WASHINGTON — Effective Jan. 1, 2023, all responsibilities for the verification of Veteran-owned small businesses will transfer from the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Small Business Administration.
Verification is a critical process that allows Veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses to access Veteran-specific benefits, including certain government contracts and the purchase of surplus government property. This process establishes eligibility by confirming that VOSBs and SDVOSBS are, in fact, run by Veterans.
To facilitate the transition to SBA, VA will stop taking applications for verification or reverification of VOSBs and SDVOSBs Oct. 24, 2022. The department is reaching out to all Veterans who may be impacted by this action to inform them of VA’s Oct. 24th application deadline. Until then, Veterans can continue to apply for verification at VA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
“We value our partnership with the Small Business Administration in this effort,” said Executive Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Sharon Ridley. “VA will reach out to all impacted Veterans to ensure a transparent, seamless transition of the verification process.”
This transition is part of a government-wide effort, mandated by the William H. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act, to streamline and consolidate services offered to VOSBs and SDVOSBs under SBA.
The only VA function that is transitioning to SBA is the responsibility for verification. VA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization will continue to advocate and provide education, training and guidance to help VOSBs and SDVOSBs secure government contracts.
Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.
Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.
Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.
More from the Press Room
News Releases
The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Justice have signed a memorandum of understanding that will help some of America’s most vulnerable Veterans get the ongoing care they need.
News Releases
Technology that will help the Department of Veterans Affairs schedule community care appointments faster than ever before is now up and running at all VA facilities, and VA will be expanding its use in 2026 so Veterans can more easily choose the health care they’ve earned.
News Releases
Backlog of VA disability compensation and pension benefit claims is consistently below 100,000 for the first time since May 2020, during the first Trump Administration.
