VA Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) Verification Guidelines
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to amend its regulations governing the VA Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) Verification Program. VA seeks to find an appropriate balance between preventing fraud in the Veterans First Contracting Program and providing a process that would make it easier for more VOSBs to become verified. The Verification Program has been the subject of reports from both the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and VA’s Office of Inspector General stating that despite VA’s Verification Program, fraud still exists in the Veterans First Contracting Program. Some stakeholder feedback has been that the current regulations at 38 CFR part 74 are too open to interpretation and are unnecessarily more rigorous than similar certification programs run by the Small Business Administration (SBA). This proposed rule would clarify the eligibility requirements for businesses to obtain “verified” status, add and revise definitions, reorder requirements, redefine the definition of “control”, and explain examination procedure and review processes. This proposed rule would additionally implement new changes—references to community property restrictions, “unconditional” ownership, day-to-day requirements, and full-time requirements would be removed or revised and limited in scope; an exception for majority, supermajority, unanimous, or other voting provisions for extraordinary business decisions would be added.
