Part A · Startup-specific scheme
Veteran-Owned & Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Contracting (VOSB / SDVOSB)
Small Business Administration
Market Access
Growth / ScalingMarket Access & IP
Parallel to the WOSB Program, this lets contracting officers set aside — or sole-source — contracts for VOSBs and SDVOSBs. Certification authority moved from the VA to SBA's Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) process starting January 2023 under the FY2021 NDAA.
Type of support
Market Access
Best suited for
Growth / Market Access
Headline amount
N/A — contracting eligibility, not direct funding
How much
N/A — set-aside/sole-source contract eligibility
Objectives
Ensure veteran-owned and service-disabled-veteran-owned small businesses can compete for a dedicated share of federal contracting dollars.
Who can apply?
- At least 51% owned and controlled by one or more veterans (VOSB) or service-disabled veterans (SDVOSB).
- Must be a small business under SBA size standards.
- Self-certification is no longer accepted — formal SBA certification is required.
What do you get?
- Access to VOSB/SDVOSB set-aside contracts government-wide.
- SDVOSBs are additionally eligible for sole-source awards in qualifying situations.
- VA-specific contracts have their own parallel verification track.
How to apply
Apply for certification through SBA's Veteran Small Business Certification program; confirm current requirements before applying, since verification rules have changed recently.
Key links
Details as most recently confirmed against the official source linked above. Deadlines, amounts and windows change — verify on the official portal before applying.