Hailey Tran
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a potential client for businesses of all sizes. The VA acquires a wide range of products and services from local, regional, and national sources for its nationwide system of hospitals, clinics, Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN), data processing centers, and national cemeteries. To do business with the VA, vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and have a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) number, which is used to track how federal money is allocated. The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) provides resources and support to businesses interested in working with the VA, including information on government procurement, subcontracting, and partnership opportunities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Department | Veterans Affairs (VA) |
| Mission | Service to more than 27 million veterans |
| Institutions | Hospitals, clinics, Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN), data processing centers, national cemeteries |
| Goods and Services | Broad spectrum of goods and services, including pharmaceuticals |
| Procurement | Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) provides resources and support to businesses interested in doing business with VA |
| Registration | Vendors must be registered in SAM (System for Award Management) and have a DUNS (Dun & Bradstreet) number |
| Opportunities | VA is a potential client for businesses of all sizes, offering billions of dollars in contracting opportunities to procurement-ready small businesses annually |
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What You'll Learn
Veterans Health Administration's Medical Surgical Prime Vendor (MSPV) program
The Veterans Health Administration's Medical Surgical Prime Vendor (MSPV) program is a service that provides a reliable and uninterrupted source of medical supplies to support the delivery of healthcare to Veterans. The MSPV program is managed by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which operates the United States' largest integrated healthcare system. The VHA provides care at 1,243 health care facilities, serving approximately 9 million enrolled Veterans annually.
The Medical Supply Program Office (MSPO) within the VHA is responsible for the oversight and execution of the MSPV program, in collaboration with the Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) and VHA Procurement for contract administration. The SAC Acquisition Services 3 (AS3) Directorate manages the distribution contracts and delivery orders, while the VHA Procurement team awards and administers the MSPV supply Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). The MSPO ensures programmatic oversight over both the distribution vehicles and supply BPAs.
The MSPV program aims to provide cost-effective ordering and distribution of healthcare supplies for VHA medical facilities. However, an audit by the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that medical facilities did not always utilize the MSPV program due to items being unavailable on the MSPV product list. As a result, facilities spent approximately $353 million on open market purchases instead of through MSPV in 2022, which could have resulted in potential savings for the VHA.
Vendors interested in doing business with the VA through the MSPV program should contact Veterans Health Affairs, Program Management Office. They can also refer to the Procurement Readiness Reference Guide, which offers information to help small businesses effectively prepare for working with the VA. Additionally, the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) provides resources, support, and guidance to businesses interested in procurement opportunities with the VA.
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Registering in the System for Award Management
To do business with the VA, vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is an official US government website that is free to use. The SAM registration process involves three options, all of which must be completed.
To register in SAM, you need a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) number. A DUNS number is a unique nine-character number used to identify your organisation. The Federal Government uses the DUNS number to track how federal money is allocated. If your organisation does not yet have a DUNS number, or you are unsure what it is, you can visit the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) website or call 866-705-5711 to register or search for a DUNS number.
The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) provides outreach and liaison support to businesses (large and small) and other members of the private sector. The OSDBU is responsible for monitoring VA implementation and execution of socioeconomic procurement programs, including the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) program. The OSDBU does not award contracts or maintain solicitation mailing lists.
The VA purchases goods and services on a national, regional, and local level. No matter how large or small your business is, the VA is a potential customer. Each facility purchases most of its requirements for direct delivery through its local acquisition office.
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How to Obtain or Locate a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) Number
To do business with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), vendors must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) and have a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) number. The VA acquires products and services through a nationwide system of hospitals, clinics, Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN), data processing centers, and national cemeteries.
DUNS numbers are unique nine-digit identifiers for businesses, provided free of charge by Dun & Bradstreet. They are used by many large companies and government agencies to identify businesses and track federal fund allocation.
To obtain a DUNS number, first check if your business already has one using the DUNS lookup tool on the Dun & Bradstreet website. If not, select the category that best fits your business and fill out the requested information, including your business address. You may be contacted by a Dun & Bradstreet representative to verify the information. You should receive your DUNS number within 30 business days, or within eight business days if you opt for the expedited service for a fee.
