RivCo Supes Hope to Incentivize Businesses to Hire Veterans By Offering Competitve Edge

The Board of Supervisors this week approved a policy requiring Riverside County agencies to give a preference credit to any veteran-owned firm -- or any business where 1 out of 10 workers served honorably in the military -- competing for a public works or other contract.

The Veteran Incentive Purchasing Program is intended to "promote employment opportunities for veterans and provide incentives for companies that have not hired veterans in the past to consider hiring them in the future," said Purchasing & Fleet Services Director Bob Howdyshell, who proposed the policy officially designated A-71.

Howdyshell, a retired Naval officer, compared A-71 to a similar county policy that benefits disabled veterans who own and operate businesses. He said expanding the policy is overdue as "the number of unemployed veterans is expected to rise sharply in the coming years."

Under A-71, a "veteran business," or one 51 percent owned by a vet, and a "veteran qualified business," in which at least 10 percent of the workforce is comprised of vets, will receive a 5 percent preference credit when competing for a county contract.

For example, if two companies submit bids to handle a county project, the firm that meets the "veteran qualified business" criteria would automatically receive a 5 percent discount to whatever bid is submitted by the competing firm -- even if they're both seeking roughly the same amount for the work. As long as the veteran-qualified firm meets all other requirements, it would be selected to fulfill the contract.

"Through county procurements, the county desires to explore and implement new means and methods to encourage and incentivize businesses which employ veterans," according to the A-71 policy statement.

A compliance officer, assigned to the Department of Purchasing & Fleet Services, will be tasked with ensuring agencies are observing the mandate.

The policy goes into effect immediately.

– City News Service.