The VA Tells Veterans To Get In The Back Of The Line When It Comes To Contracting, According To The Michigan Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business Roundtable

DETROIT, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from the Michigan SDVOB Roundtable:

Why the Department of Veteran Affairs continues its adversarial treatment of America's Veterans instead of one of advocacy is baffling to many Veteran business owners who are trying to do business with the Department.    The VA, whose sole purpose for existence is to promote the welfare of Veterans, has flatly refused to honor a law known as Vets First which gives priority to Veteran owned business when the VA makes purchases.   Even in the face of multiple rulings from the Government Accountability Office telling the VA its interpretation of the law is wrong the VA continues to subject Veterans to the humiliation of being placed behind non Veterans by the organization they rely on for support.

In addition to the GAO ruling against the VA, members of Congress have also voiced their outrage at the VA's treatment of Veteran Business Owners. "VA has made it clear in correspondence and meetings following the Aldevra decision that it has no intention of attempting to clear up its own questions about Veterans First. Despite acknowledging a problem, VA is not trying to solve the problem, nor did it even ask Congress or this Committee those questions that needed to be answered years ago," stated Rep. Bill Johnson, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations. "Instead, VA is determined to run this through the court system, eliminating key opportunities for VOSBs to contract with the federal government. When VA cannot, or chooses not, to implement clearly written legislation, we have a problem." From HCVA O&I/EO, Joint Subcommittee Hearing of November 30, 2011

The VA argues that a program administered by the General Services Administration (GSA) and known as the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) has a higher preference than Vets First.  But the rules of FSS make it nearly impossible for Veterans of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to participate in the FSS for a minimum of two years. 

What makes this issue such a flash point is the upcoming Veteran Owned Business Conference to be held in Detroit June 25th- 29th, 2012 by the VA.  Many Veteran Business leaders call this the height of hypocrisy for the VA to promote this conference as the premiere event for the Veteran businesses when it disregards the very law meant to provide opportunities for Veterans to participate in the contracting process.

The Motto of the VA: 'To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan...' President Lincoln

SOURCE Michigan Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business Roundtable

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