The SBA Veteran Small Business Certification program started to receive applications on January 9th at the following address: veterans.certify.sba.gov
Certification with SBA allows service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) to compete for federal sole-source and set-aside contracts across the federal government. Certified veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) have additional opportunities to pursue sole-source and set-aside contracts at the Veterans Administration (VA) under the VA’s Vets First program.
SBA’s new Veteran Small Business Certification program implements changes from the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA 2021) which transferred the certification function from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to SBA as of January 1, 2023. The transfer provides veterans with a central support point for their small business certification needs.
The final rule, which provides program and governance guidance, was published in the Federal Register on November 29, 2022.
Benefits of SBA certification
o Certification allows SDVOSB firms the opportunity to compete for sole-source and set-aside contracts across the federal government. Certified VOSBs may also compete for sole-source and set-aside contracts from the VA.
o Self-certified firms seeking these restricted-competition opportunities must apply to SBA for certification by December 31, 2023.
Eligibility requirements
To apply for certification with SBA as a VOSB or SDVOSB, a firm must meet the following requirements:
o Be considered a small business, as defined by the size standard corresponding to any NAICS code listed in the business’s SAM profile.
o Have no less than 51% of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans.
o For certification as a SDVOSB, have no less than 51% of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans rated as service-disabled by the VA.
o 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.
For a full list of eligibility requirements, see the final rule published in the Federal Register.
Certification transfer from the VA and one-year extension
o Firms verified by the VA Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) as of January 1, 2023, are automatically granted certification by SBA for the remainder of the firm’s eligibility period.
o SBA intends to grant a one-time, one-year extension of certification to current VOSBs and SDVOSBs verified by the VA as of the transfer date on January 1, 2023. This additional year will be added to the existing eligibility period of a current participant.
o New applicants certified by SBA after January 1, 2023, will receive the standard three-year certification period.
Grace period for self-certified firms
o The NDAA 2021 grants a one-year grace period for self-certified SDVOSBs until January 1, 2024. During the grace period, self-certified businesses have one year to file an application for SDVOSB certification and may continue to rely on their self-certification to compete for non-VA SDVOSB set-aside contracts.
o Self-certified SDVOSBs that apply before January 1, 2024, will maintain their eligibility through the expiration of the grace period until SBA issues a final eligibility decision.
o VOSBs and SDVOSBs seeking sole-source and set-aside opportunities with the VA must be certified – there is no grace period.
How to apply for certification
To establish an SBA account and apply for certification, visit the Veteran Small Business Certification portal.
Through the application portal, you will be able to:
o Access checklists and pre-application guides
o Check your firm’s eligibility
o Request information
o Create an account, login and proceed with an application
o Search for a certified VOSB or SDVOSB
To help prepare for your application and gather the correct documents, use this SBA Veteran Small Business Certification fact sheet.
For more details about the transfer and SBA’s Veteran Small Business Certification, see our Frequently Asked Questions.
For questions about the transfer and SBA’s Veteran Small Business Certification, please email vetcert@sba.gov or call the dedicated toll-free call center at 800-862-8088.
