(a) Qualification as a VOSB. To qualify as a VOSB, a business entity must be:

(1) A small business concern as defined in part 121 of this chapter under the size standard corresponding to any NAICS code listed in its SAM profile;

(2) Not less than 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more veterans.

(b) Qualification as an SDVOSB. To qualify as an SDVOSB, a business entity must be:

(1) A small business concern as defined in part 121 of this chapter under the size standard corresponding to any NAICS code listed in its SAM profile;

(2) Not less than 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans or, in the case of a veteran with a disability that is rated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as a permanent and total disability who are unable to manage the daily business operations of such concern, the spouse or permanent caregiver of such veteran.

(c) VOSB and SDVOSB certification requirement. (1) A concern must be certified as a VOSB or SDVOSB pursuant to § 128.300 in order to be awarded a VOSB or SDVOSB set-aside or sole source contract. Any small business concern that submits a complete certification application to SBA on or before December 31, 2023, shall be eligible to self-certify for SDVOSB sole source or set-aside contracts (other than VA contracts) until SBA declines or approves the concern's application. Any small business concern that does not submit a complete SDVOSB certification application to SBA on or before December 31, 2023, will no longer be eligible to self-certify for SDVOSB sole source or set-aside contracts effective January 1, 2024.

(2) A concern must be certified pursuant to § 128.300 to receive a prime contract that is to be counted by a Federal agency for the purposes of meeting participation goals for SDVOSBs or to receive a subcontract from a Federal prime contractor for the purpose of meeting subcontracting goals for SBVOSBs in Federal procurement contracts. Any small business concern that submits a complete certification application to SBA on or before December 22, 2024, shall be eligible to self-certify for a Federal prime or subcontract that counts towards SDVOSB goaling purposes or SDVOSB subcontracting goals, respectively, until SBA declines or approves the concern's application. Any small business concern that does not submit a complete SDVOSB certification application to SBA on or before December 22, 2024, will no longer be eligible to self-certify for a Federal prime or subcontract that counts towards SDVOSB goaling purposes or SDVOSB subcontracting goals, respectively.

[87 FR 73412, Nov. 29, 2022, as amended at 89 FR 48269, June 6, 2024]

(a) Suspension and debarment. (1) In order to be eligible for VOSB or SDVOSB certification and to remain certified, the concern and any of its owners must not have an active exclusion in SAM.

(2) An Applicant or Participant must immediately notify SBA of any active exclusion.

(3) If, after certifying a Participant, SBA discovers that a firm has been suspended from Federal Government contracting, SBA will propose the firm for decertification pursuant to § 128.310.

(4) If, after certifying a Participant, SBA discovers that a firm has been debarred from federal government contracting, SBA will remove the Participant from the certification database immediately, notwithstanding the provisions of § 128.310.

(b) Financial obligations. An Applicant is not eligible for certification as a VOSB or SDVOSB if the concern, or any of the principals, fail to pay significant financial obligations owed to the Federal Government, including unresolved tax liens and defaults on Federal loans, or other government-assisted financing. An Applicant may become eligible for certification as a VOSB or SDVOSB if the firm or the affected principals can demonstrate that the financial obligations owed have been settled, discharged, or forgiven by the Federal Government. If, after certifying a Participant, SBA discovers that the Participant or any principals have failed to pay significant financial obligations owed to the Federal Government, SBA will initiate proceedings to decertify the Participant and remove it from the certification database pursuant to § 128.310.

[87 FR 73412, Nov. 29, 2022, as amended at 88 FR 26216, Apr. 27, 2023]

To qualify as a VOSB, one or more veterans must unconditionally and directly own at least 51 percent of the concern. To qualify as a SDVOSB, one or more service-disabled veterans must unconditionally and directly own at least 51 percent of the concern.

(a) Direct ownership. To be considered direct ownership, the qualifying veteran must own 51 percent of the concern directly, and not through another business entity or trust (including an ESOP). However, ownership by a trust, such as a living trust, may be considered direct ownership where the trust is revocable, and qualifying veterans are the grantors, trustees, and the current beneficiaries of the trust.

