Leasing Lessons from VA’s Academic Partnerships: Why Federal Contractors Should Pay Attention
GAO’s November 2025 report on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ sole-source leasing with academic affiliates under the PACT Act highlights how VA is using noncompetitive leases to modernize aging facilities and expand care. Federal contractors can draw important lessons on risk, timing, governance, and partnership models from this emerging authority.
Reforming Veterans Affairs IT: GAO Urges Strategic Overhaul, Cites Billions at Stake
GAO urges the Department of Veterans Affairs to adopt leading IT reform practices as it prepares to spend $7.3B in FY2026. Despite past failures in modernizing health records and financial systems, GAO outlines key steps for success. All 26 prior recommendations remain unimplemented.
VA’s Appointment Scheduling Modernization Still Faces Major Gaps, GAO Finds
The GAO’s May 2025 report finds that the VA’s scheduling modernization efforts fall short of best practices in planning and requirements management, leaving veterans and schedulers to navigate fragmented, inefficient systems. Timely access to care remains at risk without critical improvements.
Improving Mental Health Screening at Military Separation: GAO Finds Gaps in Validation and Implementation
GAO's June 2025 report reveals gaps in the validation of mental health screening tools used during military separation. While VA has implemented a joint screening program, key tools for alcohol use, PTSD, and violence risk lack validation, putting service member care at risk.
Veterans Affairs Faces Critical Gaps in Software License Management
GAO finds the Department of Veterans Affairs is failing to track and reconcile software licenses, risking over-purchasing and cloud migration delays. The report urges immediate reforms.