In a significant leap towards modernizing veteran care, Salesforce Inc. announced on July 24, 2026, that it has been awarded a $1.6 billion contract by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This substantial agreement, known as an Agentic Enterprise License Agreement (AELA), spans three years and aims to leverage Salesforce's Missionforce platform to enhance the delivery of care and services to America's veterans.

2. A Commitment to Service

Kendall Collins, CEO of Missionforce & Government Cloud at Salesforce, emphasized the transformative potential of the agreement, stating, "Salesforce gives VA a trusted foundation to connect its people, data, and workflows across the department." The primary objective is to reduce administrative burden and streamline operations, thereby allowing VA employees to spend more time serving veterans rather than navigating fragmented systems.

With the VA responsible for providing healthcare and essential services to over 17 million veterans and their families, the need for a more efficient and connected approach is pressing. In 2025 alone, the VA facilitated over 82 million direct-care appointments, highlighting the growing demand for services.

3. Key Innovations in the Agreement

The AELA will capitalize on existing Salesforce deployments and expand capabilities across three pivotal areas critical to enhancing veteran care:

AI-Powered Support and Care Coordination

The contract will introduce Agentforce Public Sector and Agentforce Health, enabling the VA to offer 24/7 virtual support for patient triage and care coordination. Utilizing trusted AI agents within existing workflows, the VA aims to improve real-time knowledge access during live interactions and automate benefits verification, ultimately allowing staff to focus on direct veteran support.

Enhanced Team Connectivity

Salesforce's Slack platform, already in use at over 150 VA facilities, will serve as the central hub for collaboration among VA teams. This integration aims to streamline communication and coordination, particularly in the scheduling of veteran appointments. By enhancing the Unified Patient Scheduling initiative, the goal is to reduce the average appointment scheduling time from 28 days to mere minutes.

Unified Data for Informed Decision-Making

Salesforce will also deploy MuleSoft and Data 360 to create a unified data layer that integrates VA's legacy systems. This seamless connection will provide VA staff and AI agents with a comprehensive, real-time view of each veteran, facilitating faster and more personalized care. Additionally, Tableau analytics will transform this data into actionable insights for leadership, improving decision-making processes.

4. Building on a Proven Partnership

This new contract builds on a decade-long relationship between Salesforce and the VA, leveraging a solid foundation of already-deployed solutions:

Veteran Crisis Line: Modernized last year, this line enables Suicide Prevention Coordinators to respond effectively to emergencies, having supported over 10 critical incidents to date.

VHA Agentic Operating System: Deployed across numerous VA facilities, Slack has saved thousands of staff hours, enhancing frontline care.

VA Health Connect: This 24/7 clinical contact center, powered by Salesforce, has managed over 40.6 million veteran calls, showcasing its effectiveness in patient triage and care.

SQUARES: This system provides authorized users access to veteran eligibility information, assisting community organizations in connecting at-risk veterans with necessary support services.

5. Conclusion

The $1.6 billion contract awarded to Salesforce by the VA marks a transformative step in enhancing the care and services provided to veterans. As the demand for veteran services continues to grow, the integration of advanced technology and a unified approach through Salesforce's Missionforce platform will play a crucial role in ensuring that care delivery is timely, efficient, and deeply connected to the needs of America's heroes. The partnership exemplifies how technology can serve the mission of those who have served the nation.

Original press release