Veteran-owned business verification and renewal
To receive the preference, a veteran-owned small business must be currently verified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being a veteran-owned small business no later than the date and time set for opening the proposal.
Use of any specific business will count towards meeting MnDOT project goals only if that business meets the definition of “veteran-owned small business” in Minnesota Statutes §16C.16 (subdivision 6a). According to Minnesota Statutes §16C.19 (paragraph d), a veteran-owned small business, the principal place of business of which is in Minnesota, is certified if it has been verified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being either a veteran-owned small business or a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, in accordance with Public Law 109-461 and Code of Federal Regulations, title 38, part 74.
Eligibility can be established by presenting documents that demonstrate certification by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. See the Guide to Veteran-Owned/Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Verification Process (PDF) for additional guidance about how to establish eligibility as a verified veteran-owned small business.
Contract process
For all contracts where goals are set, regardless of contract size, the contractor will be required to:
- Propose participation of specific veteran-owned/service disabled veteran-owned business, or
- Request a waiver from the goal requirement
- The contractor must show that veteran-owned businesses are not reasonably available
- The department will conduct a "good faith review" to determine whether the bidder made a "good faith effort" to secure participation by veteran-owned businesses
- The bidder must provide justification if it rejects bids, quotes or proposal from properly certified and qualified veteran-owned and service disabled veteran owned businesses
See Special Provisions (PDF) for details.
Submitting forms
The completed information must be submitted to MnDOT no later than the specified deadline for proposals. The contractor may use one of the following means to submit their completed Veteran Owned/Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Preference form:
- Email the form to biddocsubmittal.dot@state.mn.us and place the State Project number in the subject line
- Fax the form to Nancy Boeve at 651-366-4248
Final payment
MnDOT 1908 is supplemented with the following:
- Unless the contractor has presented an affidavit showing the total dollar amounts of work performed by Veteran-Owned/Service Disabled Veteran-Owned businesses, final payment may be withheld