VA Veterans First Contracting Program — Alignment with SBA VetCert (Policy Update)
VA updated its acquisition regulations to require contracting officers to verify SDVOSB and VOSB status through SBA's VetCert database (rather than the legacy CVE database) for all VA set-aside contracts effective January 1, 2024.
Change log (3)
- Data refreshRe-checked rule statuses and comment deadlines against the latest Federal Register postings.
- Structured dataCross-linked related rules and added affected-area tags to each change.
- LaunchedPublished the tracker covering major 2023–2025 SBA/VA/DoD/FAR rule changes affecting SDVOSBs.
| Agency | Department of Veterans Affairs |
| Rule Type | Policy Update |
| Status | Effective |
| Published | 2024-02-01 |
| Effective Date | 2024-02-01 |
| Rule / Docket | VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Notice 2024-01 |
| Affected Areas | VA / VOSBCertificationCompliance |
Rule Details
Following the transfer of SDVOSB/VOSB certification authority to SBA, the Department of Veterans Affairs updated its procurement guidance to direct VA contracting officers to verify vendor certification status exclusively through SBA's Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) database at veterans.certify.sba.gov.
The legacy VA Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database was sunset as the authoritative verification source for new awards. VA contracting officers are now required to check VetCert certification status at time of offer evaluation and prior to award for all SDVOSB and VOSB set-aside contracts under the Veterans First Contracting Program (38 U.S.C. § 8127–8128).
The policy update also confirms that the Veterans First priority ordering at the VA remains unchanged: SDVOSB set-asides take precedence over VOSB set-asides, which take precedence over other small business programs. The substantive eligibility standards under 38 U.S.C. § 8127(l) now defer to SBA's 13 CFR Part 128 definitions.
VA also clarified that the 'Rule of Two' analysis for Veterans First still requires the contracting officer to have a reasonable expectation of receiving competitive offers from at least two certified SDVOSB or VOSB concerns at fair market price. Contracting officers must document this determination in the contract file.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does VA Veterans First Contracting Program — Alignment with SBA VetCert (Policy Update) mean for SDVOSBs?
VA updated its acquisition regulations to require contracting officers to verify SDVOSB and VOSB status through SBA's VetCert database (rather than the legacy CVE database) for all VA set-aside contracts effective January 1, 2024.
When does this rule take effect?
This rule has an effective date of 2024-02-01. SDVOSBs should update their compliance procedures and SAM.gov representations accordingly.