(a) It is VA policy that small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans shall have maximum practicable opportunity to participate in VA acquisitions, consistent the priorities and preferences prescribed under the Veterans First Contracting Program in subpart 819.70.

(1) To carry out this policy the Secretary shall establish annual SDVOSB and VOSB contracting goals.

(2) In support of these goals, each administration and staff office shall in turn establish annual goals for each subordinate contracting activity that present, for that activity, the maximum practicable opportunity for small business concerns, and particularly SDVOSBs/VOSBs, to participate in the performance of the activity's contracts and subcontracts.

(3) The attainment of these goals or the use of interagency acquisition vehicles does not limit the applicability of the Veterans First Contracting Program and priorities in subpart 819.70.

(c) In addition to the duties and responsibilities in FAR 19.201(c), the Executive Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Veterans First Contracting Program under subpart 819.70.

(d) Each organization with contracting authority shall designate small business specialists/technical advisors in coordination with the OSDBU Director.

OSDBU is responsible for reviewing procurement strategies, establishing thresholds for such reviews and making recommendations to assist contracting officers in the implementation of this part. These responsibilities shall be conducted within the VA hierarchy of small business program preferences established by 38 U.S.C. 8127(h) (see subpart 819.70), which requires VA to consider preferences for VIP-listed SDVOSBs first, then preferences for VIP-listed VOSBs. Contracting officers shall use VA Form 2268, Small Business Program and Contract Bundling Review, to document actions and recommendations.

(a) 38 U.S.C. 8127 and 8128 require the VA to provide priority and establish special acquisition methods to increase contracting opportunities for SDVOSBs/VOSBs. These priorities and special acquisition methods are set forth in subpart 819.70 and shall be applied by contracting officers before other priorities and preferences in FAR 19.203.

(b) Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8128, contracting officers shall give priority to SDVOSBs/VOSBs if such business concern(s) also meet the requirements of that contracting preference. The requirement in this paragraph (b) applies even when using a contracting preference under FAR part 19 (for example, a women-owned small business set-aside).