DODSCRC Training and Advocacy Meeting
August 17-18, 2006
South Padre Island, TX.

As promised, I am providing the following information for you to share with the council members.  I appreciate their questions and feedback.

Hopefully this clarification will clear up any confusion regarding veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses registering in the Vendor Information Pages (VIP) Database maintained by VA’s Center for Veterans Enterprise (www.vetbiz.gov). Folks can link directly to the VIP database at www.vip.vetbiz.gov.

As mentioned during my presentation, we have a higher confidence in the representation of veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses that are registered with the VIP Database, as opposed to those registrations in CCR, because when a firm registers with VIP they must respond affirmatively to the following:

Veteran: A person who served on active duty with the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines or Coast Guard, for any length of time and at any place and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. Reservists or members of the National Guard called to Federal active duty or disabled from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in the line of duty or while in training status also qualify as a veteran Veteran-owned Business: Not less than 51% of which is owned by one or more veterans, or in the case of any publicly owned business, not less than 51% of the stock of which is owned by one or more veterans; and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more veterans Service Disabled Veteran: A veteran who possesses a disability rating letter issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, establishing a service-connected rating between 0 and 100% or a disability determination from the Department of Defense. Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Business: Not less than 51% of which is owned by one or more service-disabled veterans, or in the case of any publicly owned business, not less than 51% of the stock of which is owned by one or more service-disabled veterans; and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans, or in the case of a veteran with a permanent and severe disability, a spouse or permanent caregiver of such veteran. Small Business Concern: click here for more information.

As you know, there is no such requirement when a firm registers in CCR. As it still “self-certification” or “self-representation”?  Absolutely.  However, because registrants to VIP are presented with these definitions at the time they register in VIP, unlike CCR, they are more likely to make a correct representation.

Our Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) Personnel do not verify the veteran or service-disabled veteran status of an individual, again, this is a self-representation/certification made by the individual. VA is beginning the rule making process to promulgate a rule that will allow for verification of an individual’s status when registering in the database, however, that is likely some time in the distant future.

CVE Personnel are only authorized to access an individual’s records to ascertain if they are in fact a veteran or service-disabled veteran in response to inquiries from the Small Business Administration (SBA), as SBA adjudicates ownership status protests. CVE personnel access to veteran records is restricted to ascertaining just that information, they cannot ascertain a percentage of an individual’s disability, type of disability or anything else related to a veteran’s condition, etc. This information is sensitive and CVE personnel do not have access, as this is on a need-to-know basis only.

Additionally, one of the ladies in attendance posed the question regarding whether National Guard Personnel are considered veterans for purposes of veteran entrepreneurial programs. The answer is yes, assuming they have the requisite active duty service which is service that resulted from being activated (called up for duty) under Title 10 of the United States Code. I suspect most National Guard Personnel will have this service given the large numbers of activations for Afghanistan and Iraq.

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WAYNE A. SIMPSON
Deputy Director
Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization  (00SB)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Washington DC 20420
Toll-free telephone: 1-800-949-8387
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