Greg Giddens, co-founder and partner at Potomac Ridge Consulting, joins Off the Shelf for a discussion of the key procurement trends at the Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA).  Giddens discusses the VA’s IT and supply chain modernization efforts, including the agency's embrace of best value methodologies, including use of statement of objectives and performance-based contracting. He also highlights the progress the VA has made in the Med/Surg Prime Vendor program. A former senior executive at the VA, Giddens shares his thoughts on the unique challenges facing the VA logistics and procurement systems, including the use of credit cards for open market purchases. Turning to government-wide topics, Giddens provides his insights on the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), providing recommendations on what contractors need to pay attention to when working through performance evaluations.