Disabled-veteran share of procurement pie to increase
Report predicts contract awards to businesses owned by disabled veterans will reach $2.8 billion within the next three years, up from $103.7 million in 2003.
Veterans with disabilities who own small information technology companies should receive an increasing share of federal procurement dollars by fiscal 2009, concluded a report released last week by market research firm INPUT of Reston, Va.
Although the government has failed to reach its 3 percent set-aside goal, which was established by a 2003 law to help disabled veterans compete in the federal marketplace, the report predicts that it will reach $2.8 billion within the next three years, up from $103.7 million in fiscal 2003.
"One of the greatest challenges facing government officials is in locating qualified and capable SDVOB [service-disabled veteran-owned business] organizations," said Megan Gamse, senior analyst at INPUT.
There are 320,000 service-disabled businesses operating in the United States, according to the Census Bureau.
Catapult Technology, Muniz Engineering and Marine Systems received about 23 percent of the total SDVOB funding in fiscal 2003. The Navy, Air Force and Transportation topped spending with disabled veterans businesses in that year.