VetLikeMe News Alert

What is His Motive?
VA Chief of Acquisition Spills Guts Regarding
“Veteran’s First” Sham

In this episode of the Twilight Zone, we have a very special guest on the set who you’ll meet further down the column. In an astounding display of bureaucratic stupidity or marvelous cunning, Jan Frye, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Acquisition and Logistics phoned Wayne Gatewood, a fierce advocate for veterans—with a weight on his chest than needed to be re-leased. Wayne, take it away:

“Yesterday I had a conversation with Mr. Jan Frye, VA’s Chief of Acquisitions. Mr. Frye talked with me about the workings of the VA FSS Program and what he believes to be the importance of the FSS in relation to procurement methodology and the importance of the VA Supply Fund to OAL Operations. At the following Link, please read about the VA FSS Schedule: http://www.fss.va.gov At the following Link, please read about the VA Supply Fund: http://www.va.gov/oal/about/finance.asp.

Mr. Frye also let me know that Secretary Shinseki stands by the VA FSS Schedule as the go-to procurement methodology and it was Secretary Shinseki’s personal decision to not go Vets First! (I am attempting to get a past Press Release from VA PA Office that is supposed to contain the Secretary’s words relative to this matter). Please read the below two paragraphs from the Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OAL) webpage – “About Us.”

“The complex functions required to support the diverse programs of VA are reflected in the mission and organization of OAL. In addition to its primary role of supporting VA’s pro-grams, OAL has a Government-wide role in the supply management of medical supplies and non-perishable subsistence.”

“All OAL operations are funded through the self-sustaining VA Supply Fund which is managed by OAL. The operating costs are recovered through a variety of cost recovery mechanisms that are designed to pass the costs of services provided along to the beneficiaries of such service.”

The VA’s Supply Fund offsets the operating costs of OAL, such as the VA Acquisitions Academy, Denver Acquisitions and Logistics Center, National Contract Service, National Acquisition Center, and the staff that operates these activities. The fund also pays for bonus’ and other items. How does it work? VA gets .05 % of every dollar of every FSS Schedule contract that is let. Given the VA purchases billions of dollars in products, supplies, medicine, services, etc., per year, with much of that through FSS, the FSS program brings in millions of dollars to the Supply Fund. In addition to the money that comes back to the Supply Fund to support OAL, Mr. Frye also told me that VA believes that FSS provides the best cost and the most reliable and timely source of services and supplies to support our millions of Veterans. (But, since there are no cost comparisons with SDVOSBs for certain products and supplies I ask, ―how can that claim be supported”?)*

A GAO Report on the Supply Fund along with an “anonymously prepared Analysis of the VA FSS and the Supply Fund”, are also attached. I have looked over the Analysis but can-not confirm its validity or support its claims. Nonetheless, it appears to be very thorough.

So there you have it folks….FSS Priority…so says Secretary Shinseki! If you want to comment on this matter, send me an e-mail and I will place it in the News for Mr. Frye and staff to read. For me personally, nothing changes until the Law changes and until that happens, it re-mains Vets First as required by PL 109-461. Also, for any and all purchases under the small purchase threshold (to include the “griddle” Aldevra was trying to sell to VA when VA went FSS), by Law, has to be purchased from a small business! So says the Law, so says SBA….. Small purchases are for small business only and not VA FSS to large business.

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VetLikeMe is developed by BluePoint Productions,
Hardy Stone Publisher
301-845-1330

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This is a public service announcement (PSA) brought to you by Veteran Owned Business.   Veteran Owned Business is in no way affiliated with the above organization(s). We do not in any way endorse the above business/organization or guarantee the above offer.  VeteranOwnedBusiness.com and the Veteran Owned Business Directory are simply providing information we feel is of interest to veterans, active duty military, reservists, service disabled veterans, veteran owned businesses, service disabled veteran owned businesses, families of veterans, families of our armed forces and any other person or persons directly or indirectly involved with the United States military.

If your business is (or you know of another business) owned by a veteran (VOB), active duty military, reservist or service disabled  veteran (SDVOSB) of the United States, Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard or National Guard, please be sure to visit the VeteranOwnedBusiness.com sign up page to get your free listing.