(b) Unconditional ownership. To be considered unconditional, ownership must not be subject to any conditions, executory agreements, voting trusts, restrictions on or assignments of voting rights, or other arrangements causing or potentially causing ownership benefits to go to another (other than after death or incapacity).

(1) The pledge or encumbrance of stock or other ownership interest as collateral, including seller-financed transactions, does not affect the unconditional nature of ownership if the terms follow normal commercial practices and the owner retains control absent violations of the terms.

(2) In determining unconditional ownership, SBA will disregard any unexercised stock options or similar agreements held by qualifying veterans. However, any unexercised stock options or similar agreements (including rights to convert non-voting stock or debentures into voting stock) held by non-veterans will be treated as exercised, except for any ownership interests which are held by investment companies licensed under 15 U.S.C. 681 et. seq.

(3) A right of first refusal granting the non-qualifying-veteran the contractual right to purchase the ownership interests of the qualifying veteran, does not affect the unconditional nature of ownership, if the terms follow normal commercial practices. If those rights are exercised by the non-qualifying-veteran, a Participant must notify SBA in accordance with § 128.307. If the exercise of those rights results in the qualifying veteran(s) owning less than 51% of the concern, SBA will initiate decertification pursuant to § 128.310.

(c) Ownership of a partnership. In the case of a concern that is a partnership, at least 51% of aggregate voting interest must be unconditionally owned by one or more qualifying veterans. The ownership must be reflected in the concern's partnership agreement.

(d) Ownership of a limited liability company. In the case of a concern which is a limited liability company, at least 51% of each class of member interest must be unconditionally owned by one or more qualifying veterans.

(e) Ownership of a corporation. In the case of a concern which is a corporation, at least 51% of the aggregate of all stock outstanding and at least 51% of each class of voting stock outstanding must be unconditionally owned by one or more qualifying veterans. In the case of a publicly-owned business, not less than 51 percent of the stock (not including any stock owned by an ESOP) must be unconditionally owned by one or more qualifying veterans.

(f) Change of ownership. A Participant may change its ownership or business structure so long as one or more qualifying veterans own and control it after the change. A Participant must notify SBA of a change of ownership in accordance with § 128.307 and attest to its continued eligibility.

(g) Dividends and distributions. One or more qualifying veterans must be entitled to receive:

(1) At least 51 percent of the annual distribution of profits paid to the owners of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company concern, and a qualifying veteran's ability to share in the profits of the concern must be commensurate with the extent of his/her ownership interest in that concern.

(2) 100 percent of the value of each share of stock owned by them in the event that the stock or member interest is sold;

(3) At least 51 percent of the retained earnings of the concern and 100 percent of the unencumbered value of each share of stock or member interest owned in the event of dissolution of the corporation, partnership, or limited liability company; and

(h) Community property. Ownership will be determined without regard to community property laws.

(i) Surviving spouse. (1) A small business concern owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans immediately prior to the death of a service-disabled veteran who was the owner of the concern, the death of whom causes the concern to be less than 51 percent owned by one or more service-disabled veterans, will continue to qualify as a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans during the time period specified in paragraph (i)(2) of this section if:

(i) The surviving spouse of the deceased veteran acquires such veteran's ownership interest in such concern;

(ii) Such veteran had a service-connected disability (as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(16)); and

(iii) For a Participant, immediately prior to the death of such veteran, and during the period described in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the small business concern is included in the certification database.

(2) The time period described in paragraph (i)(1)(iii) of this section is the time period beginning on the date of the veteran's death and ending on the earlier of—

(i) The date on which the surviving spouse remarries;

(ii) The date on which the surviving spouse relinquishes an ownership interest in the small business concern;

(iii) In the case of a surviving spouse of a veteran with a service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling or who dies as a result of a service-connected disability, 10 years after the date of the death of the veteran; or

(iv) In the case of a surviving spouse of a veteran with a service-connected disability rated as less than 100 percent disabling who does not die as a result of a service-connected disability, 3 years after the date of the death of the veteran.

