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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to amend its VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) as part of a project to update the VAAR. Under this initiative, all parts of the regulation are being reviewed and updated in phased increments to incorporate any new regulations or policies and to remove any procedural guidance that is internal to the VA. This project aims to streamline the VAAR to implement and supplement the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) only when required, and to eliminate internal agency guidance in keeping with the FAR principles concerning agency acquisition regulations.

Statement of Need:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to revise the VAAR to add new policy or regulatory requirements and to remove any guidance that is applicable only to VA’s internal operating processes or procedures. FAR 1.302, Limitations, requires that agency acquisition regulations shall be limited only to those necessary to implement the FAR policies and procedures within the agency and to any additional information needed to supplement the FAR to satisfy the specific needs of the agency. The needed changes include proposing to delete paragraphs when adequately addressed in the FAR, add new subsections to clarify that FAR applies to specific parts, and to remove sections such as the section that deals with internal procedures for obtaining a waiver to tailor solicitations, to be inconsistent with customary commercial practice.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

40 U.S.C. 121(c)

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