Department of Veterans Affairs seeks contractor info on blockchain use for data sharing, supply chain optimizing

The US Department of Veterans Affairs has laid out some specific areas that blockchain tech could be applied to its services. 

According to a presolicitation notice published on November 26, the VA identified several areas in which the technology could be applied to its services. A presolicitation typically means that a government agency is probing contractor interest and viability in a particular project.

"Specific task will focus on: (1) secure data sharing across institutions; (2) supply chain optimization; (3) quality management and product tracking; and (4) optimization of clinically required administrative task[s] such and provider credentialling and privileging," the notice explained.

The notice further stated:

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"Solution development must follow a human centered design methodology and include objective methods to measure the impact of use of the blockchain solution on Veteran-centered outcomes, including clinical, financial, and operational impact. Deliverables shall take the form of monthly progress reports, which shall serve as documentation to capture both progress in implementation as well as lessons learned, and a design file of the blockchain solution. The government reserves the right to determine feasibility, scalability, and value assessment of the specific solution every three months to determine whether such a product should continue to be utilized or pursued."

Responses to the presolicitation are due on January 7. 

The VA has been public about its interest in distributed technologies for several years. In 2018, the department's chief technology officer Charles Worthington said the VA would consider potential use cases that might help enhance its services, but Worthington's approach was characterized by some as a cautious one at the time. 

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