Government contracts for veterans and SDVOSB contracts for disabled veterans
Government contracts for veterans are posted every business day: an SDVOSB set-aside for HVAC repair at a VA medical center, a veteran-owned sole source for IT support at a regional office, a five year SDVOSB janitorial contract at an Army post. They are spread across thousands of other notices, and the set-aside code that matters to you is one small field in each. FederalContracts reads every new federal solicitation the day it posts, scores it out of 100 against your veteran status, your NAICS codes, what you actually do and where you work, then sends one ranked list each morning with SDVOSB and VOSB work you qualify for at the top.
A certified SDVOSB that fixes roofs in Georgia and a veteran-owned software firm in Virginia should not be reading the same list, and neither should be reading set-asides they cannot bid.
| Match | Solicitation and agency | NAICS | Set-aside | Place of performance | Response due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | Enterprise Cloud Support Services | 518210 | Total small business | Virginia | 13 Oct |
| 70 | Tactical Data Link (TDL) Interoperability Software | 541511 | Full and open | Langley Afb, Virginia | 10 Oct |
| 62 | B--SHAKEALERT PRODUCTION CODE REVIEW | 541519 | Full and open | Not stated | 16 Oct |
| 60 | ARTS-V3 Third-Party Software Initiative | 541511 | Full and open | Not stated | 6 Oct 4 days left |
| 60 | JWCC UCM Core Solicitation | 518210 | Full and open | Arlington, Virginia | 6 Oct 4 days left |
Where do veteran owned businesses find government contracts?
Veteran owned businesses find federal contracts on SAM.gov, where each notice carries a set-aside type. Service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) can bid SDVOSB set-asides at every federal agency. Veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) get their own set-asides mainly at the Department of Veterans Affairs. A matching service filters by those set-aside codes and ranks what is left against your work and region.
What changes for a veteran owned firm once the list is ranked:
- SDVOSB set-asides and sole source notices you qualify for rise above full and open work you would have to win on price
- VA veteran-owned set-asides show up for VOSBs, and drop out for firms without the certification
- Notices in your trade and your area outrank a better titled contract three states away
- Due dates, question deadlines and site visits go on a board the moment you save a bid
Which set-asides veterans can bid
The set-aside on a notice decides who may bid. SAM.gov lists four that are reserved for veterans, and they do not work the same way.
| Set-aside on SAM.gov | Who may bid | Where you see it | What it means for a small firm |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDVOSB set-aside | Certified service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses | Every federal agency, under FAR subpart 19.14 | |
| SDVOSB sole source | One certified SDVOSB | Every federal agency, below FAR dollar limits | |
| Veteran-owned small business set-aside | Certified VOSBs and SDVOSBs | Department of Veterans Affairs | |
| Veteran-owned small business sole source | One certified VOSB or SDVOSB | Department of Veterans Affairs |
Outside the VA, a veteran-owned firm without a service-connected disability has no veteran set-aside of its own. It still bids small business, 8(a), HUBZone and women-owned set-asides it qualifies for, and the ranking scores those the same way.
Why SDVOSB contracts are worth chasing now
- The goal went up. Congress raised the government-wide goal for prime contract dollars awarded to SDVOSBs from 3 percent to 5 percent in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. Agencies are measured against it, so contracting officers look harder for SDVOSBs who can do the work.
- VA puts veterans first. Under the Vets First program, the VA must first consider SDVOSBs, then VOSBs, whenever two or more qualified veteran firms are likely to bid at a fair price. The Supreme Court confirmed in Kingdomware Technologies v. United States (2016) that this rule applies to VA purchases broadly.
- Fewer bidders. A set-aside limited to certified SDVOSBs in one trade and one region can draw a handful of offers. Full and open work can draw dozens.
- Long contracts. Most federal service contracts run a base year plus up to four option years, so one award can carry five years of revenue.
Certification you need before you bid
Since January 1, 2023 the SBA certifies veteran-owned firms through its VetCert program, which took over from the VA's old verification office. Certification is now required to receive SDVOSB set-aside and sole source awards across the government, not only at the VA. Firms that self-certified in SAM.gov in the past should check their status, because a self-certification no longer carries a set-aside win on its own.
The basics VetCert checks:
- The firm is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more veterans, and for SDVOSB status, by veterans with a service-connected disability
- The veteran runs day to day operations and makes long term decisions
- The firm is small under the size standard for the NAICS code of the contract
- An active SAM.gov registration, with the same NAICS codes you plan to bid
Add your certification and every NAICS code you perform to your profile once. The score uses both, so a notice you are not eligible for never sits at the top of your list.
Where veteran contracts come from
Every agency buys from veterans, but a few buy far more often.
| Buyer | What it buys from veteran owned firms | How the work usually reaches a small firm |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Medical supplies, facility repair, IT, janitorial, construction, professional services | Veteran set-asides first under Vets First, posted by regional network contracting offices |
| Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps | Base maintenance, construction, IT support, logistics, training | Installation contracting offices and larger multiple award vehicles |
| GSA | IT services through VETS 2, a governmentwide contract reserved for SDVOSBs, plus Multiple Award Schedule orders | Task orders under VETS 2 and set-aside orders on the schedule |
| Department of Homeland Security, HHS, Interior and USDA | IT, facilities, professional services, field work | SDVOSB set-asides and small business set-asides by component |
| Prime contractors | Subcontract work to meet their own small business plans | Subcontracting plans that name SDVOSB targets |
The single site contract at a nearby VA clinic or base is the realistic first federal win for most veteran firms. It is posted the same way as a large one, and it is exactly the notice that gets buried when you search SAM.gov by keyword.
How veteran contract matching works
You set the profile once. After that you read only the notices that fit your status, trade and region.
