Pennsylvania bill to include veteran businesses in existing certification

PA News - Published Sep 21, 2022

The Pennsylvania House Commerce Committee is considering a bill, House Bill 2682, which would include veteran-owned businesses (VBEs) within the category of small diverse businesses (SDBs) This would mean VBEs would no longer need to seek to separate verification as an SDB, being considered such automatically by virtue of their VBE certification.

Small diverse business verification is currently conducted by the Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion, and Small Business Opportunities (BDISBO) within the Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS). Businesses wishing to be verified as an SDB must currently hold third-party certification from any state's DBE UCP program, or from a listed number of private and governmental entities. Third-party certification programs currently accepted by BDISBO for VBEs are the Vets First Verification Program at vetbiz.gov and the Disability:IN program (for DVBEs and SDVBEs only).

Read the bill at https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2021&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=2682.