Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73not60

§8171 Definitions

Title 38 › Part VI— ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY › Chapter 81— ACQUISITION AND OPERATION OF HOSPITAL AND DOMICILIARY FACILITIES; PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY; ENHANCED-USE LEASES OF REAL PROPERTY › Subchapter VI— INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES › § 8171

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in this part about VA information technology work. The “appropriate congressional committees” are the Veterans’ Affairs and Appropriations Committees in both the Senate and the House. “Information technology” is defined by 40 U.S.C. 11101. An “information technology project” is any VA project or program to buy or put in place IT; when the Secretary reports to OMB it can be a single project or a group of projects that deliver a specific IT result. “Life cycle costs” are all direct and indirect costs to buy, set up, run, and maintain IT. A “major information technology project” is one so labeled under 40 U.S.C. 11302 by the Secretary, the VA Chief Information Officer, or the OMB Director, or one the Secretary estimates will cost more than $1,000,000,000 (as adjusted under 41 U.S.C. 1908) over its life cycle or more than $200,000,000 (as adjusted) per year. A “business owner” is the VA program or project manager or other supervisor in charge of the project.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §8171

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this subchapter:

(1)The term “appropriate congressional committees” means—

(A)the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(B)the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

(2)The term “information technology” has the meaning given that term in section 11101 of title 40.

(3)(A)The term “information technology project” means a project or program of the Department (including a project or program of any element of the Department) for, or including, the acquisition or implementation of information technology.

(B)In cases where the Secretary transmits to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget information regarding information technology investments, which may consist of individual or multiple projects, the term “information technology project” refers to an individual project or program or a grouping of multiple projects or programs resulting in the acquisition or implementation of discrete information technology.

(4)The term “life cycle costs” means all direct and indirect costs to acquire, implement, operate, and maintain information technology, including with respect to costs of any element of the Department.

(5)The term “major information technology project” means an information technology project if—

(A)the project is designated by the Secretary, the Chief Information Officer of the Department, or the Director of the Office of Management and Budget as a major information technology investment, as defined in section 11302 of title 40; or

(B)the dollar value of the project is estimated by the Secretary to exceed—

(i)$1,000,000,000 (as adjusted for inflation pursuant to section 1908 of title 41) for the total life cycle costs of the project; or

(ii)$200,000,000 (as adjusted for inflation pursuant to section 1908 of title 41) annually.

(6)The term “business owner” means, with respect to an information technology project, the program manager, project manager, or other supervisory official of the Department responsible for the project.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 8171

Title 38 — Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60