NEWS & ALERTS

RECENT NEWS

VGS is currently recruiting Combat First Aid Instructors and Weapons Based Instructors. See details here.

RECENT NEWS

VGS awarded long term telecommunications and cable networking contract for City of Portland.

RECENT NEWS

VGS is extended on the Program Executive Office - Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO-STRI) for which it completed its 68th training exercise.

RECENT NEWS

VGS would like to wish a Happy Holidays to all Servicemen and women.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Tel: 760-901-4420
Fax: 760-439-3483
Email: info@vetgovservices.org

QUICK REFERENCE #'S
(DUNS):142195275
(CAGE):3P2C2
(TIN):90-0473246

VGS {NAICS} CODES
561110 | 561210
561320 | 541611
541618 | 541930
611699 | 611710

VETERANS BENEFITS ACT OF 2003

In an Oval Office ceremony held December 16, 2003, President Bush signed H.R. 2297, the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, a bill composed of 7 titles with 39 substantive provisions. The law authorizes $1 billion over the next ten years for new and expanded benefits for disabled veterans, surviving spouses, and children.

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced a new procurement program that will boost federal contract opportunities for service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses. Federal contract dollars to service-disabled veterans increased from $298 million in fiscal year 2002 to $510 million in FY 2003. The regulations being issued will help to ensure that Americans who served in the United States Armed Forces will continue to have fair and open access to contracting opportunities.

Service-disabled veteran means a veteran with a disability that is service -connected; the disability was incurred in the line of duty while serving in the U.S. active military, naval or air service. A service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern is a small business that is at least 51% owned by one or more service-disabled veterans. In the case of publicly owned businesses, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more service-disabled veterans and the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more service -disabled veterans or in the case of a veteran with permanent and severe disability, the spouse or permanent caregiver of such veteran.

The new rule will amend sections of the Code of Federal Regulations, adding provisions that will allow contracting officers to restrict contract awards to service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses when there is a reasonable expectation that two or more service-disabled veteran-owned, small businesses will submit bids at a fair market price. It also allows awards of sole-source contracts to service -disabled, veteran-owned small businesses when there is not a reasonable expectation that two or more service-disabled, veteran-owned firms will submit bids and the anticipated contract price does not exceed $3 million, with the exception of manufacturing contracts where the contracting threshold is $5 million.

Service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses are eligible for sole source contracts and restricted competitions. All contracts valued at $100,000 or more include a clause, which requires the prime contractor to provide the maximum practicable opportunity to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses to compete for subcontracts.

"For service-disabled veterans who own or want to start a small business, this new law requires federal agencies and departments to give special consideration during federal contracting and procurement. In 2002, disabled veteran-owned firms received only 0.13% in federal contracts, even though there is a 3% statutory goal," said Chairman Smith. The 3% contract goal for Federal agencies applies only to service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. "In addition, veterans, disabled veterans, and their dependents will now be able to use their veterans educational benefits to cover self-employment training and entrepreneurship courses," he said.

As enacted, H.R. 2297, the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003: Allows federal agencies to create "sole-source" contracts for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses - up to $5 million for manufacturing contract awards and up to $3 million for non-manufacturing contract awards.

What does this mean? There is a 3% Federal prime contract and 3% subcontracting goal for all Federal agencies to achieve that applies to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. The 3 % contract goal for Federal agencies applies only to service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.