The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that increases oversight and management of Department of Veterans Affairs projects costing more than $100 million.
The bill would put management of these projects into the hands of the Army Corps of Engineers or other federal agencies. It would also require that the V.A. provide Congress with progress reports.
The legislation would also place financial restrictions on V.A. projects, with a 60-day notice requirement for planning and design funding. The House’s action came after concerns over mismanagement and cost overruns on a new V.A. hospital project in Aurora, Colo. That project is now expected to cost $1.7 billion — three times the original contract price — and is scheduled to open four years behind schedule in 2018.
Investigators say the project’s problems stem from design changes, and the V.A.'s decision to use a complicated contract process. The bill also authorizes expansion of a Tampa, Fla., V.A. hospital, and provides $561.4 million for five other projects.
The bill will go to the Senate for a vote.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Jan 15, 2016
Mount Sinai Health System signs first healthcare IPD IFOA contract in New York City
Francis Cauffman, Syska Hennessy, Turner Construction are the primary parties in agreement.
| Jan 14, 2016
How to succeed with EIFS: exterior insulation and finish systems
This AIA CES Discovery course discusses the six elements of an EIFS wall assembly; common EIFS failures and how to prevent them; and EIFS and sustainability.
Great Solutions | Jan 6, 2016
Shepley Bulfinch develops elegant design solution to address behavioral issues in emergency departments
ED scheme allows staff to isolate unruly patients and visitors in a secure area.
Great Solutions | Jan 4, 2016
Toronto’s newest hospital employs 10 robots for moving food, supplies, and equipment
The 1.8 million-sf Humber River Hospital is loaded with high-tech gadgets. Its coolest innovation is the use of automated guided vehicles.
Urban Planning | Jan 4, 2016
The next boomtown? Construction and redevelopment sizzle in San Diego
The city's emission-reduction plan could drive influx into downtown
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 29, 2015
Wood materials aid in patient recovery in healthcare environments
Report says patient recovery times, pain perception, stress levels improve where natural materials are present.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2015
What the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 means for healthcare real estate development
CBRE Healthcare's Charles Maggio breaks down the impacts of the new legislation, which affects outpatient facilities.
Greenbuild Report | Dec 10, 2015
Sustainable performance: Hospital systems’ new financial and marketing imperative
Several years ago, the healthcare industry would have ranked in the bottom tier among adopters of sustainable design and construction. Now, it is outpacing other nonresidential sectors in moving toward high-performance, healthy environments.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 2, 2015
Check out Perkins+Will’s ultra-transparent research center for the Allen Institute for Brain Science
The design orients labs like flower petals around a large light-filled central atrium; the effect is like the inside of a bee hive where researchers can see each other and what they are doing.
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 6, 2015
Paint company unveils product that can kill bacteria in hospitals
The new product from Sherwin-Williams, called Paint Shield, is said to not only kill over 99.9% of dangerous bacteria, but also reduces growth of “common microbes.”