VA, GSA Sign Agreement for Veterans' Businesses

WASHINGTON (Nov. 4, 2005} - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) have signed a formal agreement expanding GSA's efforts businesses that are owned by veterans, especially service-disabled veterans.

"America's veterans are a national treasure, a pool of trained, motivated, reliable entrepreneurs," said the Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs "They're looking for a helping hand, not a hand-out."

The agreement signed between the two federal agencies commits GSA to place additional emphasis upon programs for veteran-owned businesses and businesses owned by service disabled veterans.

In 1999, Congress passed legislation urging all federal agencies to strive toward 3 percent of their contracts - by value - to service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses.

Among other features, the agreement commits VA and GSA to co-sponsor eight regional conferences for veteran businesses in the coming year, with participation by the Small Business Administration and other federal agencies. The first will be held Nov. in Kansas City, Mo.

VA's efforts on behalf of veteran-owned businesses are overseen by the Department for Veterans Enterprise (CVE). Further information about VA's programs for veterans businesses is available on CVE's Internet Web site at http://www.vetbiz.gov.

GSA's activities on behalf of service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses are at http://www.gsa.gov.