The objective of our FREE Veteran Owned Business Directory is to continue to offer a growing list of products and services that are unique in the fact that they are all owned by, sold by and/or serviced by past and present military members.

Detroit to Host VA Small Business Conference, Hiring Fair
Help for Veterans Who Own Businesses, Seek Jobs

The National Veterans Small Business Conference, the government’s premier event for Veteran-owned small businesses, is coming to Detroit’s Cobo Center June 25-29, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced today.

VA also announced that a “VA for Vets” Hiring Fair will be held during the conference for Veterans looking for careers in the public and private sectors. The conference is expected to attract thousands of Veterans, business owners and federal employees, and bring an estimated $3 million in direct spending to the city.

“VA is committed to bringing more Veteran-owned businesses into the public-private partnership,” said VA Chief of Staff John Gingrich. “In addition to the National Veterans Small Business Conference, our Detroit Hiring Fair will provide Veterans with on-the-spot job opportunities and interviews, while also offering career search classes and one-on-one counseling.”

Last year’s National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo in New Orleans drew almost 5,000 attendees, and more than 6,000 participants are expected this year.

The Detroit Hiring Fair builds upon VA’s success Jan. 18 in Washington at which a partnership of federal agencies and private industry attracted over 4,100 Veterans and resulted in over 2,600 on-the-spot interviews and more than 500 tentative job offers.

“These events are part of Secretary Shinseki’s ongoing efforts to help Veterans find employment in both the public and private sectors,” said Gingrich. “As the President said in yesterday’s State of the Union address, Veterans are crucial to our economy, and we need to find them jobs.”

This year’s conference will include an open house that gives Veterans the chance to learn the wide range of resources available to help them with their own businesses.  Also available will be the VetGovPartner online platform, which enables networking, viewing the business profiles of all participants, and identifying business opportunities with more than 400 government procurement decision makers in attendance.

Known historically as the world’s capital for the transportation industry, the Detroit metro area is reinventing itself with six booming industries: medical research, defense, entertainment, green tech, urban farming, and aeronautics.  About 330,000 Veterans are served by the city’s VA medical center, and more than 704,000 Veterans live in Michigan.

VA invites all interested persons and businesses to attend.  More information is available at www.nationalveteransconference.com. Registration for the conference begins Friday, January 27.

Technology Innovation Funding for Small Businesses and Exporting

Date: February 28, 2012 10:00am-12:00pm
Venue: CT Northwest Chamber of Commerce
Suite R101, 333 Kennedy Drive, Torrington, CT 06790
Parking: Free
Registration: 9:45am-10:00am
Click here to register and find out more about this event

Join Connecticut Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), the Small Business Association (SBA), the CT Procurement Technical Assistance Program (CT-PTAP), the U.S. Commercial Service, and the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce at this informational seminar concerning Federal Small Business Innovation grants and Export assistance. If you are a veteran, woman, or minority-owned small tech business in Connecticut, come to this event to find out more about how we can help your small technology business compete in local, national, and global economies!

About the Connecticut Small Business SBIR Office:
A Federal and State Technology partnership program exists in Connecticut to provide education and support services in 2012 to women, minority, and veteran owned technology owned small businesses to help them understand and access federal Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) grants. The federal Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program is a way for small tech. businesses to fund their research and development without taking out loans and without giving up equity or intellectual property. The Connecticut SBIR office has built best practices and an extensive networking database including major defense contractors and other leading firms that share an interest in increasing the diversity of their innovative and talented supply chains.

About the U.S. Commercial Service:
The U.S. Commercial Service is a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. The U.S. Commercial Service promotes economic prosperity, enhances job creation, and strengthens national security through a global network of the best international trade professionals. It promotes and protects U.S. commercial interests aboard and delivers customized solutions to ensure that U.S. businesses are successful in the global marketplace.

About Connecticut PTAP:
The Procurement Technical Assistance Program provides marketing and technical assistance to Connecticut businesses selling, or interested in selling, their products and/or services to federal, state and local government agencies. Services include customized client bid matching, individual counseling, seminars, bid/proposal preparation, assistance with Central Contractor Registration (CCR), and specialized marketing assessments. Services are state wide and offered at no cost to businesses.

