How to Buy a Vision Pt. 2

In part 1, I wrote of President Barack Obama’s appointment of General Eric Shinseki as Secretary of Veterans Affairs in 2009.  General Shinseki’s vision allowed the current RTLS initiative to come to the forefront.  

I indicated that federal regulations could hinder the VHA’s approach.  Specifically, I stated that guidance may be taken as mandates to ensure that the solicitation is written in accordance with the law. 

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Before I re-familiarized myself with acquisition law, I examined documents as far back as the mid-80s. The reports reflected investigative findings from Quality Programs and Supply Distribution and Processing inspections by the General Accounting Office and the Veterans Inspector General’s Office. 

For example on June 27, 1985, the General Accounting Office published GAO/HRD 85-57,  VA Has Not Fully Implemented Its Health Care Quality Assurance Systems.  Senators Frank Murkowski, Alan Cranston, and Alan Simpson set the investigations into motion.  These 3 Senators were mentioned by name or signed the letters requesting the investigations.   The mission was quite clear.  Senator Simpson wrote December 21, 1983:

    I am writing as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs to request that the General Accounting Office review the Office of Medical Inspector and Evaluation which was established July 30, 1981, by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to monitor and report on the quality of care within the Department of Medicine and Surgery - Appendix I

The GAO’s mission was further described as to determine if facilities had implemented quality programs that included five mandated quality assurance functions.  The GAO team visited 13 facilities that represented a “cross-section” of the VA Medical Facilities. - Page i

The inspectors from the GAO wrote of very methodical approaches in all instances.  The inspectors went as far as looking into budgets, those who had external oversight of the quality programs, explanations of how the program should work and who had organizational responsibility.  The findings were clear and often very detailed.  

There were not many outright recommendations in this reports.  The inspectors’ comments are woven into each chapter.
  
One thing I find particularly interesting, the detail of the 2nd request coming from the Senate Committee.  The 1st request, December 21, 1983, shows a very general request.  The 2nd request, September 6, 1984, contained very detailed areas in which the GAO was requested to review - 22 bullets, some with multiple questions.  Either the Senators understood or a staffer understood what should have been happening.  It was probably both.  More can be found in The Veterans Administration RTLS, Recommendations for Success 

How to Buy a Vision - Pt. 1

President Barack Obama appointed retired General Eric Shinseki as Secretary of Veterans Affairs in 2009.  The President charged this visionary with transforming the Veteran's Administration.   The Veterans Health Administration, VHA, is a major sector of that transformation.

General Shinseki has expressed his vision and ideals for that transformation.  In turn, this allowed the current RTLS initiative to come to the forefront.  

As he applies Be Know Do leadership principles to the environment, federal regulations outside his area to control present a problem for the end-result.  

First though, a comment about transformation: 
From Covering Your Assets by Exposing the Butt-Ugly Truth,  "The implementation of EAM and RTLS within one year didn’t mean just a quantum leap for us. It meant we successfully folded space to take a 30-year step from the 1980s into the 21st century, a relatively easy step at that."  
The book was specifically written for those managing a project like the VHA's RTLS project, transcendent, transforming, and very high risk.  The back cover clearly states this point.


About those federal regulations: one example is federal acquisition law.  I have noticed a significant governmental effort to address visibility, access, and to shift toward a problem-solving approach in these areas.  The VHA and the General Accounting Office have been responsive and professional in handling my inquiries. 

There are mandates and there is guidance in acquisition law.  Parts of the regulations have great guidance on the acquisition strategy and the structure of the request for proposal.  Other parts seem to have limiting mandates.  I believe the problem is such an emphasis on adherence to the regulations leads to guidance being treated like mandates - as to not cause any conflicts.  Writing an effective acquisition plan becomes a problem when buying a vision of the future.  Fair trade, fair play, and avoiding even the appearance of impropriety are very important.  But, being able to craft specific and creative approaches can't be lost in the process.  

How to Buy a Vision, Part 2.