Thousands of Smartphones Purchased by VA Went Unused

A key line from the article

"Veterans Health Administration officials, who were part of the Connected Care program, made a good faith effort to help veterans get smartphones."

We are always screaming about helping our homeless brothers and sisters. It looks like this was an attempt to do so.

PO2 Russell "Russ" Lincoln SrA John Monette It appears the waste was in the "Prepaid Data Plans" for phones that remained "in storage".

..."The inspector general recommended improvements in the storage of smartphones and tablets.

It called for the VA to “establish a realistic goal for days in storage along with a process for closely monitoring days in storage for each data plan provider and taking corrective actions when the goal is not being met.” It also called for a cost-benefit analysis, in coordination with contractors, to create a process that starts the data plan charges only after the device has been issued to a veteran.

In the case of the iPads, Connected Care officials purchased 80,930 with prepaid data plans for around $63 million. But these iPads remained in storage on average for 17 days, the inspector general found, which ended up costing the VA more than $571,000 in wasted data plans.

“Officials could reduce wasted data plan costs by establishing a realistic goal for days in storage, closely monitoring days in storage for devices with each type of data plan, and then taking corrective actions when necessary,” the report said."...

"The VA said the Connected Care program was also transferring excess loaner iPhones to the Veterans Health Administration Homeless Program Office, so that coordinators could provide an iPhone to any veteran lacking stable housing and needing a device."
So they aren't being wasted. How about that!!!