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Veteran-Owned Businesses in Grave Danger
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SVail
#1 Posted : Friday, June 10, 2011 11:26:04 AM(UTC)
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Recently the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) along with the General Services Administration (GSA) introduced a new Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative (FSSI) Blanket Purchasing Agreement (BPA) for Office Supplies. This BPA which is touted as a money saving measure, troubles me deeply as it is unfair and restrictive. Before the introduction of FSSI, government agencies purchased their office supplies through GSA Schedule 75. Almost 500 companies belonged to Schedule 75 giving the government a broad range of companies from which to make their purchases. More than 200 of these companies were small businesses and 45 were VOBs.

This new BPA for office supplies was only awarded to only 15 companies and includes only one SDVOSB. This minute number of awards for such a broad set of products will create economic hardship for 100s of businesses, including numerous veteran-owned companies. The minute number of companies chosen created concern for those who belonged to Schedule 75, but the way the BPA is being implemented has caused justifiable fear. FSSI was initially billed as a purchasing option, however; numerous government agencies, under the advisement of OMB and the GSA, have decided to make it mandatory. These agencies include the Department of Commerce,DHS, IRS, Department of the Interior, Veterans Administration, USDA, Bureau of Reclamation, Air Force and the Navy. This means that these agencies will only purchase office supplies from one of the 15 chosen FSSI companies. All of the other small and veteran-owned businesses who used to sell to these agencies can no longer do so.

Many companies, including my employer, a SDVOSB, are seeing dramatic losses in sales and are beginning massive layoffs. Companies have seen up to 50% loss in sales and have laid off half of their work force. If something doesn't change things will get worse.

NaVOBA claims to support veteran business. I ask you to support us in this. Petition these agencies to reverse the FSSI mandate and allow veteran-owned businesses a chance to compete in the office supply market. The fate of over 40 veteran-owned companies rests in the balance
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Marty
#2 Posted : Thursday, July 14, 2011 8:52:59 AM(UTC)
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I see this trend only getting worse, not better. The same Vet/SDVOB organization(s) who we should turn to have become so diluted with splinter groups and causes that we've collectively removed our voice.

Without getting into details (which some may find offensive), we have moved into a small minority group of business owners who've eliminated our ability to stand as Veteran and Service Disabled Veteran business owners. We're now breaking into sub-groups of Vet/SDVOB business owners and no one really seems to care any longer. We use to represent a growing collective of Veteran business owners in many different areas of business, now it seems we're a bunch of individuals running around w/o any real leadership or common voice.

Although it’s sad, it’s very true. Just look up veteran group, veteran organizations, veteran business organizations, veteran business organizations etc., on the internet and you'll see everyone and their brother cashing in on the rush to form a group, sub group or gender specific veterans group. By creating so many sub-groups for people looking for a change, or looking for a group that can actually make a difference it's continued to remove our collective voice as Veterans an alienated many individuals within the Veterans group.

I look forward to the day when we finally realize that we'll only have the collective power to create change or get key leaders to listen when we all stand together as Veteran Business Owners (not apart as individual veterans).
Marty Pickering
Owner/National Account Manager
DinPak Packaging Solutions
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
(630)863-7884
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