How DSS’ Solutions Align with the VA’s FY24 Acquisition Priorities

Speeding Up the Path to Innovation

Michael D. Parrish, Chief Acquisition Officer and Executive Director for the Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), recently provided his insights on FY24 priorities in a recent GovTech Connects Fed to Fed podcast interview.

Parrish highlights how the VA is focused on people, processes, and technology when it comes to acquisition priorities with a full lifecycle approach. Much of this will be driven by a more robust budget in FY24, which will be centered on multi-year investments.

For FY24, the VA will also be the “year of infrastructure,” where upgrading many of the VA care facilities will be a key priority, along with supply chain modernization.  Parrish also discusses how the VA Pathfinder program will be a keyway for innovative industry providers to be linked with the appropriate buyers at the VA.

The overall takeaway is that Parrish wants to speed up the path to innovation – from idea to a contract coming to life in a matter of weeks or days – to best serve the needs of Veterans and advance care outcomes.

In addition, last year Parrish highlighted how the VA was focusing more on best value solutions, as opposed to Low Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA), when it comes to complex software integrations. He also wanted to place more importance on vendor past performance.

As a longstanding partner to the VA, DSS certainly recognizes Parrish’s ongoing procurement vision, and believes that full vetting of a vendor’s capability and performance should be required -- rather than assuming they can check the boxes on a minimal list of requirements.

We work closely with the VA as a solutions provider, solutions integrator, and professional services contractor. Many of our core offerings are fully aligned with the VA’s FY24 acquisition priorities.

DSS and its subsidiaries serve as catalysts for advancing innovation and mission critical information systems for the VA through:

• Supporting the Full Care Journey for Veterans: DSS provides quality and highly reliable health care solutions that help Veteran patients and care providers from the early stages of diagnosis and admission to discharge and home care. Learn more here.
• Administrative Support: DSS offers comprehensive administrative solutions to VA for efficient systems and approach, from consult tracking to medical records management to revenue cycle management and beyond. Learn more here.
• Integration Toolkits: As a leader in VistA integration and innovation, DSS establishes framework and processes relied on by VA for better interoperability. DSS offers an HL7 interface engine that allows for bi-directional data exchange. Learn more here.
• TheraDoc: This proven value-based solution is used in 59 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, including four Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISN)-wide, for more than 15 years. The solution also helps VAMCs to operate as an HRO, focused on VBC principles by providing technology that empowers clinical teams to maximize patient safety, quality of care, and operational efficiency. Learn more here.
• Supply Chain Modernization: DSS offers a fully interoperable, easy to operate, and comprehensive supply chain management solution based on proven technologies within the marketplace, ultimately enabling a “system of systems” for all functional users. Learn more here.

Click here to learn more about DSS federal health solutions.