H.R. 7534: Contract Our Veterans Act of 2026

This bill, known as the Contract Our Veterans Act of 2026, aims to improve the participation of small businesses owned and controlled by veterans in federal procurement processes. Here’s a breakdown of the main provisions of the bill:

1. Establishment of Goals

The bill amends the Small Business Act to set specific participation goals for small businesses owned and controlled by veterans in government procurement contracts. Specifically, it establishes a minimum goal of **5%** for these businesses in all prime contract and subcontract awards for each fiscal year.

2. Contracting Procedures

The bill allows contracting officers to award contracts to veteran-owned small businesses without requiring competitive bidding if:

• The business is deemed a responsible source for contract performance.
• The contract amount does not exceed specified thresholds.
• The contract price is fair and provides good value to the government.

Additionally, contracts may be awarded based on competition restricted to veteran-owned businesses if there is a reasonable expectation of multiple bids from such businesses.

3. Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for contracts under this new section, both the business and its veteran owner must be listed in a designated database that verifies their status as veteran-owned.

4. Reporting Requirements

The bill requires updates to the reporting obligations within the Small Business Act to ensure accurate tracking and reporting of contracts awarded to veteran-owned businesses. This includes:

• Incorporating veteran-owned businesses into existing reports that currently focus on women-owned businesses.
• Tracking awards and dollar amounts specifically attributed to contracts with veteran-owned businesses.

5. Support and Utilization

The bill aims to enhance resources and support for veteran-owned small businesses by modifying various sections of the Small Business Act which include:

• Updating the roles of Business Opportunity Specialists and Commercial Market Representatives to include veteran-focused programs.
• Additions to the evaluations of competitive offers to consider veteran-owned businesses.

Through these updates, the legislation seeks to streamline and promote increased participation of veteran-owned businesses in federal contracts.

6. Limitations on Subcontracting

The legislation also includes provisions to ensure that if a veteran-owned small business is awarded a contract, the majority of the work must be performed by that veteran-owned business, thus limiting the use of subcontractors in certain situations.

Relevant Companies

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