Rep. Tom Barrett Questions VA's HR Staffing and Technology Strategy

HR Staffing at VA's OIT

• 🎯 Rep. Tom Barrett questioned Acting Assistant Secretary Eddie Pool regarding the significant number of HR employees within the VA's Office of Information Technology (OIT).
• 💡 Previously, there were approximately 300 HR personnel in OIT under the previous administration, representing a substantial portion of the 8,200 total staff.
• ✅ The current number of HR personnel in OIT is 242, with some upcoming attrition.
• 📌 These HR functions, if aggregated, could potentially be absorbed by the department's broader HR portfolio without negatively impacting veterans' services or claims processing.

Technology Strategy: Buy vs. Build

• 🚀 The VA is adopting a "buy versus build" strategy for its technology needs to optimize operations.
• 🧩 This approach prioritizes using enterprise standard tools and platforms available from industry rather than custom-building solutions.
• 🛠️ Previously, the VA invested heavily in custom-built products, leading to a large portfolio of legacy systems that are difficult and costly to maintain.
• 📈 Purchasing off-the-market capabilities offers a more robust backbone, necessitates less maintenance, and allows for consolidated, standardized workflows across the department.
• ⚠️ This strategy also aims to increase cybersecurity and overall efficiencies in product maintenance.

Impact on Veterans' Services

• 🔍 The discussion emphasized that aggregating HR functions or adopting a "buy" strategy for technology should not result in a reduction of benefits or delayed claims for veterans.
• 💻 The goal is to ensure that OIT can still meet veterans' needs effectively while optimizing internal HR and technology capabilities.