President Issues Executive Order for Disabled Veteran Businesses

President Bush recently issued an Executive Order that strengthens opportunities for service-disabled veteran business in Federal contracting.

Some of the highlights are as follows:

Heads of agencies shall provide opportunities for service-disabled veteran businesses to increase Federal contracting and subcontracting by more effectively implementing section 15(g) of the Small Business Act (15 USC 644(g)), which provides that the President must establish a goal of not less than 3 percent for participation by service-disabled veteran businesses in Federal contracting and section 36 of that Act (15 USC 657f) which gives agency contracting officers the authority to reserve certain procurements for service-disabled veteran businesses.

Agency heads shall develop strategies to implement the above-mentioned policies, make the agency's strategy publicly available and designate a senior-level official to develop and implement that strategy.

Included in the agency's strategy, plans for reserving contracts exclusively for service-disabled veteran businesses, encourage and facilitate participation in competition for contracts, encourage contractors to subcontract with service-disabled veteran businesses and train on applicable law and policies relating to participation.

Additional duties of the Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs shall be to direct the Transitional Assistance and Disabled Transition Assistance Programs to educate separating service members about the benefits and potential entrepreneurial opportunities available to service-disabled veteran business.

For further information and complete Executive Order, see the link to the right.

 

Service Disabled Veterans Executive Order Text