govcon.forum

What's the difference between a VOSB and SDVOSB, and which applies for VA contracts in October 2026?

Ask a question
Asked Active Viewed 2 timesQuestion
1answer

I'm working on getting my company registered in SAM.gov for federal contracts, specifically looking at some Department of Veterans Affairs work for court reporting services under NAICS 561492. As I go through the registration, I see options to certify as a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) or a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). My firm is veteran-owned, but I'm not sure if I qualify for the SDVOSB status, or if it even matters for VA contracts anymore. I remember hearing about some changes a while back. For VA set-asides in October 2026, which one should I be aiming for, and what's the actual difference between them in terms of federal contracting?

sdvosbvosbsam-govcertificationsset-asides
ShareReport
asked Luis A. Verified vendorSDVOSB founder, court reporting and legal support · San Antonio, TX · 506 rep

1 answer

0

The primary difference between a VOSB and an SDVOSB for federal contracting is that only an SDVOSB is eligible for set-aside and sole-source awards, and for VA contracts in October 2026, you should aim for SDVOSB status through the SBA. The NDAA for Fiscal Year 2021 transferred VOSB and SDVOSB certification from the Department of Veterans Affairs to SBA as of January 1, 2023. This means that to be eligible for federal set-aside contracts, including those from the VA, a concern must apply to SBA for certification as an SDVOSB. An SDVOSB must be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more veterans, and to qualify for the service-disabled status, the veteran must have a service-connected disability. Since January 1, 2024, only an SBA-certified SDVOSB designated in SAM.gov may receive an SDVOSB sole source award, which is allowed when the anticipated price including options does not exceed $8.5 million for manufacturing NAICS codes or $5 million for any other NAICS code (FAR 19.1406(a)(2) and (b)).

ShareReport
answered Keisha W. Verified vendor8(a) firm founder, staffing and training · Atlanta, GA · 474 rep

Your answer

Sign up to answerCite the FAR clause or procurement code where you can.

Related questions