Westchester County Board of Legislators passes bill to increase SDVOB utilization

NY News - Published Apr 26, 2018

On Monday, the Board of Legislators for Westchester County passed legislation aimed at awarding Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs) more county contracts.

While the legislation does not establish a quota as a mechanism for increasing SDVOB participation, it does require county departments and offices to encourage the use of SDVOBs in county procurement and to document their efforts at such encouragement. In addition, the Office of Veterans Affairs for Westchester County will deliver a yearly report on the SDVOB utilization efforts in the county.

"One of the most important things we can do to help disabled veterans making the transition to private life after service, is to support their efforts to a build a livelihood at home," said Chairman of the Board Ben Boykin. "Encouraging the County to contract with service-disabled veteran-owned businesses is a great step toward providing that support. The unanimous backing for this measure shows that even in politically divisive times, there are things we all agree on, especially our responsibility to serve those who have served us."

There are approximately 15 certified SDVOBs within Westchester County - compared to a total of approximately 450 certified SDVOBs throughout New York state.