SDVOSB: Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business
This is a term used by the Federal Government to designate a company that is owned (at least 51%) and controlled by a Veteran with a Service-Connected Disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The business also must qualify under the SBA’s Small Business Standards for their industry. For more information on SDVOSB Certification, see below.
DVBE: Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise
It’s a term used by the State of California, public utilities, and many private corporations to designate a company that is owned (at least 51%) and controlled by a Veteran with a Service-Connected Disability rating of at least 10% from the Veterans A. Additionally, the Veteran must reside in the state of California.
If the definitions of SDVOSB and DVBE above sound very similar, that’s because they are. However, there are some very key differences in the requirements:
- SDVOSB requires a VA Disability Rating of 0%, while DVBE requires a VA Disability Rating of 10%.
- DVBE requires the Veteran to live in the State of California.
- SDVOSB requires the business to meet the Federal Small Business Requirements for their industry. For example: Commercial Building Construction revenues are less than $36.5 million averaged over the past 3 years.
SDVOB/DVBE Certification
If you plan on doing business with the Federal Government, being certified as an SDVOSB can open many set-aside contract opportunities for your business. The Federal SDVOSB certification comes in two parts:
- Self-Certification via SAM (System for Award Management): If you are a Service-Disabled Veteran who owns at least 51% of your company and controls day-to-day operations, you can self-certify online by selecting the correct Representations and Certifications in your profile at SAM.gov. It’s that easy.
- CVE Verification via the Department of Veterans Affairs: This certification, also known as “Verification” requires the business owner to submit many business and personal documents. This includes tax returns (3 years), Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Meeting Minutes, and various other documents in order to verify that the Service Disabled Veteran actually “owns and controls” the business. If you want to do business with the VA or take advantage of the “Veterans First” legislation, you will need to complete this process. For more information please visit the VA’s information page or contact us for more information.
State-specific certifications
- DVBE Certification: If you and your business are located within the State of California and you have at least a 10% Disability Rating, you may qualify for the Department of General Service’s Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) program. This is a valuable certification if you are looking to do business with State Agencies or Public Utilities. For more information visit: https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/sbdvbe-index.aspx
- New York State SDVOB Certification: The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act, signed into law by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on May 12, 2014, lets eligible Veteran business owners certify as New York State SDVOBs. The 6% goal encourages SDVOBs to play a greater role in the economy through New York State’s contracting opportunities. This program is open to all SDVOB’s nationwide. For more information visit: https://ogs.ny.gov/veterans
This blog was written by Linda Rawson, who is the founder of DynaGrace Enterprises (dynagrace.com) and the inventor of WeatherEgg (weatheregg.com). She, along with her daughter, Jennifer Remund make up the mother-daughter duo of 2BizChicks (2Bizchicks.com). For further information, please connect with Linda on LinkedIn, or contact her at (800) 676-0058 ext 101.
Please reach out to us at GovCon-Biz should you have any questions.
