Pork Barrel and The FED

Andrew Jackson Establishes The Pork Barrel: The forces for corruption in government were there from start. Thomas Jefferson put it well in a letter to Lafayette in 1823 when he wrote: "I do not believe with Rochefoucaults and Montaignes, that fourteen of fifteen men are rogue. I believe a great abatement from that proportion may be made in favor of general honesty. But I have always found that rogues would be uppermost, and I do not know that proportion is to strong for higher orders... These set out with stealing people's good opinion, and then steal from them right of withdrawing it by contriving laws and associations against power of people themselves."

How Disabled Veterans Can Win Government Contracts

The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) is a program that allows small businesses to self-certify as service-disabled veteran-owned businesses providing them increased opportunities to win government contracts. Significantly and permanently impaired veterans may be assisted in daily business operations by a spouse or permanent caregiver.

Should a competitor challenge a small business’ standing as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business case must be referred to Small Business Administration (SBA) for resolution.

Even though having your firm certified as an SDVOSB business can help increase your competitiveness in winning government contracts, there are exclusions from SDVOSB set-aside rules, including: Federal Prison Industries; Javits-Wagner-O’Day organizations; existing IDIQ contracts; federal supply schedule sources; requirements currently in 8(a) program; and commissary sales.

Two types of SDVOSB justification includes sole source and set aside, which are reviewed below.

The SDVOSB Sole source justification may be used if Contracting Officer (CO) determines that: a SDVOSB concern is a responsible contractor with respect to performance; there is not a reasonable expectation that 2 or more small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans will submit offers for contracting opportunity; anticipated award price of contract (including options) will not exceed $5 million in case of a contract opportunity assigned in NAICS codes for manufacturing; or $3 million in case of any other contract opportunity; and contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price.