Veterans’ Affairs Schedule Contract Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Program provides Federal, and in some cases state and local, government customers with access to commercial healthcare staffing services. To that end, the VA awards long-term, government-wide contracts to vetted private contractors to support and streamline the acquisition of staff, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and other supplies for federal agencies. 

By pre-negotiating terms and conditions, including pricing, the VA helps facilitate and simplify the government procurement process, which in turn reduces the purchase cycle times for eligible customers..

The VA is given delegated authority by the federal General Services Administration (GSA) to manage the award contracts under the VA FSS Program.

An FSS contract is an Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract that is available for use by all federal agencies—and in some cases, state and local agencies—to procure commercial products and services. In awarding FSS contracts, the VA pre-vets contractors to ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements and pre-negotiates pricing to achieve best value.

The GSA Schedules program consists of a single consolidated Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and nine medically-focused Schedule contracts that are managed by the VA. In practice, these two contracts are highly similar. The VA operates and manages its Schedules under a Delegation of Authority from the GSA.

The VA FSS Program manages nine award schedule programs:

65 I B: Drugs, Pharmaceuticals, & Hematology Related Products

65 II A: Medical Equipment & Supplies

65 II F: Patient Mobility Devices

65 II C: Dental Equipment & Supplies

65 VII: Invitro Diagnostics, Reagents, Test Kits, & Test Sets

65 V A: X-Ray Equipment & Supplies

66 III: Cost-Per-Test, Clinical Laboratory Analyzer

621 I: Professional & Allied Healthcare Staffing Services

621 II: Medical Laboratory Testing & Analysis Services

Cumulatively, the Schedules program accounts for more than $45 billion in annual spending by eligible customers for needed commercial solutions.

The VA FSS Service Schedule 621 I for Professional & Allied Healthcare Staffing Services is awarded to companies to provide healthcare provider staffing services to federal agencies. It is one of two staffing services schedules the VA FSS program manages. According to the VA, services under this contract include:

Physicians

Audiologists

EMT Paramedics

Dental Related Services

Respiratory, Occupational, and Physical Therapists

Perfusionists

Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses

Medical/Nurse Assistants 

Cytotechnologist

Kinesiotherapists

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

Nurse Practitioners

And Much More

A Special Item Number (SIN) is a identified created to organize/group similar products and services within the Schedules. In awarding Schedule 621 I contracts, the VA ensures that contractors’ services align with the scope of the SINs awarded on the contract. This helps customers easily understand the types of services that can be acquired from specific contractors.

Wellhart was awarded eight special item numbers in its VA FSS Contract under Schedule 621 I:

Physicians – General and Family (Includes: Occupational Medicine, Urgent Care, Adolescent Medicine and Geriatric Medicine)

Physicians – Emergency Medicine (Includes: Trauma I, II, III, IV, & V)

Physicians – Internal Medicine (Includes: Cardiovascular Diseases; Gastroenterology; Pulmonary Diseases; Oncology; Nephrology; Hospitalist; Invasive Internal Medicine; Critical Care; Rheumatology; Endocrinologist; Infectious Disease; Allergist; Other)

Physicians – Pediatricians

Physicians – Psychiatrist (Includes: General; Child/Adolescent; Adult & Geriatric)

Dentists (Includes: General; Orthodontists; and Endodontists)

Physician Assistants (PAs)

Nurse Practitioners (NPs)

Government agencies seeking to work with Schedule contractors can reach out to the company’s listed contact to begin the process for acquiring equipment or services.

For government customers, the VA Schedules provide a simplified, streamlined channel for purchasing commercial products and services. 

The program has been deemed by the FAR as a competitive process and provides customers an abundance of choice from vendors that the VA has pre-vetted for compliance. In addition, by pre-negotiating terms and conditions—including pricing—the VA Schedules help reduce purchase cycle times for customers.