GSA #10084

May 7, 2004
Contact: Viki Reath (202) 501-1231
viki.reath@gsa.gov

WASHINGTON – A new federal acquisition rule will enable agencies to implement Congressional provisions designed to promote greater participation by service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses in the government market place, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced today.

Congress set a government-wide goal of three percent participation for service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses in the government market place, valued at more than $280 billion.

“This effort reflects President Bush’s commitment to the men and women veterans of the U.S. military, who have given so much to protect and defend freedom and democracy for our great country,” said GSA Administrator, Stephen A. Perry. “As a major federal acquisition agency, GSA is leading the effort to expand opportunities for service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses to compete for contracts with federal government agencies.

The federal acquisition rule approved Wednesday allows agencies, under certain conditions specified in the rule, to set aside certain contracts for competition among service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses and to award sole-source contracts to the same group.

GSA has been partnering with the Small Business Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense and the Defense Logistics Agency in an effort to provide greater opportunity for service-disabled veterans. The new regulation gives the green light to contracting officers waiting to use these new rules to help agencies meet the three percent goal set by Congress. For information, please visit: GSA's Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Web Page.

GSA was created by Congress to help agencies improve efficiency and better serve the public. On behalf of federal agencies, GSA acquires office space, equipment, telecommunications, information technology, supplies and services, and provides policy solutions for more than one million federal workers in more than 8,000 buildings in 2,000 U.S. communities.