To complete the SAM registration, you will need similar information to that used to obtain your DUNS number, as well as your Tax Identification Number (TIN) and other data. Online registration takes around 30 minutes, and your registration will be active within three business days to two weeks.
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Small Business Subcontracting Plans
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a nationwide network of hospitals, clinics, regional offices, Veterans Integrated Service Networks, data processing centres, and national cemeteries. This network requires a broad spectrum of products and services, and the VA purchases these goods and services on a national, regional, and local level.
The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) provides support to businesses of all sizes and members of the private sector. The OSDBU is also responsible for monitoring the VA's implementation and execution of various socioeconomic procurement programs, including the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) program. The OSDBU website provides information and resources on government procurement, subcontracting, and partnership opportunities.
The Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL) is another important department within the VA. OPAL's website provides information on the VA's procurement process, including how to register in the System for Award Management and how to obtain a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) Number. A DUNS number is a unique nine-character identifier for organisations, used by the Federal Government to track federal money allocation.
The VA's Small Business Subcontracting Plans are administered by OPAL. Federal contractors that are not defined as small businesses must maintain an acceptable subcontracting plan if the estimated dollar value of the base contract and all option periods exceeds, or is expected to exceed, $750,000. These contractors must establish a subcontracting plan with specific dollar and percent goals for subcontracting to small businesses, including those that are HUBZone small, small disadvantaged, small women-owned, Veteran-owned small, and service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses. This plan must be in place before the contract award.
The VA's 2024 subcontracting goals are based on total procurement dollars expended and represent the suggested minimum goals for VA-administered plans. Small businesses can refer to the Procurement Readiness Reference Guide for information on how to prepare to do business with the VA.
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Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acquires products and services through its nationwide system of hospitals, clinics, Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN), data processing centres, and national cemeteries. The VA purchases goods and services on a national, regional, and local level, and from businesses of all sizes.
The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) provides support to businesses and members of the private sector. The OSDBU is responsible for monitoring the VA's implementation of socioeconomic procurement programs, including the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) program. The OSDBU does not award contracts or maintain solicitation mailing lists.
To qualify for participation in the Veterans First Contracting Program, eligible SDVOSBs must first be verified. To apply for certification with the Small Business Administration (SBA) as an SDVOSB, a firm must meet the following requirements:
- Be identified by the VA as a Service-Disabled Veteran.
- Be considered a small business, as defined by the size standard corresponding to any NAICS code listed in the business's SAM profile.
- Have no less than 51% of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans rated as service-disabled by the VA.
Certified SDVOSBs have the opportunity to compete for federal sole-source and set-aside contracts across the federal government. At least 5% of all federal contracting dollars each year are set aside specifically for certified SDVOSBs. SDVOSBs may also receive federal surplus property from the SASP in the state where the property will be primarily located and used.
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Frequently asked questions
The VA, or the Department of Veterans Affairs, is a federal department that acquires products and services through a nationwide system of hospitals, clinics, Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN), data processing centres, and National Cemeteries.
Any business, regardless of size, can be a potential vendor for the VA. The VA purchases goods and services on a national, regional, and local level.
The VA acquires a wide range of products and services from local, regional, and national sources. Some of these goods and services include pharmaceutical supplies, medical equipment, and data processing services. If you identify your product or service on the list of VA acquisitions, you may be able to do business with the VA.
Vendors must be registered in SAM and have a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) Number. A DUNS number is a unique nine-character number used to identify your organisation and track how federal money is allocated. You can obtain a DUNS number by visiting the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) website or calling 866-705-5711.
The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) provides resources and support to small businesses interested in working with the VA. The OSDBU website offers information and resources on government procurement, subcontracting, and partnership opportunities. The Procurement Readiness Reference Guide is another resource that helps small businesses prepare to do business with the VA.
