VA implements certification program for SDVOB’s

Published
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David Esrati
on August 28, 2008
in VOB 108 Members and VOB issues
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Verification of Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses per Public Law (P.L.) 109-461

Verification Program :

The Department of Veterans Affairs has unique buying authority (P.L. 109-461) that enables our personnel to set-aside requirements for veteran-owned small businesses. This legislation also provides VA teams with more latitude in non-competitive contracting. Some businesses owned by surviving spouses are eligible for the Verification Program. VA’s large prime contractors are required to use businesses that have been officially verified for ownership and control.

The new Verification Guidelines were published in the Federal Register on May 19, 2008. The Verification Guidelines were published as an Interim Final Rule (IFR). The public comment period is now open and comments must be received before July 18, 2008 to be considered.

To review the Verification Guidelines, please click here: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-10489.pdf

We are currently operating under Information Letter 049-07-08 issued on June 19, 2007.

Procurement provisions contained in Section 8127 of Title 38, U.S.Code, as amended by Public Law 109-461, provide veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs and SDVOSBs) an option when registering their businesses in VIP: be verified for ownership and control or self-represent.

Businesses wishing to benefit from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)’s unique Veterans First Contracting Program under Section 8127 must agree to be verified.

There are many benefits to having your business verified as a VOSB or SDVOSB. As a verified VOSB or SDVOSB, you will have the opportunity to compete for VA contracts under the Veterans First Contracting Program, as listed below:

Benefits of Veterans First Contracting Program

  1. Redefines priorities for contracting preferences within VA, placing SDVOSBs and VOSBs first and second, respectively, in satisfying VA’s acquisition requirements.
  2. Allows sole source contracts over the Simplified Acquisition Threshold up to $5,000,000 (including options).
  3. Implements restricted competition via Set-Aside Procedures for each category of SDVOSBs and VOSBs.
  4. Allows additional credit evaluation factors for SDVOSB or VOSB status.
  5. Authorizes large VA prime contractors to obtain subcontracting credit for SDVOSBs and VOSBs only when they subcontract with verified firms in VIP.

Participation in the Verification Program is voluntary. However, to be eligible to participate in requirements conducted under the authority of Public Law 109-461, businesses must be verified. VA reserves the right to conduct examination visits of businesses participating in the Verification Program. Misrepresentation of status shall initiate debarment action by VA officials. Verified businesses will be annotated in the database and will receive the rights to display the Verified logo in their marketing materials. To be included in this program click here. THIS IS WHERE YOU CERTIFY

Self-representation :

SDVOSBs and VOSBs may continue to self-represent their status for all other requirements. However, they are encouraged to have their business verified, as other Federal agencies will have access to the database to search for verified businesses to meet their Federal procurement goals.

Businesses wishing to sell to all Federal agencies and to other businesses may self-represent their status by answering the four gateway questions on the qualification page to ensure their eligibility as a veteran, as a service-disabled veteran (if applicable), that the business is at least 51% owned and controlled by veteran(s) or service-disabled veteran(s) and that the business meets Federal small business size standards. However companies using this status will not be eligible for benefits under PL 109-461.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

*You must be registered in VIP before submitting a VA Form 0877.

*If you are a service-disabled veteran, and you are not receiving compensation from the VA, before submitting your VA Form 0877, please call your local VBA Regional Office at 1-800-827-1000 and ask them to verify that your service-disabled veteran status is updated in your BIRLS record.  This applies to all levels of service rating, to include 0%.

Click here to open the VA Form 0877 , VetBiz Vendor Information Pages Verification Program application.

Yet another government contract site: National Business Center - IDEAS-EC

Published
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David Esrati
on August 27, 2008
in Government Contracting Tips and VOB Opportunities
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One more place to have to look for opportunities. There is no such thing as centralized when it comes to the US Government.

Welcome to IDEAS-EC

Your source of business opportunities for the Department of the Interior and other participating agencies. To learn more about our site, click on about us. Use our quick search to get started searching for opportunities, or use our business opportunities page for more options.

National Business Center - IDEAS-EC.

RecruitMilitary Career Fair in Cincinnati on Thursday, September 04

Published
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David Esrati
on August 21, 2008
in Networking events
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Attend the RecruitMilitary Career Fair in Cincinnati on Thursday, September 04!
As an employer, you have options when it comes to attending career fairs, specifically for those who have served our country. So, how can you pick the best career fair for your recruitment dollars? Go where the national media looks to when covering military employment issues - RecruitMilitary.

Covered by both the NBC Nightly News and the Wall Street Journal, RecruitMilitary is your national leader in providing you the most opportunities to connect with job seekers as they look for new hourly and salaried positions.

Register for the Cincinnati Career Fair by CLICKING HERE
Cintas Center (Home of the Xavier Musketeers)
Thursday, September 04 2008
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you at the Cincinnati RecruitMilitary Career Fair!

