Are you a veteran who owns a business? If so, the federal government provides a wealth of great information, advice and guidance to help you build your business to success.

Veterans Business Outreach Centers

The Veterans Business Outreach Program is tasked with providing entrepreneurial development services and business training for veterans who have a good business idea and a strong drive to turn that idea into a profitable business. These highly specialized organizations were created to assist those who have served our country to launch a successful business startup.

So, whether you’re in the planning stages, or you’ve already started your company, the federal government can help you succeed by providing education and training, and by providing access to a portion of federal government contracts that can fuel new revenue for a business that has two years history.

The Small Business Administration’s Veteran Business Outreach Centers (VBOC) offer a long list of services to help veterans start and grow a successful business, including:

  • business training
  • counseling and mentoring
  • referrals to local resources
  • regional workshops
  • business plan preparation
  • analyzing strengths and weaknesses in a business model before launch

VBOC Nevada

VBOC Region IX, which services California and Nevada, staffs a Reno counseling center, open to all veterans seeking to build their businesses. To set up an appointment for advice and counsel, simply call 916-527-8400 or email admin@vbocix.org for an appointment in Reno and get some help from the federal government.

The Nevada District Office of the SBA’s local assistance program maintains an office at 300 South 4th Street in Las Vegas and offers services to all small businesses, including veterans. Call the Las Vegas office at 702-388-6611 for assistance.

Procurement Center Representatives (PCRs)

The Small Business Administration provides detailed assistance in working with the federal government with the help of Procurement Center Representatives. PCRs are located in a variety of local and regional SBA offices around the U.S.

These government procurement professionals are tasked with ensuring that small businesses share in government contracts for services and goods – services and goods your company may provide.

PCRs work with federal contracting officers in our state to encourage them to initiate small business set-asides and provide procurements in government contracts for competing small businesses.

The Small Business Administration’s Role in Government Contracting

$500 billion in goods and services are purchased by the federal government each year, making Uncle Sam the largest single buyer of goods and services in the world. As the veteran owner of a small business, you may be able to tap into that system.

Approximately 23% of all government contracts are awarded to small businesses like yours. Some of this government money is spent on small, disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) and small businesses located in under-utilized business zones. These SBA certifications are available to eligible small businesses and can help limit your competition in federal government contracting. Find information about certifications and how to contract with the federal government at www.sba.gov under the “Contracting” tab.

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs)

PTACs are funded by the federal government to provide free assistance to businesses that want to sell products and services to federal, state, and/or local government.

Nevada’s PTAC is the Procurement Outreach Program (POP). POP offers:

  • Free counseling on obtaining government contracts
  • Free bid-matching service – keeping your company up-to-date on what the federal government has put out to contract
  • Coordination during the application process
  • Marketing your business to targeted government agencies
  • Recommending guidelines and requirements for small businesses including those owned by disabled vets, women, socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, and businesses located in a disadvantaged area of the state.

You can contact POP and discover the process of bidding on and winning federal government contracts that are part of the federal set-aside program for veterans. For the Nevada PTAC, call the Las Vegas office at 702.486.3514, the Carson City office at 775.687.9921 or the Fallon office at 775.687.9922, or email procurement@diversifynevada.com for an appointment:

Uncle Sam Wants You – To Succeed!

To see the benefits that Nevada State Bank provides to U. S. service members and veterans, please click on: https://www.nsbank.com/military/