For years, many veteran-owned businesses operated in a gray area known as "self-certification." They checked a box in SAM.gov saying they were service-disabled, and for many agencies outside the VA, that was good enough. Those days are over. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) killed self-certification. The transfer of the verification process to the SBA means the free ride is finished. Federal Contracting Center challenges you to wake up to this new reality: if you aren't formally verified, you aren't a player.
This shift is a good thing, but it is painful for the unprepared. The old system was rife with fraud and "rent-a-vet" schemes where a veteran was put on the paperwork but had no real control. The new SDVOSB certification process is a rigorous audit. It clears out the pretenders. This means the pool of eligible competitors is shrinking. For the legitimate veteran owner, this is a massive opportunity. Your competition just got cut in half. But only if you survive the audit. The "challenger" mindset here is to stop complaining about the paperwork and start exploiting the barrier to entry. Complexity is your friend. If it is hard to get certified, that means fewer people will do it. That makes your certification more valuable. Stop viewing the SBA application as a burden and start viewing it as a moat that protects your business from imitators.
Furthermore, if you are relying on your past service to win contracts without current business competence, you will fail. The certification gets you to the table, but it doesn't eat for you. You still need to deliver. The "veteran card" is an access pass, not a sympathy card. Use the set-asides to get in the door, but use your execution to stay there. The government is professionalizing its veteran supply chain. You need to professionalize your business to match.
The grace period is ending. The agencies are updating their systems. If you are still clinging to the old self-certified model, you are about to be locked out of the system entirely. Get verified, get compliant, and get ready to compete in a cleaner, fairer market.
Conclusion
The era of casual compliance is over. The new verification standard creates a protected, high-value market for legitimate veteran owners. Embrace the rigor and use it to dominate your sector.
Call to Action
Don't get left behind by the regulatory changes. Secure your formal verification now and protect your eligibility. Visit www.federalcontractingcenter.com to get certified the right way.