Best,

Larry Slagel
Senior Vice President
RecruitMilitary Career Fairs
CareerFairs@RecruitMilitary.com
(513) 683-5020

SWCO PTAC Presents New Client Orientation and Networking Event

Published
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David Esrati
on August 19, 2008
in Government Contracting Tips and Networking events
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August 21, 2008
9:00am—4:00pm
Columbus State Community College
Center for Workforce Development
315 Cleveland Ave. Columbus, OH 43216
$65 includes lunch and networking
To register, visit www.swcoptac.org

Are you interested in selling to the Government?
SWCO PTAC can help!

The Southwest Central Ohio Procurement Technical Assistance
Center is a government funded non-profit organization whose
mission it is to assist small businesses in beginning and expanding
government sales. We’ll help you connect with:

  • Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
  • US Army Corp of Engineers
  • Defense Supply Center
  • VA Hospitals
  • NASA Glenn Research Center
  • Universities and Local School Systems
  • Local, County and State Government
  • Subcontracting Opportunities

And Much, Much, Much More!
The SWCO PTAC New Client Orientation will include:

  • Training on the government procurement process
  • Examples of effective Government marketing pieces
  • Introduction to GSA and State Term Schedules
  • Networking Opportunities

BTAS in Beavercreekwins $15M Air Force contract option

Published
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David Esrati
on August 11, 2008
in VOB Opportunities
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One of the things we have been discussing at VOB108 executive board meetings is how to build relationships with area prime contractors so that VOB108 can help them meet their sub-contracting goals.

BTAS in Beavercreek just won a major contract, according to the Dayton Business Journal:

One of the area’s largest defense contractors received a $15 million U.S. Air Force contract option on July 31.

Beavercreek-based BTAS Inc. will aid the U.S. Department of Defense by acquiring munitions, such as bombs and missiles. The contract is up for re-competition next year.

BTAS is a technology and business services company, specializing in information technology support services, financial management, and program management support to the federal marketplace. The company has more than 300 employees in 18 locations nationwide, including 106 locally. It posted $53.7 million in revenue last year.

The contract option is part of a $77 million contract awarded in 2005 through the Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., according to a contract specialist for the Technical and Acquisition Management Support at the base.

The center is responsible for the development, acquisition, testing, and deployment of all air-delivered weapons.

Beavercreek defense firm pulls in $15M Air Force contract option - Dayton Business Journal:.

Anyone want to volunteer to go out and make introductions and ask how we can help them meet SDVOB and 8a contracting requirements, or tap into our VOB team?

SDVOB’s needed in Construction for the Department of the Treasury

Published
by
David Esrati
on August 4, 2008
in Government Contracting Tips
. 0 Comments

The Department of Treasury is working to increase its awards to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB). We increased our achievements in fiscal year 2007, but we are working to do more.
The Department of Treasury is searching for SDVOSBs that are in the Construction Industry, and is asking SDVOSBs to identify themselves by responding to the following questions via e-mail to TreasuryOSDBU@do.treas.gov :

  1. Have you been awarded any Department of the Treasury contracts? If yes, please provide the contract number.
  2. If not, have you been awarded any contracts and/or subcontracts? If yes, please provide the contract and/or subcontract number.
  3. Did you meet your delivery dates?
  4. Was your customer satisfied with the service or product you provided?
  5. Provide the name, phone number and e-mail address for the Federal or prime contractor point of contact.

Please respond ASAP!!!
For more information, please send e-mail to:
TreasuryOSDBU@do.treas.gov

Point of Contact:
Teresa L.G. Lewis
Director
Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization
U.S. Department of Treasury
(202) 622-2826
“Small Businesses Stimulate the Economy”

Aug 14 2008 Teaming Meeting: Tom Di Nino on the life and times of a supplier rep

Published
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David Esrati
on July 24, 2008
in Government Contracting Tips and VOB108 meetings
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Tom used to launch missles for Uncle Sam, now he helps businesses launch their business with Government contracts. He’ll be at our August meeting to share his stories of how business is done inside the fence at WPAFB all the way through the halls of the Pentagon.

The meeting is free. We start at Noon- end at 2pm. EMTEC/PTAC Building, 3155 Research Blvd Dayton, OH 45420 upstairs conference room.

If you want pizza, it’s $5 and we’d love an RSVP. Please email vp@vob108.org with your head count and pizza requests.

Tom’s Bio:

Tom Di Nino provides aerospace business development, marketing, client company representation, and technical and management consulting as a service to his clients.  Tom founded Core IV Consulting, Inc. in May, 2005 which provides the four core capabilities to those companies wanting to efficiently and effectively gain business with the US Air Force.

Prior to that, he provided business development, marketing and representation to a number of clients at Treble One Consulting.  He retired from the Air Force as a colonel on 1 February 2003 having concluded almost 26 years of government service.  His initial five year operational tour as a Titan II missile launch officer was followed by a broad range of acquisition assignments throughout the Air Force.  Tom was both a contracting officer and a program manager and holds the highest-level government certifications in both disciplines.  He was a base-level supplies buyer and an in-plant contract administrator.  Tom held a number of acquisition positions at the Pentagon and at Headquarters, Air Force Material Command and he led several program offices and divisions at Aeronautical Systems Center.

