House Boosts Subcontracting Opportunities For Vets’ Companies The House has passed legislation that would require Veterans Affairs Department contractors to favor veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned subcontractors. VA gives first preference to SDV companies, followed by other veteran-owned firms, in awarding prime contracts. Under the Improving Veterans’ Opportunities in Education and Business Act, H.R. 6221, the department’s contractors would have to abide by the same rules. “This bill reinforces business contracting opportunities at the VA, which must set an example for the rest of the federal government,” said the sponsor, Rep. John Boozman, R-AR. The House passed the bill Aug. 1. It now goes to the Senate. According to the House Veterans Affairs Committee report on the legislation, the issue arose when VA’s general counsel said the preferences did not apply in the case of some contracting services provided to VA by the Army. The committee said its legislation would reverse that ruling. Although Congress has set a 3% goal for contract awards to SDV companies, the government has never come close to that. SDV firms won less than 1% of 2006 contract dollars, the latest figures available.