Open Recommendations

The Office of Agency Services review and update the Continuity of Operations Plan, including appendices, and file it in a centralized location that is accessible to applicable Farm Credit Administration personnel.

The Office of Agency Services and Office of Information Technology develop a cohesive testing, training, and exercise plan that incorporates the Emergency Operations Center and includes a revised activation checklist for the Emergency Operations Center.

We recommend that the NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and the Assistant
Administrator for Satellite and Information Services consider monitoring and reporting the progress of the GOES-17 test to the joint agency program management council.

We recommend that the NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and the Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services consider elevating the risk of a continuity gap in geostationary satellite data to the NESDIS Enterprise Risk Board.

We recommend that the NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and NESDIS consider developing off-ramps and contingency plans for the GeoXO program to reduce risk.

We recommend that the NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and NESDIS consider distinguishing between mitigation and contingency plans in the risk management database for the GeoXO program.

We recommend that the NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and NESDIS consider adding specific fields for triggers in the risk management database for the GeoXO program.

We recommend that the NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and the Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services consider evaluating alternatives to the current life extension option to manage the risk of a continuity gap in geostationary satellite data.

Review and update VHA Directive 1660.07, “Medical Sharing/Affiliate National Program Office,” to delegate all required program office responsibilities for the community-based outpatient clinic contracts throughout the program’s life cycle to an appropriate headquarters-level office or collaboration of offices, as defined in VHA Directive 1217, “VHA Operating Units” and VA’s Acquisition Lifecycle Framework.

Develop and implement procedures for a headquarters-level office to monitor overall compliance with contract requirements and use the results to reassess program policies or contract requirements.

Develop a formal feedback process, such as a program life cycle review process, for contracting officers and contracting officer representatives, medical facilities, and contractors who work on community-based outpatient clinic contracts to provide lessons learned, issues encountered, and other feedback about establishing new clinics and the performance at the clinics.

Conduct an assessment of contractor compliance with all active community-based outpatient clinic contracts, then evaluate whether the community-based outpatient clinic contract performance metrics are measurable, reasonable, and attainable.

Coordinate with the Office of General Counsel to determine whether creating a separate contract line item from the operational costs for contracted community-based outpatient clinics to pay start-up costs, including construction costs, would assist in the administration of these contracts and increase competition among contractors; then update the community-based outpatient clinic performance work statement template to reflect any change made as a result of this consideration.

Assess how medical centers create and maintain the billable roster for community-based outpatient clinic contracts; based on the results, develop and implement efficient, accurate, and consistent procedures for developing and maintaining the billable rosters.

Coordinate with the VA medical centers that have VA-contracted community-based outpatient clinics to conduct a risk assessment to evaluate the responsibilities, time requirements, and qualifications of community-based outpatient clinic contracting officer representatives; then publish clear guidance or recommendations for facilities to make sure they have appropriately experienced, trained, and certified staff to oversee the performance of community-based outpatient clinic contracts.

Assess the certification levels of the CORs assigned to all CBOC contracts and make recommendations to the medical centers for assigning appropriately experienced CORs or to provide any additional training or assistance to existing CORs, if necessary.

Develop and implement procedures to require VA medical centers and contracting offices to verify that the Office of Information Technology can meet start-up requirements for new community-based outpatient clinic locations as part of the contract review process.

Review and evaluate how contracting offices rated community-based outpatient clinic contractors in the Contractor Performance Appraisal Reporting System, and if necessary, develop and disseminate additional guidance or training to contracting offices to help them appropriately rate community-based outpatient clinic contractors in accordance with the performance metrics and the broad categories in the Contractor Performance Appraisal Reporting System.

Determine whether positive and negative performance incentives should be used for community-based outpatient clinic contracts to motivate the contractors to provide high-quality health care, in accordance with FAR 37.6, FAR 16.202, and FAR 16.402-2.

a. If performance incentives are appropriate for community-based outpatient clinic contracts, ensure the Medical Sharing/Affiliate Office coordinates with the Office of General Counsel to develop and implement measurable, reasonable, and defensible positive and negative performance incentives.

b. If performance incentives are not appropriate for community-based outpatient clinic contracts, ensure the Medical Sharing/Affiliate Office and each network contracting office documents in the contract files the reasons why…

Develop and implement procedures to identify, evaluate, and incorporate commercial practices and contract types into the community-based outpatient clinic contract requirements templates before publishing updated versions, in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 8153 and FAR part 10; the procedures should evaluate whether the contract payment structure for community-based outpatient clinic contracts is consistent with current commercial practices.

We recommend that the PBS Commissioner develop and implement a method to track and monitor building studies and ensure that PBS can retrieve all studies efficiently.

We recommend that the PBS Commissioner develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure that: PBS building study data is complete, accurate, and reliable; PBS is not wasting tax dollars on unnecessary or duplicative building studies; and building studies are preserved in accordance with the Federal Records Act of 1950 and GSA records-retention policies.

The Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center Director ensures that residents, fellows, and clinical service leaders understand and follow the requirement to document complete and pertinent information, including assessments and recommendations, in patients’ electronic health records.

The Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center Director educates providers on the requirements related to completing a clinical disclosure when an adverse event occurs, such as a delay in care.

The Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center Director ensures the episode of care related to the patient’s transfer is reviewed to determine whether an institutional disclosure is needed in accordance with Veterans Health Administration requirements, and takes action as warranted.