(a) General. To be an eligible VOSB, the management and daily business operations of the concern must be controlled by one or more veterans. To be an eligible SDVOSB, the management and daily business operations of the concern must be controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans (or in the case of a veteran with permanent and severe disability, the spouse or permanent caregiver of such veteran). Control by one or more qualifying veterans means that one or more qualifying veterans controls both the long-term decision-making and the day-to-day operations of the Applicant or Participant.

(b) Managerial position and experience. A qualifying veteran must hold the highest officer position in the concern (usually President or Chief Executive Officer) and must have managerial experience of the extent and complexity needed to control the concern. The qualifying veteran need not have the technical expertise or possess the required license to be found to control of the concern if the qualifying veteran can demonstrate that he or she has ultimate managerial and supervisory control over those who possess the required licenses or technical expertise.

(c) Control over a partnership. In the case of a partnership, one or more qualifying veterans must serve as general partners, with control over all partnership decisions.

(d) Control over a limited liability company. In the case of a limited liability company, one or more qualifying veterans must serve as managing members, with control over all decisions of the limited liability company.

(e) Control over a corporation. One or more qualifying veterans must control the Board of Directors of the concern.

(1) SBA will deem qualifying veterans to control the Board of Directors where:

(i) One qualifying veteran owns 100% of all voting stock and is on the Board of Directors;

(ii) One qualifying veteran owns at least 51% of all voting stock, the qualifying veteran is on the Board of Directors, and no supermajority voting requirements exist for shareholders to approve corporation actions. Where supermajority voting requirements are provided for in the concern's articles of incorporation, its by-laws, or by state law, the qualifying veteran must own at least the percent of the voting stock needed to overcome any such supermajority voting requirements; or

(iii) Two or more qualifying veterans together own at least 51% of all voting stock, each such qualifying veteran is on the Board of Directors, no supermajority voting requirements exist, and the qualifying veteran shareholders can demonstrate that they have made enforceable arrangements to permit one qualifying veteran to vote the stock of all qualifying veterans as a block without a shareholder meeting. Where the concern has supermajority voting requirements, the qualifying veteran shareholders must own at least that percentage of voting stock needed to overcome any such supermajority ownership requirements.

(2) Where a concern does not meet the requirements set forth in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the qualifying veteran(s) must control the Board of Directors through actual numbers of voting directors or, where permitted by state law, through weighted voting (e.g., in a concern having a two-person Board of Directors where one individual on the Board is a qualifying veteran and one is not, the qualifying veteran vote must be weighted—worth more than one vote—in order for the concern to be eligible). Where a concern seeks to comply with this paragraph (e)(2):

(i) Provisions for the establishment of a quorum cannot permit non-qualifying-veteran Directors to control the Board of Directors, directly or indirectly; and

(ii) Any Executive Committee of Directors must be controlled by qualifying veteran Directors unless the Executive Committee can only make recommendations to and cannot independently exercise the authority of the Board of Directors.

(iii) Non-qualifying-veterans may be found to control or have the power to control in circumstances where non-qualifying-veterans control the Board of Directors of the Applicant or Participant, either directly through majority voting membership, or indirectly, where the by-laws allow non-qualifying-veterans to prevent a quorum or block actions proposed by the qualifying veterans.

(3) Non-voting, advisory, or honorary Directors may be appointed without affecting qualifying veterans' control of the Board of Directors.

(4) Arrangements regarding the structure and voting rights of the Board of Directors must comply with applicable state law.

(f) Supermajority requirements. One or more qualifying veteran(s) must meet all supermajority voting requirements regarding the management and daily business operations of the concern, regardless of the legal structure of the firm. An Applicant must inform the SBA, when applicable, of any supermajority voting requirements provided for in its articles of incorporation, its by-laws, by state law, or otherwise. Similarly, after being certified, a Participant must inform the SBA of changes regarding supermajority voting requirements.

