New York Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner RoAnn Destito recently announced that Veterans Contracting USA, LLC, a Salina–based business that provides excavating and earth-moving services, has been certified as a service-disabled veteran-owned business (SDVOB).

The New York OGS Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (DSDVBD) issued the certification. The division was created by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014 through enactment of the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act. As of Feb. 4, 2019, a total of 597 businesses have been certified.

The law promotes and encourages participation of SDVOBs in New York State public procurements of public works, commodities, services, and technology to “foster and advance economic development” in the state.

For a business to receive certification, one or more service-disabled veterans — with a service-connected disability rating of 10 percent or more from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or from the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs for National Guard veterans) — must own at least 51 percent of the business. Other criteria include: the business must be independently owned and operated and have a significant business presence in New York, it must have conducted business for at least one year prior to the application date, and it must qualify as a small business under the New York State program. Several more requirements also need to be met. 

More information on the program and the certification process can be found at http://ogs.ny.gov/Core/SDVOBA.asp