VOSB participation goal included in amendment to 2026 NDAA

News - Published Oct 07, 2025

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) is currently being considered in the House and Senate. An amendment to the NDAA, entitled "Department of Defense Contracting Goals for Small Business Concerns Owned and Controlled by Veterans", has been introduced by Representative Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, which would require the Department of Defense (DoD) to establish contract participation goals for veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs).

The goal set by DoD under the terms of the amendment would be no less than that of the government-wide participation goal for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) set under the Small Business Act, that being 5 percent. The amendment also provides criteria for when contracts may be awarded on a "sole source" or non-competitive basis. Businesses would have to be certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as VOSBs to be eligible.

The amendment by Rep. Van Orden was introduced in July of 2025. However, neither the House nor the Senate versions of the NDAA have been passed into law yet.

Find the House and Senate versions of the NDAA at https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3838 and at https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2296.