Procurement of X-ray Film by the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration

Gao ID: HRD-78-15 November 1, 1977

Both the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) purchase substantial quantities of general purpose and special purpose X-ray film.

The VA medical facilities purchase film from the General Services Administration's Federal Supply Schedule. X-ray film is made available through 1-year contracts with the lowest bidding manufacturers. Both individual and hospital experience strongly influence the choice of X-ray film. The Defense Personnel Support Center (DPSC), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is responsible for purchasing and stocking general purpose X-ray film for DOD. Contracts are awarded for a 1-year period to the lowest bidder. Many military hospitals were not using the DPSC-stocked film for a variety of reasons, including the opinion by radiologists that the DPSC film produced lower quality X-rays in less detail than the film regularly used. DOD officials concluded that a need existed for each radiologist to have the X-ray film which best suited his individual professional expertise. In accordance with these conclusions, DPSC issued solicitations for bids on four brands of film, and DPSC will discontinue stocking X-ray film. Hospitals in the United States will take delivery of film directly from the contractor.



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