Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Acquisition and Logistics - Supplier Relationship Transformation - Boston, MA Regional Forum

Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Acquisition and Logistics

Supplier Relationship Transformation – Boston, MA Regional Forum

This is not a solicitation. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the United States Government.

Date: Thursday, July 19, 2012

Time: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Location:

Sheraton Boston Hotel

39 Dalton Street

Boston, MA 02199

Registration: http://www.theambitgroup.com/vasrt/boston_forum.html

Point of Contact: Meghan Maguire, mmaguire@theambitgroup.com, 703.956.1713

Forum Fees:

No participant fees for Forum
Lodging & travel costs are to be paid by Forum participants
Optional networking lunch to be paid for by participants

I. Background Information for the Event:

The Department of Veterans Affairs has been engaged in a supplier relationship transformation effort since 2009 to improve the way it works with its suppliers and ultimately enhance the service provided to veterans. VA wants to share its progress and continue to solicit information and expertise from supplier leaders involved in VA’s end-to-end acquisition and procurement process at every level of experience. To that end, healthcare service providers, management firms, medical equipment suppliers, trade associations, construction firms, and all other business types that contract with VA, are invited to attend a Supplier Relationship Transformation (SRT) Forum in Boston, MA on July 19, 2012.

This is an opportunity for suppliers to help VA transform and improve its end-to-end acquisition process. Forum participants will also benefit from an exceptional opportunity to network with and gain direct knowledge from VA acquisition leadership and industry peers.

Confirmed VA Acquisitions Executives include the following:

VA Senior Procurement Executive (SPE), Mr. Jan Frye
VHA Chief Procurement and Logistics Officer, Mr. Norbert Doyle

Invited VA Acquisitions Executives include the following:

VA Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO), Mr. Glenn Haggstrom

II. Objectives of the Event:

Provide suppliers with updated information on steps VA has taken, and what it has accomplished, through its Transformation project.
Attain feedback from suppliers and commodity groups on VA acquisition processes. Facilitators will focus time and attention in the breakout sessions on specific changes that VA has implemented, and/or on specific points of conflict as a way to solicit participant reactions and advice.
Solicit input from participants about the changes they have observed, including what has improved or worsened, and discuss what areas still need to be addressed through the transformation project.

III. Agenda:

8:00 am	Registration Informal Networking
8:30 am	Introduction Welcome
8:45 am	SRT Update Presentation by VA, followed by Q&A session Overview of changes: Goals achieved and actions to date Signs of progress Key challenges ahead
9:15 am	Participant Survey Facilitators will conduct a brief survey to assess participant demographics and perceptions
9:30 am	Facilitated Breakout Session
11:00 am	VA Café Participants will have the opportunity to participate in small-group discussions to explore critical issues in more depth with VA representatives.
12:00 pm	Optional Networking Lunch for Participants – fees apply Opportunity for participants to network with their colleagues over a lunch
1:30 pm	General Session Reconvenes Facilitators report out on Breakout Group topics
2:15 pm	Ask the VA Facilitated question and answer session with panel of VA leaders
3:30 pm	BREAK
3:45 pm	Survey Results Report Out to Participants
4:00 pm	Winding Down Next steps Evaluation: Plus-Delta Final thoughts Adjourn
4:30 pm	Adjourn