement of Computer Hardware and Software, known as Peaches 3, contract versus the cost of transferring to the new SEWP contract and a partner.
“The cost benefit—there’s no question. It’s worthwhile for the VA to do it. Government agencies should share costs rather than everybody buying [on] their own separately,” Shaffer said.
VA plans to purchase storage, networks, security, Internet protocol communications, health care automation, documentation and data services with the next contract vehicle. VA’s current Peaches 2 contract expires in April 2007.
VA is encouraging potential contractors to consider participating in the SEWP IV acquisition. Proposals for SEWP-IV, however, are due Aug. 7, according to procurement documents.
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