How do I find contracts set aside for veterans?
Published
This post lands on Veterans Day, so first things first. If you served, thank you for your service. If you now run a business, part of that buying is reserved for certified veteran-owned firms.
Yes, we can do that. GovInbox at getgovinbox.com keeps a running watch on federal contract opportunities. Set-aside type is one filter you can apply, veteran lanes included. Ask in plain words, and open any match to get the full record with the official SAM.gov link.
The two veteran lanes
A set-aside is a federal contract reserved for businesses in a specific lane. For veteran-owned firms there are two lanes, and they are not the same thing.
SDVOSB means Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. Qualifying owners are veterans with a service-connected disability. A competed SDVOSB set-aside limits bidding to eligible firms in that lane, and certified SDVOSB firms can pursue set-aside and sole-source work across the federal government. A sole-source award goes to one eligible firm without a full competition, when the legal conditions are met.
VOSB means Veteran-Owned Small Business. No service-connected disability is required. The VOSB contracting benefit runs through one department: the VA, under its Vets First program. Certified SDVOSB firms get considered first, then certified VOSB firms. The VA buyer applies the Rule of Two: if the buyer can reasonably expect offers from at least two eligible, capable firms at a fair and reasonable price, the buy gets set aside for that group. Some VA purchases can also go sole-source when the rules allow it.
Both lanes run on certification. The SBA runs the program, called VetCert, and checks veteran status with the VA. The basics have the same shape in both lanes: qualifying veterans own at least 51% of the business, directly and unconditionally, and veterans control daily work and long-term decisions. For SDVOSB, those owners are service-disabled veterans. Certification makes you eligible to compete in the lane, contract by contract, as long as your firm is small under that contract's trade code (NAICS) size standard. Certification alone does not win anything. If you are not certified yet, VetCert at the SBA is the official route.
How GovInbox finds them
Every four hours, GovInbox pulls new set-aside notices from the official SAM.gov API and matches them against your programs, NAICS codes, keywords, and states.
You can also search on demand, in plain words: SDVOSB set-asides in your trade, in your state, due this quarter. Open the full record on any match and you get the official SAM.gov link, so you can read the notice itself before deciding anything.
A few limits, stated plainly. GovInbox does not decide whether your firm qualifies for a lane, and it does not certify anyone. That is the SBA's call, through VetCert. And finding a notice is not winning it. GovInbox does not promise awards, write proposals, or help with SAM.gov registration. The bidding is still yours.
What it looks like in practice
Here is what the search looks like. These examples are illustrative, not live results:
You: Which SDVOSB set-asides are open for IT services in Texas?
GovInbox: Matching notices under your NAICS code, all SDVOSB set-asides with Texas as the place of performance. Watch the notice type as you scan: a sources-sought notice means the agency is still doing market research, not asking for bids yet. Open the full record for the official SAM.gov link.
You: Are there VOSB set-asides at the VA for building maintenance in my state?
GovInbox: VOSB set-asides exist at the VA under Vets First. These are the open ones in your state and trade. Read the set-aside language in the official notice before planning around it.
You: I served, but my firm is not certified yet. Can I still look?
GovInbox: You can look today. Veteran set-asides are for certified firms, and certification runs through SBA VetCert. GovInbox cannot certify you or judge whether you qualify.
Your first veteran-lane checklist
Do this once:
- Check your certification status. If you need certification, start with SBA VetCert. Bidding waits on it. Searching does not.
- Write down your lane and your trade code. SDVOSB or VOSB, plus your NAICS code. One of each is enough to start.
- Run the search. Add place of performance and a deadline window.
- Open the record and verify. Follow the official SAM.gov link and read the set-aside language yourself before spending time on a response.
That is the whole habit. Check, search, verify. The contracts set aside for veterans become a list you can work.
GovInbox is a private service. We are not SAM.gov, GSA, or any part of the U.S. government. Q&A examples above are illustrative.
How do I find contracts set aside for veterans? We can do that. GovInbox at getgovinbox.com.