Purpose

To determine the extent of progress that the Office of General Services (OGS) has made in implementing the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) Program. The audit covers the period June 1, 2014 through December 31, 2015.

Background

The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act (Act) was signed into law on May 12, 2014. The Act established a 6 percent goal for SDVOB participation in State contracts. The Act also created the Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (Division) within OGS to oversee the State’s SDVOB Program (Program) and to certify eligible businesses. As of December 28, 2015, there were 178 State-certified SDVOBs.

Key Findings

• From June 2014 through December 2015, the Division made substantial progress on its responsibilities as defined by the Act. For example, the Division issued regulations, established adequate policies and procedures for certifying SDVOBs and complied with them, and also conducted significant outreach to veterans groups, State agencies, and public authorities about the Program.
• The Division has not yet developed a written, comprehensive statewide plan for implementing the Program. The Program would benefit from such a plan that includes progressive milestones and participation goals to guide its future progress. The Program could also benefit from additional efforts to identify and address barriers to SDVOB development.

Key Recommendations

• Develop a formal strategic plan to guide the Program’s future development.
• Expand efforts to gather and analyze information on agency contracting needs and potential service gaps, and work with strategic partners to increase the pool of certified SDVOBs to address any unmet needs.

Other Related Audits/Reports of Interest

Metropolitan Transportation Authority: Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise Reporting (2010-S-9)
Dormitory Authority of the State of New York: Contract Participation of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (2014-S-7)