Noteboom The Law Firm

New VA Program Mentors Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

December 30, 2010 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a stake in ensuring veteran-owned small businesses are able to become and remain competitive in the marketplace. To accomplish this goal, the VA developed a specialized business mentoring program. Twenty small businesses owned by either veterans or service-disabled veterans were specially selected to participate in the VA's new mentoring program.

Everybody involved in the program will benefit in one way or another. The veteran-owned businesses gain VA guidance. The VA gains higher quality contractors schooled in the VA's expectations. The end users, the veterans, receive better VA care and services.

The VA has a goal to grant as many government contracts as possible to veteran-owned small businesses. Establishing the mentoring program serves to create and promote the best possible situation for all involved parties.

The program can last up to 36 months, depending on the level of commitment the VA requires from the particular contractor. The time the mentor firm and the protégé contractor spend together will consist of developing a working business relationship, while at the same time giving those veteran contractors necessary skills.

The firms providing the mentoring services are not necessarily government owned. If the VA grants the protégé contractor work because they were mentored, the benefit of the program becomes immediately obvious. The VA will eventually pair mentors and veteran-owned contracting businesses every 6 months once the program becomes stable.