- Describe the company in plain English. "Service-disabled veteran owned IT firm, help desk, network administration, cybersecurity, 25 staff, Virginia, Maryland and DC." Add your NAICS codes, your SDVOSB or VOSB certification and the states you work in.
- Each new federal notice is read and scored. The whole notice, including set-aside type, place of performance, scope and dollar size where stated, is compared with the profile and given a score out of 100 plus a one sentence reason.
- One ranked email every morning. The best matches come first with agency, set-aside, due date and the incumbent where award history shows one.
- Save a bid and the dates take over. Amendments, question deadlines and due date changes land on your board the day they post, with reminders to whoever owns the bid.
Government contracts for disabled veterans, who uses this
- New SDVOSBs bidding their first federal job. Contracts under the simplified acquisition threshold, now 350,000 USD, are where most veteran firms win first. The ranking puts SDVOSB set-asides near you at the top.
- Veteran-owned firms selling to the VA. VOSBs that hold VetCert status see VA veteran set-asides ranked with their other small business work, so one list covers both.
- SDVOSB IT and professional services firms. Help desk, cybersecurity, cloud and consulting notices arrive under several NAICS codes, and VETS 2 task orders run beside open market work. See government IT contracts.
- Veteran-owned construction and trades firms. VA facility repair and base maintenance are among the most common SDVOSB set-asides. See government construction contracts.
- Veteran-owned cleaning and facilities firms. Custodial and grounds work at VA clinics and federal offices is frequently set aside. See government cleaning contracts.
Ways to find SDVOSB contracts compared
Prices are published where vendors publish them and reported figures where they do not. Check each with the vendor before you sign.
| Option | How veteran set-asides are found | Coverage | Entry price | Billing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FederalContracts | Score out of 100 against set-aside, NAICS, scope and region, with a reason | Federal on Bid Desk, plus state and local on Capture | 64 USD a month billed annually, or 129 USD monthly | |
| SAM.gov saved search | Your set-aside, NAICS and keyword filters | Federal only | No charge | |
| GovTribe | Search and saved searches with set-aside filters | Federal, plus state and local on higher plans | 1,500 USD a year for one user | |
| HigherGov | Search and saved searches with set-aside filters | Federal, state and local, grants | 500 USD a year for one user | |
| Deltek GovWin IQ | Research database with analyst coverage | Federal and state and local packages | Quoted, reported from about 13,000 USD a year |
Where the others win: SAM.gov costs nothing and filtering by SDVOSB set-aside is one click, if you have time to read every result. GovWin tracks large recompetes years ahead. GovTribe and HigherGov are strong search tools for a capture team that likes to run its own queries. If the question is "which of today's veteran set-asides should we bid", a ranked list answers it for less. The detail is in GovTribe alternatives, HigherGov pricing and GovWin alternatives.
What veteran owned firms get on each plan
- Bid Desk, 129 USD a month or 768 USD a year. Federal solicitations including every SDVOSB and VA veteran set-aside, 1 company profile, 3 seats, 5 saved searches, the daily ranked digest with a reason per match, due date reminders and 3 years of competitor award history.
- Capture, 349 USD a month or 2,088 USD a year. Adds state, county and city bids (several states run their own disabled veteran business programs), 5 business lines each with its own digest, 15 seats, question deadlines, Slack and Microsoft Teams alerts and full award history with exports.
- Enterprise, annual and invoiced. Unlimited profiles and seats, SSO, webhooks, custom sources and a full API.
Every feature is listed on pricing. Monthly plans run to the end of the paid month and stop when you cancel.
How do veterans get government contracts?
Veterans get government contracts by registering the business in SAM.gov, getting SDVOSB or VOSB certification from the SBA's VetCert program, then bidding on set-aside solicitations in their NAICS codes. Most veteran firms win first on a small single site contract, often at the VA or a nearby base, and use that past performance to bid larger work.
What is the 5 percent SDVOSB goal?
The 5 percent SDVOSB goal is the share of federal prime contract dollars the government aims to award to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses each year. It was raised from 3 percent by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. Agencies report against it, which pushes contracting officers to set aside more work for SDVOSBs.
Do you need VetCert to bid on SDVOSB contracts?
Yes, for set-aside and sole source awards. SBA certification through VetCert is required to win SDVOSB set-aside and sole source contracts across federal agencies, and VOSB set-asides at the VA. A veteran owned firm without certification can still bid full and open contracts and any other set-aside it qualifies for.
Can a veteran owned business get contracts outside the VA?
Yes. Service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses can win SDVOSB set-asides at every federal agency, including the Department of Defense, GSA and Homeland Security. Veteran-owned firms without a service-connected disability have veteran set-asides only at the VA, but compete for small business and other set-asides everywhere else.
What kinds of contracts are set aside for disabled veterans?
Contracts set aside for disabled veterans cover almost every trade the government buys: facility repair and construction at VA medical centers and bases, IT support and cybersecurity, janitorial and grounds work, medical supplies, professional services and logistics. Whether a requirement is set aside depends on whether the contracting officer expects at least two capable SDVOSBs to bid.
Is there a list of SDVOSB contract opportunities?
Yes. SAM.gov lets you filter open notices by the SDVOSB set-aside and sole source types, and the VA posts a forecast of upcoming veteran set-asides. A ranked list narrows that further to notices that match your trade, size and region, with the best fits first each morning instead of every SDVOSB notice in the country.
See today's veteran set-asides ranked for your company
Type what your company does, your state, your NAICS codes and your SDVOSB or VOSB status. Bid Match ranks a dated snapshot of public solicitation records against them, so you see the list you would get each morning before you pay.
Related reading: small business government contracting opportunities, list of government contracts for bid, government contract finder, RFP alerts and government contract alerts, DoD contract opportunities, GSA contract opportunities.