Target Logistics

"One of the unintended results of the mandate [is that] it diminishes the role of the veteran-owned business," says Sherry Vance, vice president of business development for LSI, a small, veteran-owned business in Washington that provides information technology training. "Anyone who volunteers and puts their life on the line should receive special treatment." Vance would like to see set-asides for all veteran-owned businesses, not just service-disabled.
"There's no help for a company like ours," says Beth Miller-Herholtz, vice president of corporate development at SNVC in Fairfax, Va. Agencies are not required to give veteran-owned businesses contracting preferences. She'd like a law change that would allow veteran-owned businesses to compete on the same set-asides for the service-disabled. If price and all else were equal, she says, the contract should go to a service-disabled veteran-owned company. But, she adds, if the veteran-owned company offers a better price, it should win.
Part of the problem lies with the definition of disabled. According to Veterans Affairs, a minor scar classifies someone as "zero percent" disabled, which qualifies them for the contracting preference, but not monetary compensation. There are 2.3 million veterans classified as zero percent disabled and 2.6 million veterans whose disabilities are serious enough to grant them monthly compensation checks. The entire veteran population is 24 million.
Of course, no one wants to appear unappreciative of what service-disabled vets have sacrificed. They were injured as a result of service to their country, and many aren't shy about standing up for their special privileges. "If [people] have any heartburn about it, they should be grateful that they didn't get hurt," says Tom Flannery, co-owner of Veteran Enterprise Technology Services, a Reston, Va., service-disabled veteran-owned business. Flannery, who served in the Air Force in Vietnam, has a noncombat spinal injury.
Meanwhile, even service-disabled businesses say they don't have enough help winning contracts. Despite the 3 percent target, agencies awarded only 0.61 percent of federal contracting dollars to them in 2005. There is no penalty for failing to meet requirements. "Our biggest problem is ambivalence. The government really doesn't give a damn," says Jack O'Brien, president of Go-Vets Inc. in Fairfax Station, Va., whose Web site (www.govetsusa.com) connects contractors with agencies and each other.
"It's only been in place for two years, so a lot of government officials are not familiar with it," says William "Bud" Almas, owner of B3 Solutions LLC in Jacksonville, Fla. The logistics company is classified as a service-disabled business be-cause Almas, an Army veteran, has a back injury. He and his partner, Brenda Bearden, say they often find themselves teaching contracting officers about the service-disabled target because they aren't familiar with it. Some vet activists are lobbying Congress for changes to the law that would force agencies to take the target more seriously. The House passed legislation in July that would prohibit bonuses for VA procurement officials who do not meet the 3 percent target. At press time, the bill was being reviewed by the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Credits

For more details on Single Source Solutions, please click to the Solutions Section of our web site. You may also connect with us as shown on our Contact Page, or fill out the Request for Consultation form. One of our representatives will contact you within 24 hours to discuss your needs and potential solutions.

to top

3rd Party Logistics Air Logistics Applied Logistics Regression Business Logistics Business Logistics Supply Chain Management California Third Party Logistics Contemporary Logistics Distribution Logistics Freight Logistics Handling Third Party Logistics Material Health Care Logistics Integrated Logistics Solution Lean Logistics Logistics Business Management Logistics Consultant Logistics Consulting Logistics Definition Logistics Distribution Management Logistics Health Logistics Manager Logistics Outsourcing Logistics Promotion Services Trade Show Logistics Services Logistics Solution Logistics System Logistics Training Management System Vendor Pro Logistics Reverse Logistics Shipping Logistics Strategic Logistics Management Supply Chain Logistics Target Logistics Third Party Logistics Company Third Party Logistics Firm Third Party Logistics Provider Third Party Logistics Services Third Party Logistics Software Third Party Logistics Warehousing Total Logistics Control Total Quality Logistics Transport Logistics Trucking Logistics Warehouse Logistics Defense Logistics Agency Logistics Logistics Company Logistics Management Logistics Regression Shipping Storage And Logistics Supply Chain Logistics Management Third Party Logistics