Office of General Services, Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Program (SDVOB). The Division is reachable Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at 32nd Floor, Corning Tower, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12242, and by email at VeteransDevelopment@ogs.ny.gov. Office of General Services, Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development →
6 percent statewide utilization goal
Agencies work toward a statewide goal of 6 percent SDVOB participation in state contracting, established by New York State Veterans’ Services Law Article 3.
10 percent minimum disability rating
At least one veteran owner must have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10 percent, documented within one year of the application.
No more than 300 employees
The business must qualify as a New York small business — independently owned and operated, not dominant in its field, with no more than 300 employees.
The preference
A 6 percent goal, worked through agency utilization plans
New York is a goal state, not a preference state. Nothing lowers your price and nothing adds points to your score. What the law does is set a statewide utilization target and push agencies to set contract-level goals and hold prime contractors to utilization plans.
- The statewide SDVOB utilization goal of 6 percent is established by New York State Veterans’ Services Law Article 3.
- Agencies determine which procurement option, or combination of options, best achieves their agency-specific goals on each procurement.
- Agencies are expected to encourage and assist prime contractors to find and award subcontracts to SDVOBs.
- Agencies collect, review, monitor and report on SDVOB utilization data.
Source: New York Workers’ Compensation Board, SDVOB program and the 6 percent statewide goal
Contract-level goals are where the money actually is
Individual agencies set their own SDVOB goals on state-funded contracts and publish goal-setting guidance and waiver procedures. The Department of Transportation, for example, encourages 6 percent SDVOB participation on all 100 percent state-funded contracts and publishes an annual SDVOB goal plan.
- Agencies publish approved utilization plans, good faith effort documentation guidance and waiver request forms.
- Because waivers for good faith effort exist, a goal on paper does not guarantee a subcontract — being visible and responsive to primes early matters more than the number.
Source: New York State Department of Transportation, SDVOB program
Certification
A dedicated division certifies and promotes
The Office of General Services Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development is responsible for certifying eligible SDVOBs and for assisting and promoting their participation in state procurement. No other New York agency certifies for this program.
- Certification is the gateway: only certified firms count toward an agency’s SDVOB goal.
- The Division maintains the searchable directory and a distribution list for directory update notifications.
The New York program is separate from the federal one
New York states this directly through its agencies: the state SDVOB program is a separate program from the federal Small Business Administration program and is subject to different requirements. Federal certification does not substitute, and the state does not treat it as equivalent.
- Your federal SDVOSB certification will not get you into the New York directory or count toward a New York agency goal.
- The reverse is also true — New York certification does nothing for federal contracting.
Source: New York State Department of Transportation, state versus federal programs
Eligibility
Rating, ownership, control, size and New York presence
Five tests, and the disability rating is the one that disqualifies the most applicants. A minimum rating threshold is not universal — several states set one and several set none at all, so check the state you are bidding in.
- At least one veteran owner with a service-connected disability rating of at least 10 percent.
- One or more service-disabled veterans must own at least 51 percent of the business.
- The qualifying veteran or veterans must have and exercise independent control over day-to-day business decisions.
- The business must be independently owned and operated, not dominant in its field, with no more than 300 employees.
- The company must have a significant business presence in New York State and be authorized to do business in New York.
Source: New York State, get certified as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business
The rating documentation has to be recent
New York requires VA documentation of a service-connected rating of at least 10 percent dated within one year of the date the application is received. An older rating letter will not do, even if the rating itself has not changed.
- The New York State Department of Veterans’ Services can help determine whether you should file a federal VA claim to obtain a rating decision in the first place.
How to apply
Online only, through the SDVOB portal
The paper application is gone. You create an account in the state SDVOB system, complete the application online, then review, attest to and sign it. An email acknowledges receipt.
- Log in or create an account in the SDVOB portal at sdves.ogs.ny.gov.
- Complete the online application, then review, attest and sign.
- Wait for the acknowledgment email before chasing status.
- The Office of General Services publishes an application overview and FAQs; confirm the current fee position and certification term with the Division directly on 518-474-2015, since those are not stated on the application page.
Source: New York State, how to apply for SDVOB certification
The document list is long — assemble it first
New York asks for more than most states, including three years of federal returns and a resume for the veteran owner. Gathering it before you open the application saves weeks.
- DD-214 and NG-214 as applicable, with a Line of Duty report.
- VA documentation of a service-connected rating of at least 10 percent, dated within one year of receipt.
- IRS documentation verifying the FEIN or SSN on the application.
- Complete federal income tax returns for the three most recently completed tax years.
- Business license, and a resume covering the veteran’s experience, education and qualifications.
- Entity documents as applicable: articles of organization or incorporation, operating agreements, bylaws, partnership agreements, LLC statements of information, corporate minutes, stock records, franchise or trust agreements, LLP registration.
Finding opportunities
The directory is searchable and the primes actually use it
New York publishes a searchable directory of certified SDVOBs, and because agency goals and utilization plans create real pressure on prime contractors, it is one of the few state directories that generates inbound contact. You can also ask the Division to add you to a distribution list for directory updates.
- Agency solicitations are published on agency websites and in the New York State Contract Reporter, the official publication of procurement activity for all state agencies. Registration for access is free.
- Agencies publish their own SDVOB pages with utilization plans and compliance contacts — those compliance addresses are the fastest route to a prime that is short of its goal.
What gets reported wrongly about New York
- The citation has moved. The program was enacted in 2014 as the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act, adding Article 17-B to the Executive Law, but the provisions now sit in New York State Veterans’ Services Law Article 3. State agencies cite both — the Workers’ Compensation Board points to Veterans’ Services Law Article 3 while the Department of Transportation still says Executive Law Article 3 — so cite the Veterans’ Services Law and note the history.
- The 6 percent is a utilization goal, not a set-aside or a bid preference. Nothing in the New York program lowers your price or adds points to your score.
- New York requires a minimum 10 percent VA disability rating. Federal SDVOSB certification has no rating floor, so a veteran who qualifies federally may not qualify in New York.
- The rating documentation must be dated within one year of when New York receives your application. A rating letter from five years ago will be rejected even though the rating is permanent.
- Federal certification does not transfer in either direction. New York states that its program is separate from the SBA program and subject to different requirements.
- The small business ceiling is 300 employees, which is far more generous than most state programs — a mid-sized firm shut out elsewhere may still qualify in New York.
Every figure on this page links to the source it came from. Verified October 24, 2026. Procurement rules change — check the source before you rely on a number.
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