As part of the Biden administration’s plans to expand veteran resources, veterans can now apply for certification through the Small Business Administration.
01/16/2023 3:30 P.M.
1.5 minute erad
The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced last week it is now accepting applications for the Veteran Small Business Certification program.
Through this new program, certified veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses can compete for set-aside government contracts. The program will serve as the SBA’s main certification method for all veteran- and service-disabled-owned small businesses, two crucial classifications that make it possible for those companies to be considered for sole-source and set-aside government contracting contracts.
“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,” said Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “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, R&D, or helping us build critically needed infrastructure to promote America’s long-term growth, job creation, and wealth generation.”
The Veterans Administration (VA) has transferred its veteran certification responsibilities to the SBA in line with the Biden administration’s goal of fostering closer interagency collaboration.
As the SBA moves forward to ensure more veteran entrepreneurs have access to economic opportunities, 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 is also implementing several improvements to streamline the certification experience, including:
- Providing veterans with a central support platform for their small business certification needs.
- Providing reciprocal certification for businesses with remaining eligibility in the women-owned small business (WOSB) and 8(a) programs.
- 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.
Read more about the Veteran Small Business Certification program.
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