XL EagleVOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business)
VOSB stands for Veteran-Owned Small Business. A VOSB is a small business at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more veterans. It does not require a service-connected disability. SBA certifies VOSBs through its Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) program.
The main place VOSB status matters for set-asides is the Department of Veterans Affairs, whose Veterans First program gives priority to SDVOSBs and then VOSBs. Other agencies mainly use SDVOSB set-asides, but VOSB status still counts toward goals and can help you with primes.
Why it matters to a small contractor
If you are a veteran and plan to sell to the VA, VOSB certification is worth the effort. Outside the VA, it is still a selling point when primes look for veteran-owned subcontractors.
Example
A Navy veteran owns a small trucking and moving company. After VetCert approval as a VOSB, she bids on a VA medical center moving job that the VA restricted to veteran-owned firms.
VOSB: common questions
Is VOSB the same as SDVOSB?
No. SDVOSB requires a service-connected disability. Every SDVOSB is also a VOSB, but not the other way around.
Who certifies VOSBs now?
SBA does, through VetCert. The VA's Center for Verification and Evaluation handled it until the program moved to SBA on January 1, 2023.
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