Thursday, April 17, 2014

HVAC to Examine Overruns


HVAC to Examine Long Construction Delays and Huge Cost Overruns at Aurora Veterans Affairs Medical Center

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.— On Tuesday, April 22, 2014, U.S. Representative Mike Coffman, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations, will chair an oversight field hearing titled, "Construction Conundrums: A Review of Continued Delays and Cost Overruns at the Replacement Aurora, Colorado VAMC."  The hearing, which will also be attended by House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Rep. Jeff Miller, will begin at 9:00 AM Mountain time at the Old Supreme Court Chambers, State Capitol Building, Room 200, 200 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80203.

The purpose of this hearing is to address continued problems with the construction of the replacement Aurora, Colo., VA Medical Center that have resulted in more than a year of delays and cost overruns of more than $470 million, according to the Government Accountability Office.  The hearing will also address how VA's handling of the project has resulted in several lawsuits due to its failure to pay contractors. 

VA's construction mismanagement problems are not limited to the Aurora VAMC. GAO has documented how construction projects in Aurora and other locations, including Las Vegas, New Orleans and Orlando, Fla., have been plagued by years long delays and cost overruns totaling nearly $1.5 billion. Despite these failures, VA has awarded more than $54,000 in bonuses to its construction chief Glenn Haggstrom. At a May 7, 2013, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing, Haggstrom could not explain what he did to earn the bonuses.

Coffman in November 2013 introduced bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3593, the VA Construction Assistance Act of 2013, which aims to help improve the speed and efficiency of major VA construction projects.  The bill would require a project manager from the Army Corps of Engineers – one of the few government entities with a successful construction track record – to oversee certainmajor VA construction projects. 

The following event is open to the press:

WHO:       Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations

WHAT:    Field Hearing:  "Construction Conundrums:  A Review of Continued Delays and Cost Overruns at the Replacement Aurora, Colorado VAMC"

WHEN:    9:00 AM Mountain Time, Tuesday, April 22

WHERE: Old Supreme Court Chambers, State Capitol Building, Room 200, 200 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80203

 

Witness list

 

Panel 1

Ms. Lorelei St. James

Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues

U.S. Government Accountability Office

 

Mr. Kirk Rosa

State Commander

Department of Colorado
Veterans of Foreign Wars

 

Mr. Ralph Bozella

Chairman, Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission

The American Legion

 

Mr. Dave Davia

Executive Vice President & CEO

Colorado Association of Mechanical and Plumbing Contractors

 

Michael Gifford, MPA, IOM

President

Associated General Contractors of Colorado

 

Panel 2

Ms. Stella S. Fiotes

Executive Director

Office of Construction and Facilities Management

Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction

Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Accompanied by:

Mr. Richard L. Bond

Associate Executive Director, Office of Operations

Office of Construction and Facilities Management

Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction

Department of Veterans Affairs

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For more news from the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, please visit:

 

Veterans.House.Gov 

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 Sean Eagan


 Life Member VFW NY Post 53
 American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
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