Alliance pursues 10 percent bidder’s preference, state register.
 

An alliance of veteran-owned businesses (VOBs) determined to advance business opportunities for veterans in Alaska is taking its fight to the state Legislature.

On Jan. 20, the Alaska Veterans Business Alliance (AVBA) was successful in getting House Bill 24 introduced by Rep. Anna Fairclough of Eagle River. If passed, the bill would give VOBs in Alaska a 10 percent bidder’s preference and would establish a State Register of Alaska Veteran Owned Businesses.

"If this bill is passed it will mean that the veterans in the state of Alaska will know the state appreciates the time each veteran served to advance the freedoms each and every one of us enjoys in this state and this country," said Tim Wheeler, AVBA president.

AVBA also had House Joint Resolution 16 introduced by Rep. Carl Gatto of Palmer on Feb. 9. The resolution urges President Obama to direct all federal agencies operating in Alaska to comply with Public Law 106-50 (Veterans Entrepreneurship Act), which sets a 3 percent federal procurement goal for service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses. The resolution calls for Congressional hearings into the failure or refusal of contracting officers working for federal agencies in Alaska to meet the 3 percent goal.

"It is our hope that hearings on this resolution will bring a number of federal agencies to the table before the appropriate legislative committees to explain why implementation of these laws and directives appear to be a challenge and what they will do to comply," Wheeler said. "It is our goal to make sure each and every federal agency in Alaska meets or exceeds the 3 percent federal goal in Alaska for the SDVOB community."

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Feb. 19 addressed the Alaska State Legislature in Juneau about the federal government’s procurement record in the state. "The federal government offers a contracting preference for businesses owned by disabled veterans but it has yet to be fully implemented in Alaska," Murkowski said. "The federal government can meet its obligations to our disabled veterans by helping them to launch their businesses."

AVBA is a non-profit organization created in November 2007 to unite Alaska’s VOBs into one voice, said Wheeler, who stressed that the organization is not just for service-disabled veterans. It is for all veterans, including those who served in the National Guard and Reserves. AVBA also welcomes active duty service members of all military branches.

According to its mission statement, AVBA helps veterans establish and maintain businesses, defends the rights of veterans who own businesses and strives to eliminate prejudice and discrimination against disabled veterans in business, both public and private. To carry out this mission, the alliance creates business opportunities with government agencies, private companies and other alliance members; provides members information and educational opportunities; and promotes the advancement of all veteran-owned small businesses.

AVBA currently has 118 federally registered SDVOBs and 219 federally registered VOBs in Alaska. In Anchorage and the south central area of the state, there are 31 member companies – both SDVOB and VOB – and membership continues to increase as more veteran business owners learn about the alliance. For more information about AVBA, visit www.akvba.org.

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