38 U.S.C. § 8127 - Small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans: contracting goals and preferences

• Cite as: 38 U.S.C. § 8127

(a) CONTRACTING GOALS.-

(1) In order to increase contracting opportunities for small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities, the Secretary shall-

(A) establish a goal for each fiscal year for participation in Department contracts (including subcontracts) by small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans who are not veterans with service-connected disabilities in accordance with paragraph (2); and

(B) establish a goal for each fiscal year for participation in Department contracts (including subcontracts) by small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities in accordance with paragraph (3).

(2) The goal for a fiscal year for participation under paragraph (1)(A) shall be determined by the Secretary.

(3) The goal for a fiscal year for participation under paragraph (1)(B) shall be not less than the Government-wide goal for that fiscal year for participation by small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities under section 15(g)(1) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1) ).

(4) The Secretary shall establish a review mechanism to ensure that, in the case of a subcontract of a Department contract that is counted for purposes of meeting a goal established pursuant to this section, the subcontract was actually awarded to a business concern that may be counted for purposes of meeting that goal.

(b) USE OF NONCOMPETITIVE PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN SMALL CONTRACTS.-Except as provided in subsection (d)(2), for purposes of meeting the goals under subsection (a), and in accordance with this section, in entering into a contract with a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans or a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities for an amount less than the simplified acquisition threshold (as defined in section 134 of title 41), a contracting officer of the Department may use procedures other than competitive procedures.

(c) SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS FOR CONTRACTS ABOVE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD.-Except as provided in subsection (d)(2), for purposes of meeting the goals under subsection (a), and in accordance with this section, a contracting officer of the Department may award a contract to a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans or a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities using procedures other than competitive procedures if-

(1) such concern is determined to be a responsible source with respect to performance of such contract opportunity;

(2) the anticipated award price of the contract (including options) will exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (as defined in section 134 of title 41) but will not exceed $5,000,000; and

(3) in the estimation of the contracting officer, the contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers best value to the United States.

(d) USE OF RESTRICTED COMPETITION.-

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) and in subsections (b) and (c), for purposes of meeting the goals under subsection (a), and in accordance with this section, a contracting officer of the Department shall award contracts on the basis of competition restricted to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans or small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities if the contracting officer has a reasonable expectation that two or more small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans or small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities will submit offers and that the award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers best value to the United States.

(2)

(A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) and except as provided by subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, with respect to the procurement of a covered product or service, a contracting officer of the Department shall procure such product or service from a source designated under chapter 85 of title 41, and in accordance with the regulations prescribed under such chapter.

(B)

(i) Subject to clause (ii), subparagraph (A) shall not apply in the case of a covered product or service for which a contract was-

(I) awarded under paragraph (1) after December 22, 2006; and

(II) in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Department of Veterans Affairs Contracting Preference Consistency Act of 2020.

(ii) Clause (i) shall cease to apply to a covered product or service described in such clause upon a determination of the Secretary that when the current contract for the covered product or service is terminated or expires there is no reasonable expectation that-

(I) two or more small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans will submit offers as described in paragraph (1); and

(II) the award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers best value to the United States.

(C) In this paragraph, the term "covered product or service" means-

(i) a product or service that-

(I) is included on the procurement list under section 8503(a) of title 41; and

(II) was included on such procurement list on or before December 22, 2006; or

(ii) a product or service that-

(I) is a replacement for a product or service described under clause (i);

(II) is essentially the same and meeting the same requirement as the product or service being replaced; and

(III) a contracting officer determines meets the quality standards and delivery schedule of the Department.

(e) ELIGIBILITY OF SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS.-A small business concern may be awarded a contract under this section only if the small business concern and the veteran owner of the small business concern are listed in the database of veteran-owned businesses maintained by the Secretary under subsection (f).

(f) DATABASE OF VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES.-

(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) through (6), the Secretary shall maintain a database of small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans, small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities, and the veteran owners of such business concerns.

(2)

(A) To be eligible for inclusion in the database, such a veteran shall submit to the Secretary such information as the Secretary may require with respect to the small business concern or the veteran. Application for inclusion in the database shall constitute permission under section 552a of title 5 (commonly referred to as the Privacy Act) for the Secretary to access such personal information maintained by the Secretary as may be necessary to verify the information contained in the application.

(B) If the Secretary receives an application for inclusion in the database from an individual whose status as a veteran cannot be verified because the Secretary does not maintain information with respect to the veteran status of the individual, the Secretary may not include the small business concern owned and controlled by the individual in the database maintained by the Secretary until the Secretary receives such information as may be necessary to verify that the individual is a veteran.

(3) Information maintained in the database shall be submitted on a voluntary basis by such veterans.

(4) No small business concern may be listed in the database until the Secretary has verified, using regulations issued by the Administrator of the Small Business Administration with respect to the status of the concern as a small business concern and the ownership and control of such concern, that-

(A) the small business concern is owned and controlled by veterans; and

(B) in the case of a small business concern for which the person who owns and controls the concern indicates that the person is a veteran with a service-connected disability, that the person is a veteran with a service-connected disability.

(5) The Secretary shall make the database available to all Federal departments and agencies and shall notify each such department and agency of the availability of the database.