The Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) has announced a new initiative in which it will partner with the National Veteran Owned Business Association (NaVOBA), a non-profit with a mission to support veteran-owned businesses, to recognize NaVOBA certifications for the purpose of State contracting.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both the SDO and NaVOBA, veteran-owned businesses, including service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, that are certified by NaVOBA will be eligible to have their NaVOBA certifications recognized by SDO, rather than needing to be separately certified by the SDO. This will enable theses businesses to take advantage of opportunities available to SDO-certified businesses, including listing in a directory, access to training and support, and opportunities for bidding on State contracts.
The cross-certification partnership with NaVOBA is similar to ones SDO already maintains with the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, the Center for Women's Enterprise, the City of Boston, and others.
The new initiative for cross-certification with NaVOBA comes after the SDO mandated, as part of its Municipal Construction Affirmative Marketing Program, that certain construction projects must allocate three percent of their funding to certified veteran-owned businesses and/or service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.
"We are proud to launch this new partnership that will lower barriers for veteran-owned businesses to bid for contracts and do business with the state," said Governor Maura Healey in a statement.
Read the press release from the State at https://www.mass.gov/news/state-supplier-diversity-office-announces-partnership-with-national-organization-to-increase-opportunities-for-veteran-owned-businesses.
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