Dear Veteran Small Business Owner:

As the Executive Director of Small and Veteran Business Programs for the Department of Veterans Affairs, I want to alert you to changes in the process for Verification of eligibility for the Veterans First Program and inclusion in the Vendor Information Pages (VIP).  If you want to avoid a lengthy and frustrating process that ends in failure, please read this letter before proceeding.

While we seek to expand the number of eligible businesses included in the Veterans First program, we also seek to ensure that only eligible firms receive this opportunity.  The process for verifying firms has become more rigorous since February 2011.  The fact that you were verified previous to March 2011 is not a good indicator that you will be verified now.  In 2012, to date, more than 60% of applications have been denied.  Our analysis of those denials indicates that over 90% were a result of misunderstanding of the Regulation 38 CFR 74.  Regulation 38 CFR 74 has been in place for a long period of time, and the regulatory requirements have been tried, tested, and validated.  While we have initiated a rule change process, the current regulation remains in place, and must be complied with in full in order to be verified.

If you want to avoid being denied eligibility, I urge you to take advantage of our Verification Assistance Program.  In order to eliminate failure due to misunderstanding or ignorance, we established a Verification Assistance Program.  Our goal is to increase understanding and awareness of the specific reasons for noncompliance, in an effort to increase the success rate of applicants.

If you want to be verified on the first try and avoid a very long wait in the Request for Reconsideration process, I urge you to do the following:

1. Review Verification Assistance Briefs:  These briefs have been designed to clarify rules associated with Regulation 38 CFR 74.  The briefs are based on an analysis of issues that cause the majority of denials.  Over 80% of denials are due to issues addressed in the Veteran Assistance Briefs.
   
   
2. Use Verification Self-Assessment Tool:  This tool enables you do a comprehensive review of the entire regulation, and check your business model against requirements of 38 CFR 74.
   
   
3. Seek Verification Counseling:  The Verification Counseling Program has been developed to provide training and assistance to applicants who have trouble understanding Regulation 38 CFR 74 after using the briefs and the assessment tool.  The counselors receive the same training as the Verification examiners.  They can answer questions and guide you through the Self-Assessment Tool.

If you take advantage of these tools, found at the VetBiz.gov web site, you will gain a much higher expectation of success.

While we have established a “second chance” for those who fail to comply with our Request for Reconsideration program, it currently takes in excess of 180 days to process a Request for Reconsideration.  Our current average processing time for an initial determination is less than 90 days.  Don’t put yourself in the long line.  Succeed the first time.

The bottom line:  Preparation Pays Off!

Thank you for your service and your desire to continue to serve Veterans.

Sincerely,



Thomas J. Leney
Executive Director