The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is now accepting applications for the veteran small-business certification (VetCert) program. Responsibility for the VetCert program has transferred from the Veterans Administration (VA) to the SBA in an effort to foster “stronger interagency collaboration,” the SBA said. The agency began accepting applications on Jan. 9. The program is the agency’s […]
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Responsibility for the VetCert program has transferred from the Veterans Administration (VA) to the SBA in an effort to foster “stronger interagency collaboration,” the SBA said. The agency began accepting applications on Jan. 9.
The program is the agency’s primary certification vehicle for all veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) — important classifications that enable those businesses to qualify for sole-source and set-aside federal-contracting awards.
The “improvements in the customer experience” for veteran entrepreneurs and business owners made by VetCert will “build upon” the $25 billion in government contract spending with SDVOSBs in fiscal year 2021, the SBA contended in its Jan. 10 announcement.
“The SBA’s new Veteran small-business certification program is designed with our commitment to deliver exceptional support for our skilled entrepreneurs from America’s military community,” Isabella Casillas Guzman, SBA administrator, said in a statement. “Supporting these Veteran entrepreneurs with access to government contracting will ensure they can continue their valued service to the American people, whether working in manufacturing, retail, [research & development (R&D)] or helping us build critically needed infrastructure to promote America’s long-term growth, job creation, and wealth generation.”
Larry Stubblefield, deputy associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Government Contracting & Business Development, added, “The collaboration between the SBA and the VA means that Veterans, who have dutifully served our country, will be well served on their entrepreneurial journey and Veteran business owners will have additional opportunities in the federal marketplace.”
Pursuing federal contracts
Certified VOSBs are eligible to compete for sole-source and set-aside contracts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, while certified SDVOSBs can compete for sole-source and set-aside contracts government-wide.
As the SBA moves forward to ensure more veteran entrepreneurs have access to economic opportunities, Administrator Guzman has granted a one-time, one-year extension to the current veteran small businesses verified by the Veterans Administration Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) as of Jan. 1, 2023, the SBA said.
The SBA says it is implementing several improvements to “streamline the certification experience” for veteran entrepreneurs. These include providing veterans with a central support platform for their small-business certification needs. In addition, the agency is also providing reciprocal certification for businesses with remaining eligibility in the women-owned small business (WOSB) and 8(a) programs.
The SBA contends that the improvements also include creating a “more business-friendly” approach by streamlining the application process and aligning ownership and control requirements across the VetCert, 8(a), and WOSB programs.
VetCert background
To be eligible to apply for the veteran small-business certification program, an applicant must be considered a small business, as defined by the size standard corresponding to any NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code listed in the business’s SAM (system for award management) profile. It also must have no less than 51 percent of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans.
For certification as an SDVOSB, the entity must have no less than 51 percent of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans rated as service-disabled by the VA.
In addition, for those veterans who are “permanently and totally” disabled and unable to manage the daily business operations of their business, their business may still qualify if their spouse or appointed, permanent caregiver is assisting in that management. Eligible new applicants certified by the SBA after Jan. 1, 2023, will receive the standard three-year certification period, the SBA said.
The agency also noted that beginning Jan. 1, 2024, both veteran and service-disabled veteran small-business owners will need to be certified to compete for federal contracting set-asides unless an application from a self-certified firm is pending an SBA decision.