Introduction:Provided to VA staff as a read ahead for a meeting scheduled for March 2, 2022 with SDV-MPG members on suggestions to improve VA’s MSPV program.
VA MSPV DISTRIBUTION CONTRACT AREAS OF CONCERN
SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN MEDICAL PRODUCTS GROUP
March 2nd, 2022
BACKGROUND: Members of the Service-Disabled Veteran Medical Products Group (SDV-MPG) are committed to helping VA develop a comprehensive Medical Surgical Products Prime Vendor Program (MSPV) to strengthen VA’s ability to provide world class healthcare to veterans. We have been engaged for over 5 years in this effort. We have experienced many versions of a MSPV program and have identified many challenges for a service-disabled veteran-owned small business to participate. A brief history is provided in our paper of February 2022, copy included as an attachment.
Introduction:At the request of Michael Parrish, VA Chief Acquisition Officer & Principal Executive Director, Office of Acquisition, Logistics & Construction SDV-MPG members provided VA a list of specific issues with the MSPV program as seen by the service-disabled veteran-owned small business community.
WHAT SHOULD VA DO TO FIX MSPV DISTRIBUTION
Establish that BPA holders (suppliers) are PRIME contractors to VA.
Prohibit distributors from being suppliers.
Not allow prime vendors to charge fees to suppliers.
Establish a formal policy for determining “fair and reasonable prices, which includes a “price preference” for SDVOSBs of 10% like the HUB Zone program.
Establish policy to require VA medical facilities to provide “core list” of products to prime vendors in 15 days of contract award. Put mechanism in place to track compliance.
Introduction:This paper was developed by the SDV-MPG as a “read ahead” for a meeting with Michael Parrish, VA Chief Acquisition Officer & Principal Executive Director, Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction. As a recent political appointee we wanted to provide him with a concise history of VA’s efforts and results of the Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor program.
VA’s MEDICAL/SURGICAL PRIME VENDOR PROGRAM
Service-Disabled Veteran Medical Products Group
February 2022
BACKGROUND: For approximately the past 7 years, VA has attempted to develop and manage an effective and efficient Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor (MSPV) program independent of its Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program. The goal being to provide clinically vetted commercial products to VA medical facilities to achieve pricing
