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WASHINGTON, D.C. - An office created by the U.S. Small Business Administration will help service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses navigate the federal contracting marketplace and gain better access to federal contracting opportunities.
"We are eager to accept the challenge that President Bush has issued to us to help ensure that service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses receive their fair share of contracting opportunities," said SBA Administrator Hector Barreto. "Their contributions to our country and their courage are admirable and the SBA is ready to help these small businesses gain access to contracting opportunities in the federal marketplace and grow their businesses."
The office of Federal Contract Assistance for Veteran Business Owners, established in accordance with a Presidential Executive Order, will provide service-disabled veteran business owners with a single point of contact to address their questions and concerns and receive claririfation on procurement opportunities designated for them.
It will also:
- Offer guidance on sole-source and set-aside procurement opportunities, and protest and appeal procedures;
- Help federal agencies meet their three-percent prime and subcontracting goals; and
- Provide guidance to federal contracting officers on the criteria used to verify service-disabled-veteran status, and determine business ownership and control requirements.
The new office will be headed by Teresa Lewis, a 20-year verteran of the Air Force with more than 14 years of government contracting experience.
The Executive Order:
- Directs heads of agencies to develop a strategic plan to provide more contracting and subcontracting opportunities to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses;
- Establishes a goal of not less than 3 percent for percent by service-disabled veteran-owned businesses in federal contracting and gives agency contracting officers the authority to reserve certain procurements for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses; and
- Requires the administrator of the SBA to designate an appropriate entity within the SBA to work with the Veteran Affairs' Center for Veterans Enterprise to provide information and assistance in federal contracting ot service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.
To view the Executive Order in its entirety, visit www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/10/print/20041021-5.htm.