(g) Unexercised rights. A qualifying veteran's unexercised right to cause a change in the control or management of the concern does not in itself constitute control, regardless of how quickly or easily the right could be exercised.

(h) Limitations on control by non-qualifying-veterans. (1) A non-qualifying-veteran must not:

(i) Exercise actual control or have the power to control the concern;

(ii) Have business relationships that cause such dependence that the qualifying veteran cannot exercise independent business judgment without great economic risk;

(iii) Control the Applicant or Participant through loan arrangements (which does not include providing a loan guaranty on commercially reasonable terms);

(iv) Provide critical financial or bonding support or a critical license to the Applicant or Participant, which directly or indirectly allows the non-qualifying-veteran significantly to influence business decisions of the qualifying veteran.

(2) A non-qualifying-veteran may be involved in the management of the concern, and may be a stockholder, partner, limited liability member, officer, and/or director of the concern. However, a non-qualifying-veteran generally may not:

(i) Be a former employer, or a principal of a former employer, of any qualifying veteran, unless the concern demonstrates that the relationship between the former employer or principal and the qualifying veteran does not give the former employer actual control or the potential to control the Applicant or Participant and such relationship is in the best interests of the concern; or

(ii) Receive compensation from the concern in any form as a director, officer, or employee, that exceeds the compensation to be received by the qualifying veteran who holds the highest officer position (usually Chief Executive Officer or President), unless the concern demonstrates that the compensation to be received by the non-qualifying veteran is commercially reasonable or that the qualifying veteran has elected to take lower compensation to benefit the concern.

(i) Limitation on outside employment. The qualifying veteran who holds the highest officer position of the business concern may not engage in outside employment that prevent the qualifying veteran from devoting the time and attention to the concern necessary to control its management and daily business operations. A qualifying veteran generally must devote full-time during the business's normal hours of operations, unless the concern demonstrates that the qualifying veteran has ultimate managerial and supervisory control over both the long-term decision making and day-to-day management of the concern. Where a qualifying veteran claiming to control a business concern devotes fewer hours to the business than its normal hours of operation, SBA will assume that the qualifying veteran does not control the concern, unless the concern demonstrates that the qualifying veteran has ultimate managerial and supervisory control over both the long-term decision making and day-to-day management of the business.

(j) Exception for extraordinary circumstances. SBA will not find that a lack of control exists where a qualifying veteran does not have the unilateral power and authority to make decisions regarding the following extraordinary circumstances:

(1) Adding a new equity stakeholder;

(2) Dissolution of the company;

(3) Sale of the company or all assets of the company;

(4) The merger of the company; and

(5) Company declaring bankruptcy.

(k) Exception for active duty. Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, where a qualifying veteran is a reserve component member in the United States military who has been called to active duty, the concern may elect to designate in writing one or more individuals to control the concern on behalf of the qualifying veteran during the period of active duty. The concern must keep records evidencing the qualifying veteran's active duty status and the written designation of control and provide those documents to SBA.

[87 FR 73412, Nov. 29, 2022, as amended at 88 FR 26216, Apr. 27, 2023]

(a) Time of certification. At the time of certification, a VOSB or SDVOSB must be a small business under the size standard corresponding to any NAICS code listed in its SAM profile. If SBA is unable to verify that an Applicant is small, SBA may deny the concern's application as a certified VOSB or SDVOSB, or SBA may request a formal size determination pursuant to part 121 of this chapter.

(b) Time of contract offer. In connection with a VOSB or SDVOSB contract, a VOSB or SDVOSB must be small under the size standard corresponding to the NAICS code assigned to the contract at the time it submits its initial offer or response which includes price. To be eligible for a VOSB or SDVOSB multiple award contract, a VOSB or SDVOSB must be small pursuant to the requirements of § 121.404(a)(1) of this chapter. If the contracting officer is unable to verify that the VOSB or SDVOSB is small, the contracting officer should submit a size protest to SBA in accordance with part 121 of this chapter.