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House Resolution: H.R. 7401    Contract Our Veterans Act of 2024

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 raises the government-wide goal of awarding contracts to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses from 3 percent to 5 percent.  There is no goal for awarding contracts to veteran-owned small businesses. H.R. 7401 would establish a veteran-owned small business goal in the Department of Defense (DoD) of 5 percent of contract awards to veteran-owned small businesses.

H.R. 7401 also provides DoD with a mechanism to reach these goals similar to the special authorities provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) known as “VETS First”. Under VETS First, VA is authorized to set-aside” contract opportunities with competition restricted to veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. The result of VETS First at VA has been an exponential rise in contract awards.  Prior to VETS First VA awarded approximately 3 percent