Tom is currently the Communications VP for the Dayton Chapter of the Air Force Association and is a past president, and current chair of 2 committees of the Dayton Area Defense Contractors Association.  He is also the newsletter editor of the Greater Dayton Real Estate Investor Association.

We hope to see you there.

VOB108 meeting, 10 July 08 Tedd Shimp, Taft/

Published
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David Esrati
on July 8, 2008
in VOB108 meetings
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Our speaker will be Tedd Shimp with Taft/

Tedd will be sharing his knowledge of Minority contracting requirements, joint ventures and his experience as a Government Contract Attorney at WPAFB.
He will be bringing an associate to cover tax law involved in joint ventures and partnerships, and to answer questions.
He’s been involved with DADCA and serves on the board as the Director of Communications.

His bio from the Taftlaw site
Tedd J. Shimp
Of Counsel
TEDD J. SHIMP is an attorney in the Dayton office of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP.  Mr. Shimp received his business degree in 1986 from Millersville University and law degree in 1989 from the University of Dayton School of Law.  Mr. Shimp has also received advanced training in information technology and multimedia from ITT Tech.  He focuses his practice in government contracts, construction law and litigation. With almost 18 years in practice as a government contract attorney, Mr. Shimp has developed a breadth of knowledge and experience dealing with the Federal Acquisition Regulations, construction, service contracting and manufacturers.  Mr. Shimp also has significant experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution and litigation. He is a member of the Dayton, Ohio State, American Bar Associations (Section of Public Contract Law), and the Boards of Contract Appeals Association.  Mr. Shimp is also a member of the National Contract Management Association and is the Director of Communications for the Dayton Area Defense Contractors Association.  Mr. Shimp is also a chapter author of the Manual for Pro Se Litigants, Before the Federal Boards of Contract Appeals, 2002, American Bar Association, ABA Section of Public Contract Law.  Mr. Shimp is also a licensed attorney in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The meeting is free, however RSVP’s are required. If you want pizza, it’s $5 and we need to know in your rsvp that you want it. Send your reservation to vp@vob108.org

Pizza is gourmet from Dayton’s Original Pizza Factory, and there is a soda machine in the building.

meeting is at our standard meeting room, upstairs at EMTEC in the large conference room.

EMTEC/PTAC Building, 3155 Research Blvd Dayton, OH 45420

It’s ORCA update time!

Published
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David Esrati
on July 3, 2008
in Government Contracting Tips
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It’s not enough that it adds at least 50 pages to every bid you make (as if ANY contracting officer will read the whole thing) but, now they want you to update it (apparently someone did finally read it and found errors!).

Here are the instructions (only slightly longer than the Declaration of Independence):

The ORCA website was updated on July 3, 2008. Please resubmit your ORCA record to certify recent changes made in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). A link to the FAR is provided for your reference at http://www.arnet.gov/far/. A summary of the changes made to the ORCA application are provided below:

* Updated Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications
* Updated Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.209-5 Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters
* Corrected a system “bug” in FAR 52.212-3(c)(4) and FAR 52.219-1(b)(2). In these provisions, ORCA will display “is” when a vendor is a “self certified Small Disadvantaged Business” (SDB) in CCR or if the vendor is an SBA certified Small Disadvantaged Business. (This change only affects vendors who are self certified as a small disadvantaged business in CCR.)
* Modified Question 9 of the ORCA Questionnaire (see the revised question below). Responses to this question will be used to populate FAR provisions 52.209-5 and 52.212-3.

Question 9. In the past three-year period, has TEST COMPANY A (DOING BUSINESS AS: TEST DBA), or any of its principals, been convicted or had a civil judgment rendered against it for: commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, state, or local) contract or subcontract; violation of Federal or state antitrust statutes relating to the submission of offers; or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, tax evasion, violating Federal criminal tax laws, or receiving stolen property? (FAR 52.209-5), (FAR 52.212-3)
____Yes   ___No
In the past three years, has TEST COMPANY (DBA) been notified of any delinquent Federal Taxes in an amount that exceeds $3,000 for which liability remains unsatisfied?
____Yes   ___No

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESUBMIT/UPDATE YOUR ORCA RECORD:

Continue reading ‘It’s ORCA update time!’

VOB and SDVOB procurement fair, 20 Aug 08, NJ

Published
by
David Esrati
on June 30, 2008
in VOB Opportunities
. 0 Comments

Another meet and greet:

The Office of Small Business Programs is pleased to announce the 2008 Veterans and Service Disabled Veterans Government Procurement Fair on 20 Aug 08 at Zeris Inn, Route 46 East, Mountain Lakes, NJ.  Attached is the promotional event flyer with all the pertinent information and registration.  Mark your calendars, click on the website for information/registration and get ready for a morning full of networking,
workshops and special guest speakers!  This year we have invited several major large business firms and other government and state buying activities to attend this fair.

Register online (this site has all the info on the flyer) at www.wisewebnet.com/vets

Of course- they sent the “flyer” as a ppt- that can’t be copied- so I made a pdf- but all the info is there (when is our government going to learn how to do a proper PDF?)

I’ve attached the flyer here, but all the info is in teh link above in a more useful format: veterans-and-service-disabled-veterans-government-procurement-fair