Small businesses can be categorized based on their ownership status. These categories include Minority Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). Encorus Group is certified and verified as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) at both the federal and New York State levels. The purpose of these programs is to level the playing field by allowing small businesses a chance to perform government contracts and gain the experience needed to grow.
The New York State Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act, which was signed into law on May 12, 2014, encourages and supports eligible businesses in playing a larger role in the economy of the state by increasing participation in New York State’s contracting opportunities.
As of April of 2016, all NYS agencies and authorities are required to reach the 6% SDVOSB usage goal – that is, to utilize SDVOSB firms for at least 6% of a contract’s value. In addition to the portions of contracts that are designated for SDVOSBs, there are also entire contracts that are SDVOSB set-aside, meaning that only SDVOSB certified firms can submit a proposal and be considered for the job.
Qualifications to be a verified SDVOSB in New York state include being independently owned and operated, having no more than 300 employees, be at least 51% owned and controlled by a service-disabled veteran who has authority over the business’s day-to-day operations, and is located in New York state.
This SDVOSB classification is an important part of Encorus’s identity and how we function as a business. These usage requirements allow us to team up with other firms and work on projects that we may not have been considered for as a singular small business. It also allows us to increase our participation in contracting opportunities and play a greater role in the state’s economy. If you have a project that includes a SDVOSB requirement, contact Senior Marketing Coordinator Tara Lowry at (716) 592-3980, ext. 120 or tlowry@encorus.com to help you reach that goal.
