110 STAT. 3192 PUBLIC LAW 104-262—OCT. 9, 1996 regard to any law or regulation that would otherwise require the use of competitive procedures for acquiring the resource. "(B)(i) If the health-care resource required is a commercial service or the use of medical equipment or space, and is not to be acquired from an entity described in subparagraph (A), any procurement of the resource may be conducted without regard to any law or regulation that would otherwise require the use of competitive procedures for procuring the resource, but only if the procurement is conducted in accordance with the simplified procedures prescribed pursuant to clause (ii). "(ii) The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, may prescribe simplified procedures for the procurement of health-care resources under this subparagraph. The Secretary shall publish such procedures for public comment in accordance with section 22 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 418b). Such procedures shall permit all responsible sources to submit a bid, proposal, or quotation (as appropriate) for the resources to be procured and provide for the consiaeration by the Department of bids, proposals, or quotations so submitted. "(iii) Pending publication of the procedures under clause (ii), the Secretary shall (except as provided under subparagraph (A)) procure health-care resources referred to in clause (i) in accordance with all procurement laws and regulations. "(C) Any procurement of health-care resources other than those covered by subparagraph (A) or (B) shall be conducted in accordance with all procurement laws and regulations. "(D) For any procurement to be conducted on a sole source basis other than a procurement covered by subparagraph (A), a written justification shall be prepared that includes the information and is approved at the levels prescribed in section 303(f) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 253(f)). "(E) As used in this paragraph, the term 'commercial service' means a service that is offered and sold competitively in the commercial marketplace, is performed under standard commercial terms and conditions, and is procured using firm-fixed price contracts.". (2) Subsection (b) is amended by striking out "reciprocal reimbursement" in the first sentence and all that follows through the period at the end of that sentence and inserting in lieu thereof "payment to the Department in accordance with procedures that provide appropriate flexibility to negotiate pay- ment which is in the best interest of the Government.". (3) Subsection (d) is amended by striking out "preclude such payment, in accordance with—" and all that follows through "to such facility therefor" and inserting in lieu thereof "preclude such payment to such facility for such care or services". (4) Such section is further amended— (A) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (g); and (B) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsections: "(e) The Secretary may make an arrangement that authorizes the furnishing of services by the Secretary under this section to individuals who are not veterans only if the Secretary determines—
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