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On January 8, 2021, the Congress of the United States signed into law the Congressional agreement to adopt a government-wide SDVOSB certification requirement based on Center for Veteran and Evaluation (CVE) process and eliminate SBA\u2019s self-certification<\/u> of service-disabled veteran-owned small business.\u00a0 The VA\u2019s CVE program which is the gold standard five-star program will be transferred to SBA to insure elimination of the self-certification process<\/u>.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are in full support of Congress\u2019 decision to standardize the SDVOSB certification process,\u201d said Roderick Rickman, VOBRT President and CEO of Rickman Enterprise Group<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Section 862 of the Conference Report on the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act requires government wide SDVOSB certification.\u00a0 Previously, only VA required a rigorous verification of honorably discharged veterans and verification of a 51 percent owned and operated veteran owned business entity.\u00a0 Since SBA runs all of the other Government-wide socioeconomic programs, it makes sense for SBA to continue providing oversight over SD\/VOSB.\u00a0 However, the VA will continue to determine whether an individual qualifies as a veteran or service-disabled veteran. Current CVE certified\/verified SD\/VOSB will be transferred to SBA and contacted when their recertification is due.<\/p>\n The previous SBA self-certification program<\/u> was generally unacceptable for many private businesses and allowed some third-party certification organizations to fill the void.\u00a0 The new program will now require prior self-certified <\/u>companies to be certified under the new SBA administered CVE certification\/verification process within two years.<\/p>\n During this time of change and reconfiguration, some have added confusion and, in some cases, outright exaggeration.\u00a0 For example, the difference between the terms \u201ccertification\u201d and \u201cverification\u201d added confusion for some to say verification was low level certification.\u00a0\u00a0 CVE chose the term \u201cverification\u201d because it is more specific to what is completed during the process.\u00a0 CVE basically defined \u201ccertification\u201d as it is used by other governmental agencies that requires a test.\u00a0 For example, your doctor, dentist, or attorney is not certified because they have a degree; it is because they each had to pass a board-certified test. However, the industry convention is to use the term certification even if there is no test.<\/p>\n The CVE verification process is the most rigorous evaluation, analysis and examination of all the required documentary processes.\u00a0 There is a thorough examination of active-duty military requirements and substantial challenges when reviewing all supporting documentation of the business to insure it is a viable 51 percent owned and operated business by a qualified veteran that includes random onsite visits.\u00a0 When a company no longer meets the definition of a small business based on NAICS code, gross sales and number of employees, a company seeking veteran owned business designation has the option to reach out to a third-party certifier.<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.sba.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2021-02\/VA%20OSDBU%20Advisory%20Committee%20Brief%2003042021%20-%20508.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.jdsupra.com\/legalnews\/key-provisions-in-the-2021-ndaa-for-62038\/<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/veteranroundtable.org\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Rod_Rickman_Flag_Closeup_350x477.jpg\")
This is clearly and opportunity to provide clarity on who\u2019s eligible to be certified and ensures only qualified veterans are afforded the opportunities certification provides.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nNo Third-Party Certifier Will Be Accepted by Any Government Agency<\/h2>\n
Fact Check:<\/h3>\n