Sec. 326. Review and report on provisions of law relating to Department of Veterans Affairs capital asset management and oversight
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The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall review all relevant authorities of the Secretary, including those in section 312A of title 38, United States Code, and determine whether the provisions of such authorities are meaningful, relevant, and reflect the current operational needs, organization structure, and all other necessary requirements for the full life-cycle of effective and efficient management of capital assets. Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report regarding whether the authorities reviewed under subsection
(a)should be revised to align more closely with current and future projected operational needs of the Department. The report required by subsection
(b)shall include the following: An assessment of whether other offices, administrations, or entities of the Department should be directed to formally assume certain functions currently assigned to officials of the Department, including to the Deputy Secretary, the Director of Construction and Facilities Management, the Under Secretary for Health, the Assistant Secretary for Management, and the Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to statute or Departmental practice, so as to match operational realities and needs, directives, policies, and procedures of the Department, to improve efficiencies, streamline management and lines of authority, responsibility, and accountability, or other reasons that would be beneficial to the capital asset management of the Department. An assessment of whether capital asset functions currently not clearly assumed or controlled by other entities of the Department should be more clearly assigned to relevant offices of the Department to match operational realities and needs, directives, policies, and procedures of the Department, to improve efficiencies, streamline management and lines of authority and responsibility, or other reasons that would be beneficial to the capital asset management of the Department. An identification of whether any new offices, structures, positions, or reporting lines should be created or modified in the Department to improve operational effectiveness, performance, and accountability for capital asset management, including the views of the Department on the advisability of— consolidating the planning, management, oversight, and procurement of all leasing activities of the Department, regardless of administration or sub-agency entity, to include major and minor leases, within one office within the Office of Construction and Facilities Management to consolidate and improve organization, oversight, expertise, and efficiency; and consolidating the planning, management, oversight, and procurement of all minor construction activities of the Department, regardless of administration or sub-agency entity, within one office within the Office of Construction and Facilities Management to consolidate and improve organization, oversight, expertise, and efficiency. An assessment of whether a modified Departmental organizational structure and changes to relevant statutory provisions could create a clearly identified single line of accountability and responsibility for the full life-cycle of capital asset management activities of the Department so as to improve effectiveness, efficiency, performance, and stability of capital asset management of the Department. An assessment of whether the qualifications requirements for the Director of Construction and Facilities Management under section 312A(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, should be modified to ensure the Department is able to hire from a broad candidate pool of qualified applicants. Specific reasons for the statutory or other changes that are recommended in the report or if no changes are necessary, a justification for not making any changes, including a statement providing the single responsible executive and office in charge of managing all capital asset management activities of the Department as of the date of the report. An identification of such legislative or administrative action as the Secretary determines necessary to implement the changes necessary to improve capital asset management of the Department.