Virginia SWaM Program: SDVOSB Designation
Virginia SWaM Program: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small-Business (SDVOSB) designation
As part of the Virginia Small, Women-owned, and Minority Owned Business (SWaM) certification program, qualifying service-disabled veterans who are small business owners may obtain a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) designation in the Virginia SWaM vendor database. This is not a separate SWaM certification, but rather a designation of those small businesses that are owned by Service Disabled Veterans.
In order to have your business designated as a SDVOSB under the Virginia SWaM program, follow these steps:
1. Ensure that you, your business partner(s), if applicable, and your business meet the following definitions from the Code of Virginia (§§ 2.2-2001 and §2.2-4310):
“Service disabled veteran” means a veteran who (i) served on active duty in the United States military ground, naval, or air service, (ii) was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, and (iii) has a service-connected disability rating fixed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Service disabled veteran business” means a business that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more service disabled veterans or, in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51 percent of the equity ownership interest in the corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity is owned by one or more individuals who are service disabled veterans and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more individuals who are service disabled veterans.
“Small business” means a business, independently owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, and together with affiliates, has 250 or fewer employees, or annual gross receipts of $10 million or less averaged over the previous three years. One or more of the individual owners shall control both the management and daily business operations of the small business.
2. Become certified as a Service-Disabled Veteran by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS). Click here for the application and submission instructions.
3. If your business is already SWaM certified, submit your DVS-issued Service-Disabled veteran certification letter, and a cover letter requesting that the SDVOSB designation be added to your SWaM certification, to:
Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity
Attn: SDVOSB Designation, 101 N. 14th Street, 11th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219
4. If your business is not yet SWaM certified, you will need to obtain your SWaM certification through the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (DSBSD).
a. Visit this page to begin the SWaM certification process.
b. Submit the DVS-issued Service-Disabled veteran certification as part of your SWaM application package.
There are no charges for these services.
For questions about becoming certified as a Service-Disabled Veteran, please contact the Department of Veterans Services at (540) 597-1730.
For questions about the SWaM program and having your business designated as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), please contact the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity at (804) 786-6585. Additional information may be found on the DSBSD website here.
Reference: Code of Virginia, §§ 2.2-2001 and § 2.2-4310