Purpose

To determine the extent of implementation of the recommendations in our initial audit report, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Program Implementation (Report 2015-S-81).

Background

The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act (Act) was signed into law on May 12, 2014 to encourage and support eligible veteran-owned businesses to play a greater role in the State’s economy by increasing their participation in State government contracting opportunities.  To qualify as a SDVOB, business owners must have received a service-related disability rating of 10 percent or greater from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Act also created the Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (Division) within the Office of General Services to oversee the State’s SDVOB Program (Program) and to certify eligible businesses.

Our initial audit report found the Division had made substantial progress carrying out its responsibilities to implement the Program during the 18 months since the Act was created. However, the Division had not yet developed a written, comprehensive statewide plan for implementing the Program that includes progressive milestones and participation goals. The Program could also have benefited from additional efforts to identify and address barriers to SDVOB development, which, if not addressed, could present challenges to agencies’ and authorities’ efforts to meet the State’s 6 percent participation goal.

Key Findings

We found the Division addressed the problems we identified in the initial audit, having implemented both of the prior audit’s recommendations.

Key Recommendations

None

Other Related Audit/Report of Interest

Office of General Services: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Program Implementation (2015-S-81)