For Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

Executive Order 13360 directs that at least 3 percent of all federal agencies’ contracting dollars go to businesses owned by service-disabled veterans. The good news is that agencies are actively seeking service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) as vendors. However, in the past, agencies have not been able to meet their goals in contracting with SDVOSBs. This is due in large part to the lack of identified SDVOSBs in the marketplace. Through outreach and education, GSA‘s Office of Small Business Utilization (OSBU) stands ready to be a pathfinder for SDVOSBs as they navigate the process of doing business with the federal government.

GSA and OSBU’s role

GSA’s special commitment to the service-disabled veteran business owner is characterized by its “21-Gun Salute” strategy, which supports Executive Order 13360. Recently, GSA as an agency has had success in reaching, and even exceeding, the 3% contracting goal. Through OSBU, it helps increase the number of qualified SDVOSBs with federal contracts through advocacy, outreach, and training.

Opportunities: Service-disabled veteran-owned business owners have access to certain federal contract set-asides. (A contract set-aside refers to reserving a portion of public contracts to be awarded to a minority or small business enterprise.) They also can take several avenues to contracting with GSA and the rest of the federal government. These opportunities include:

• Multiple Award Schedules
• Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs)
• PBS Construction and Service Contracts
• More information about becoming a small business qualified to sell to the federal government can be found at Getting Started

Training: OSBU offers on-site and online training for small businesses. Offerings include how to market better, integrating sustainability, and creating partnership relationships.

Veteran-Specific Opportunities

Federal Business Opportunities are posted at www.fedbizopps.gov, the single governmentwide point-of-entry for federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000.

Vendors looking to bid on GSA contracts can find opportunities with all of GSA's offices.
Service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses can also search for set-aside contracts by searching under the "Set Aside" opportunity listings throughout FedBizOpps.

VETS (Veterans Technology Services) Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC)
The VETS GWAC solicitation notice closed on July 15, 2005. Although the contract’s prime contractors are assigned, vendors currently on those contracts may be looking for subcontractors. Those prime contractors are listed here.

Questions on the VETS GWAC may be submitted to vetsgwac@gsa.gov or by calling the Small Business GWAC Center toll free at (877) 327-8732. For further information on the VETS GWAC visit the VETS GWAC page.

The shortcut to this page is www.gsa.gov/service-disabled.