The Vets First Verification Program helps Veteran Businesses and Serviced Disable Veteran Businesses apply for set asides for the VA. These opportunities to sell to the VA are only available to certified businesses.
Small businesses that are Veteran-Owned should consider applying for certification for their business, whether it is their Veteran Owned Small Business Certification (VOSB) or their Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Certification (SDVOSB).
You may be asking, what qualifies your business for either certification? Here are the current qualifications, as defined by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
VOSB Certification
- Served on active duty with the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard for any length of time and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge DD214)
- Served as a Reservist or member of the National Guard and were called to Federal Active Duty or disabled from a disease or injury that started or got worse in the line of duty or while in training status
- Must be a small business as defined by the NAICS code that your business falls under
- Veteran owner(s) must unconditionally own 51% or more of the business
- One or more Veterans must hold the highest officer position in the company
- Veteran owner must live within a reasonable distance of the business to ensure commute to/from office is possible
SDVOSB Certification
- Must have a service-connected disability as determined by the VA or DoD at a rating of 0-100%
- Must be a small business as defined by the NAICS code that your business falls under
- One or more Service-Disabled Veterans must make long term and daily decisions in the business
- One or more Service-Disabled Veterans must hold the highest position in the company
- Service-Disabled owner must live within a reasonable distance of the business to ensure commute to/from the office is possible
If your business meets these requirements, you should consider applying for your certification. By registering your business, you may be eligible for set-aside Federal Contracts and other significant opportunities reserved for VOSB’s or SDVOSB’s through the VA.
Please note that all businesses who apply for these certifications will be required to provide a DUNS number and be registered in the SAM.gov system (among other requirements; you can view the entire list of required documents on the VA Website). CTSBDC Business Advisors are available to help you prepare for this process. CTSBDC Business Advisors are available to help you get started in this process, and then refer you to a Certified Specialist who can help you complete the appropriate certification for your status.
Contact an advisor today to request assistance to help you start down the road of obtaining your Veteran Business certification.