About the SBA:
SBA provides a number of financial assistance programs for small businesses that have been specifically designed to meet key financing needs, including debt financing, surety bonds, and equity financing.
For more Information/Registration Contact:
Joshua Maurer: 1-860-638-6950 or joshua.maurer@trade.gov
Roberta Rossi: 1-860-257-2338 or roberta.rossi@ctionnovations.com
Anthony Sargis: 1-860-638-6950 or anthony.sargis@trade.gov

*Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 2 weeks in advance. Please contact Roberta Rossi at 860 257 2338 to make arrangements.

The November-December 2011 VetLikeMe SDVOSB Newsletter (Volume 2, No. 6) is now available for viewing.

In this issue: Aldevra GAO Decision — Moot but Not Mute – My name is Rodney Marshall, owner of Aldevra. Many people have followed our case over the last several months. It started by protesting the Department of Veterans Affairs‘ (VA) solicitations to use the fed-eral supply schedule (FSS) without first considering service disabled veteran owned small businesses (SDVOSBs). The Government Accountability Office (GAO) sustained our protest (meaning they agreed the VA should consider SDVOSBs before FSS) and recom-mended that the VA cancel the solicitations and re-solicit as SDVOSB set aside if there were two or more qualified SDVOSBs. The VA initially refused to comply with GAO‘s recommendation and, most recently, cancelled the solicitations so it becomes a moot issue.… click here to view entire issue.

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VetLikeMe (VLM) is a publication focused entirely on service-disabled veteran owned business.  We feature National news that affects our community, interviews with federal government officials and agencies, legislative activities at the State level and editorial opinion.

Launched in October 2009, VLM is published by BluePoint Productions, a non-profit business certified and verified by the  Veterans Administration as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.

Hardy R. Stone, the sole proprietor of BluePoint Productions, is a 100% service-connected disabled veteran (SDVOSB).

The following newsletters require Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free download from adobe.com.

Current VetLikeMe Issue:

November – December 2011 VetLikeMe

Archived VetLikeMe Issues:

September – October 2011 VetLikeMe

July – August 2011 VetLikeMe Newsletter

May – June 2011 VetLikeMe Newsletter

March – April 2011 VetLikeMe Newsletter

January – February 2011 VetLikeMe Newsletter

November – December 2010 VetLikeMe Newsletter

July – August 2010 VetLikeMe Newsletter

May – June 2010 VetLikeMe Newsletter

March – April 2010 VetLikeMe Newsletter

January – February 2010 VetLikeMe Newsletter

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This is a public service announcement (PSA) brought to you by Veteran Owned Business.   Veteran Owned Business is in no way affiliated with the above organization(s). We do not in any way endorse the above business/organization or guarantee the above offer.  VeteranOwnedBusiness.com and the Veteran Owned Business Directory are simply providing information we feel is of interest to veterans, active duty military, reservists, service disabled veterans, veteran owned businesses, service disabled veteran owned businesses, families of veterans, families of our armed forces and any other person or persons directly or indirectly involved with the United States military.

If your business is (or you know of another business) owned by a veteran (VOB), active duty military, reservist or service disabled  veteran (SDVOSB) of the United States, Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard or National Guard, please be sure to visit the VeteranOwnedBusiness.com sign up page to get your free listing.

The objective of our FREE Veteran Owned Business Directory is to continue to offer a growing list of products and services that are unique in the fact that they are all owned by, sold by and/or serviced by past and present military members.

VeteranOwnedBusiness.com is proud to announce the addition of several new categories added to our Free Veteran Owned Business Directory of over 8,000 members.

The following approved sub-categories have been suggested by one or more of our Veteran Owned Business Directory members.

