Veteran Business Enterprise
Information surrounding the Florida Veteran Business Enterprise Opportunity Act may be found in Florida Statutes Chapter 295.187 indicating in subsection 4(a) that a state agency, when considering two or more bids, proposals, or replies for the procurement of commodities or contractual services, at least one of which is from a certified Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE), which are equal with respect to all relevant considerations, including price, quality, and service, shall award such procurement or contract to the certified Veteran Business Enterprise. This rule is understood in the industry as the “Rule of Two.”
The Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) Program, along with the Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) and Local Developing Business (LDB), is referenced in all proposal and solicitation requests for Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), and the City of Orlando (to name a few) as a preference to ensure that VBEs have an equitable opportunity to compete for contracts and subcontracts and that good faith efforts are made to include VBEs in all proposals. To this end, the inclusion of a VBE will result in various ratings and/or scoring awards during bid evaluation.
For more information on these requirements based on sector, you may visit:
