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The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 directed the Small Business Administration (SBA) to create a Governmentwide certification program for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. Effective January 1, 2023, SBA assumed responsibility for certifying Veteran-Owned small firms. If you have questions, please contact SBA at vetcert@sba.gov. You can also call 800-862-8088, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. EST to speak to an SBA representative about the Veteran certification program or visit Veteran Small Business Certification.(sba.gov)
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Training

Strategic Outreach and Communications (SOC) - Education and Training (E&T) promotes Small Business awareness of opportunities, access to procurement decision makers, understanding of VA small business programs, and procurement readiness of small business through communications in support of Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) programs, outreach events, educational activities, research and analysis. E&T has developed a training plan that identifies gaps in understanding of OSDBU programs as well as procurement readiness of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) and the training necessary to close those gaps.

Doing Business with VA Training

VA OSDBU developed the Doing Business with VA Reference Guide to help Veteran-owned and other small businesses:
  • Understand how VA procurement opportunities are managed and sourced
  • Gain better insight on how to effectively participate in the federal procurement marketplace
  • Navigate the VA procurement process
  • Become familiar with VA procurement decision makers and their top supply purchases
  • Identify the right contracting and teaming opportunities
  • Demonstrate capability to successfully perform on contract awards

Procurement Readiness Training

Our Procurement Readiness training is intended to provide small and Veteran businesses with guidance and resources to become procurement-ready to do business with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and other federal agencies. Procurement readiness refers to the demonstrated ability of a small business to effectively participate in the federal government contracting marketplace and successfully perform contract work. Procurement readiness involves understanding how to navigate the various procurements set aside for small businesses and respond to these opportunities.

Training Materials

We provide handouts, copies of our PowerPoints, and links to our on-demand training library.

On-Demand Training (ODT)

As technology continues to evolve and take over the workplace, the need for ODT has also grown. Here at the VA, we understand how important your time as a Small Business owner is. Our on demand training is a strategy that involves making learning solutions available anywhere and at any time

Capabilities Statement Review

Small Business owners often ask about how to best present themselves to VA officials, particularly contracting officers, small business specialists, and prime contractors. VA OSDBUs education and training team consistently advise that there are three key ingredients to making a favorable impression within the government marketplace:
  • Know your potential customer
  • Being prepared to deliver a concise “elevator speech” (a 30-second description of your expertise)
  • Having a solid “Capabilities Statement”.
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Please note: Content on this Web page is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal advice or to be a comprehensive statement or analysis of application statures, regulations, and case law governing this topic. Rather, it's a plain language summary. If you are seeking claims assistance, your local VA regional office, a VA-recognized Veterans Service Organization, or a VA-accredited attorney or agent can help.