Policy and Programs Division
Overview
Policy and Programs (PnP) is responsible for providing and updating VA’s real property policy, managing the Lease Certification Program (LCP) and Lease Contracting Officer (LCO) warrants, managing the CHIP-IN program, managing the appraisal program, and conducting real estate investment analysis. This division develops and updates policy and guidance for VA’s real estate activities for the Department. This section also manages VA’s Lease program, including providing guidance, conducting internal reviews, and conducting lease training.
Activities
- Develops VA’s enterprise-wide real estate policies and guidance
- Manages VA’s LCP and LCO warrants, including evaluating warrant and certification requests; ensuring appropriate training; and obtaining warrant signatures by VA’s Appointing Official.
- Manages VA’s CHIP-IN program, including providing policy and managing the initiation of new pilot projects.
- Conducts appraisals for leases and land initiatives.
- Develops sharing of space tools, such as Sharing Guidebook and legislative proposals to support needed changes to VA’s authorities.
- Manages VA’s Lease Program, including activities for Lease Head of Contracting Activities (HCA); providing guidance, including distributing GSA’s Leasing Alerts; conducting lease reviews to ensure compliance with warrant thresholds and prospectus level; and conducting lease training for identified gaps.
- Conducts real estate investment analyses, such as Hilo, HI’s and Norman, OK’s initiatives.
Core values
Laying the foundation by planting SEEDS to sustain VA’s Real Estate Mission.
The Policy and Programs Division (PnP) within the Office of Real Property drives the strategic framework for VA’s enterprise-wide real estate mission. By shaping real property policy, advancing workforce training, overseeing appraisal reviews, and ensuring compliance, PnP fortifies the infrastructure essential to delivering world-class care and services to our nation’s Veterans.
Stakeholder-Centric – We prioritize our stakeholders by fostering open communication, collaboration, and empathy – creating meaningful connections built on respect, gratitude, and support.
Excellence – We consistently communicate to exceed customer expectations, anticipate their needs, demonstrate professionalism to deliver helpful solutions and create a positive experience.
Empowerment – We foster meaningful connections and deliver the technical knowledge, training, and tools to the enterprise to enable informed decisions.
Dedicated – We are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity and perseverance.
Strategic-Agility – We courageously embrace change to overcome challenges, continuously improve, and lead by example. We harness innovation and deliver timely guidance, effective policy, and world-class expertise.
Programs
Lease Program
Manages VA’s Leasing Program, including Leasing’s Head of Contracting Activities’ (HCA) non-delegated and delegated actions; internal reviews for VA’s delegated leases; providing leasing guidance; and providing training.
Leasing Certification Program
Oversees and administers VA’s Lease Certification Program (LCP) and Lease Contracting Officer (LCO) warrant program, including managing VA’s LCO Warrant Board. Has contractor support.
Appraisal Program
Manages VA’s Appraisal Program, including providing appraisal reviews for leasing and land appraisals; providing insights to Statements of Work (SoW) for appraisals; providing training on appraisal-related initiatives; and developing appraisal and related policy.
Real Property Policy Program
VA Real Property Policy Programs manages and provides policy and guidance for VA’s real property activities, including land acquisition, land management, lease acquisition and management, per regulations, laws, General Services Administration’s (GSA) Leasing Desk Guide, and GSA’s Acquisition Regulation/Manual.
Details on ORP Policy Program
Pursuant to Section 811 of Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, Public Law 109-461, Title 38, Part 1, Chapter 3, Section 312A, Office of Construction and Facilities Management (CFM) is responsible for VA’s Lease and Land Programs, including promulgation of enterprise acquisition and procurement policy for VA’s lease and land actions. VA’s Office of Construction and Facilities Management’s (CFM) Office of Real Property (ORP) is the dedicated office within VA responsible for issuing policies and procedures for VA’s leasing and land programs enterprise-wide. VA Real Property Policy Programs within ORP develops, maintains and provides policy and guidance for VA’s real property activities, including land acquisition, land management, lease acquisition and lease management, per regulations, laws, General Services Administration’s (GSA) Leasing Desk Guide, GSA Leasing Alerts, GSA Lease Acquisition Circulars and GSA’s Acquisition Regulation/Manual.
In the event policy or other guidance issued by any other VA organization pertaining to real property lease acquisitions conflicts with policy or guidance issued by CFM ORP, CFM ORP policy/guidance shall control.
VA enterprise real property policy is categorized as the following:
- VA Supplement to General Service Administration (GSA) Leasing Desk Guide (LDG). Serves as the governing document for real property lease acquisition and procurement policy.
- VA Land Policy Desk Guide (in development). Serves as the governing document for real property land acquisition and land management policy.
- Office of Construction and Facilities Management (Real Property Policy Memoranda (OCFM RPPM), which communicate real property policy and procedural guidance as needed or until incorporated into either of the governing documents listed above.
- OCFM ORP VA-Wide Land and Leasing Policy Alerts, which communicate and clarify immediate changes to real property policy and procedures.
Please click links below to access land and leasing policies and procedures that has been issued by ORP’s Policy and Programs Division.
Special programs
Randolph-Sheppard Act
The Randolph Sheppard Act (RSA) program is designed to provide employment opportunities for blind individuals by giving them priority to operate vending facilities on federal properties.
Quarters Management program
The Quarters Management program is responsible for managing government-owned housing units for VA employees.
McKinney-Vento Management Program
The VA’s McKinney-Vento program is designed to support veterans who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. Monitors compliance, performance, collects client feedback, and evaluates external influences to ensure continuous program improvement.
CHIP-IN
The Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016, also referred to as the CHIP IN Act, authorizes VA to carry out a pilot program under which it may accept up to five donations from specified non-federal entities to leverage private sector capabilities to more effectively deliver veteran healthcare facilities.
Contact information
Please send questions about real property policies or this page to CFM ORP, Policy and Programs Division.