1. Funeral Transportation Services (in the main Transportation Category)
2. Hearse Services (under Funeral Services in the main Health and Medical Category)
3. Motorcycle Hearse Services (under Funeral Services in the main Health and Medical Category)
4. Coffins and Caskets (under Burial Equipment and Supplies in the main Stores, Dealers and Supplies Category)
5. Coffins and Caskets (under Cases, Crates and Packaging in the main Manufacturing Category)
6. PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) Services (under Mental Health Services in the main Health and Medical Category)
7. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (under Health Care Services for Veteran under Veterans Services in the main Nonprofit Category)
8. Veterans Service Offices (in the main Nonprofit Category)
9. Insurance Adjustment Services (in the main Insurance Services Category)
10. Consignment Stores (in the main Stores, Dealers and Supplies Category)

A special “Thank You” to our members and visitors who suggested one or more of the aforementioned new sub-categories!

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If your business is (or you know of another business) owned by a veteran (VOB), active duty military, reservist or service disabled veteran (SDVOSB) of the United States, Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard or National Guard, please be sure to visit the VeteranOwnedBusiness.com sign up page to get your free listing.

The objective of our FREE Veteran Owned Business Directory is to continue to offer a growing list of products and services that are unique in the fact that they are all owned by, sold by and/or serviced by past and present military members.

99–Inscribed Upright Granite Headstones & Flat Granite Markers, J1, L1, W1 Indiantown Gap Nat Cem, Annville, PA

Solicitation Number: VA78611RP0310
Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs
Office: VA National Cemetery Administration Centralized Contracting Division
Location: Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration

SIDING PROJECT ON BROWNELL STREET HOUSE IN NEW HAVEN CT VA

Connecticut Healthcare System

More Details: Walk thru on 6/30/2011 AT 1:30 PM. Quotations due 7/8/2011 by 11:00 AM.

Solicitation Number: VA24111RQ0861
Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs
Office: VA Connecticut Health Care System
Location: Department of Veterans Affairs Connecticut Health Care System

Contracting Office Address:
VA Connecticut
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516

Point of Contact(s):
Mark Reveaux
Mark.Reveaux@va.gov
203-937-4732

Click here to view FBO Solicitation

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If your business is (or you know of another business) owned by a veteran (VOB), active duty military, reservist or service disabled veteran (SDVOSB) of the United States, Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard or National Guard, please be sure to visit the VeteranOwnedBusiness.com sign up page to get your free listing.

The objective of our FREE Veteran Owned Business Directory is to continue to offer a growing list of products and services that are unique in the fact that they are all owned by, sold by and/or serviced by past and present military members.

The following approved sub-categories have been suggested by one or more of our Veteran Owned Business Directory members:

1. On-Site Document Destruction (under Document Destruction and Shredding in the Security and Safety Category)
2. Off-Site Document Destruction (under Document Destruction and Shredding in the Security and Safety Category)
3. High Volume Shredding (under Document Destruction and Shredding in the Security and Safety Category)
4. Microfilm Destruction (under Document Destruction and Shredding in the Security and Safety Category)
5. Drum Set Manufacturers (under Musical Instrument Manufacturing in the Manufacturing Category)
6. Guitar Manufacturers (under Musical Instrument Manufacturing in the Manufacturing Category)
7. Musical Instrument Manufacturing (under the Manufacturing Category)
8. Musical Instruments (under Movies and Music in the Stores, Dealers, and Products Category)

If your business is (or you know of another business) owned by a veteran (VOB), active duty military, reservist or service disabled veteran (SDVOSB) of the United States, Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard or National Guard, please be sure to visit the VeteranOwnedBusiness.com sign up page to get your free listing.

The objective of our FREE Veteran Owned Business Directory is to continue to offer a growing list of products and services that are unique in the fact that they are all owned by, sold by and/or serviced by past and present military members.

The following approved sub-categories have been suggested by one or more of our  Veteran Owned Business Directory members:

1. Boat Detailing and Cleaning (under Boating and Marine in the Stores, Dealers and Products Category)
2. Commercial Diving Services (under Commercial Marine Contractors in the Commercial Contracting Category)
3. SCUBA Diving and Snorkeling (under Sports and Outdoors in the Stores, Dealers and Products Category)
4. Designated Driver Services (under Personal Transportation Services in the Transportation Services Category)
5. Public Transportation Services (Under Food and Drink Category)

The objective of our FREE Veteran Owned Business Directory is to continue to offer a growing list of products and services that are unique in the fact that they are all owned by, sold by and/or serviced by past and present military members.