TWO FEDERAL AGENCIES SHOW DISABLED VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT GOAL ATTAINABLE

The Consumer Products Safety Commission and Railroad Retirement Board exceeded the 3 percent procurement goal for service disabled veteran-owned small businesses required by the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999.

Two small federal agencies report exceeding the 3% goal for procurement spending with service disabled veteran-owned small businesses in FY 2001 and the first two quarters of FY 2002. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says it spent $426,000 or 5.06% of its procurement budget with such veterans in FY 2001, and another $445,000 in the first six months of FY 2002.

The Railroad Retirement Board reports $507,000 in spending with disabled veterans' companies, or 4.13% of its procurement budget in FY 2001, and $339,000 in the first half of FY 2002.

Of the major federal agencies, the State Department reportedly ranked highest in procurement spending with service disabled veteran-owned companies in FY 2001, though well below the 3% goal. The department says it spent 1.14 percent of its procurement dollars, or $17,568,000 with such veterans. It claims $42,710,000 in spending with all veteran-owned firms.

The 3% federal procurement goal for service disabled veterans was established in 1999 by the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act (P.L. 106-50). Agencies must now also set goals for veterans without service connected disabilities. The Veterans Business Newswire (email: vetsbusnews@dvbeproducts.com)will cover other agencies' spending with service disabled and other veteran-owned small businesses in its next issue.