Win More VA Contracts with an SDVOSB

Winning VA contracts isn’t just about having the best medical or pharmaceutical product—it’s about understanding how the VA buys and how to align your team with the VA’s Veterans First Contracting Program. Partnering with a certified Service‑Disabled Veteran‑Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) like Lovell Government Services gives manufacturers a structural advantage in this environment, because VA is legally required to prioritize SDVOSBs and VOSBs when awarding contracts.

This guide explains how to win more VA contracts by leveraging SDVOSB advantages and why teaming with Lovell can turn a complex system into a repeatable growth channel.

Why VA Is Different from Other Federal Agencies

Every federal agency has small business goals, but VA operates under its own Veterans First Contracting Program, codified at 38 U.S.C. 8127–8128 and implemented in VAAR Subpart 819.70. Unlike most agencies, VA must:

• Give priority to SDVOSBs and VOSBs in its contracting decisions.
• Use restricted competition and even sole‑source authority for SDVOSBs/VOSBs when conditions are met.
• Consider SDVOSB/VOSB status before other small business preferences.

VA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) reports that VA has far exceeded the government‑wide 5% SDVOSB goal, awarding about $10.2 billion (23% of prime contract dollars) to SDVOSBs in a recent fiscal year. That means VA is actively looking for SDVOSB partners—and manufacturers that team with those partners.

The SDVOSB Advantage at VA: How It Actually Works

SDVOSB status isn’t a “nice to have” at VA; it’s built into the rules and evaluation structure. VAAR 819.70 makes clear that the Veterans First program is designed to increase contracting opportunities and priority for SDVOSBs and VOSBs. In practice, this advantage shows up in several ways:

• Set‑aside competitions: Some VA contracts are reserved so only SDVOSBs (or SDVOSBs/VOSBs) can bid.
• Sole‑source awards: Under certain conditions, VA contracting officers can award directly to an SDVOSB/VOSB without full and open competition.
• Evaluation preferences: Even in unrestricted competitions, VA must give priority to SDVOSBs/VOSBs through evaluation factors and price preferences when they meet requirements.

The SBA’s veteran contracting guidance reinforces that certified SDVOSBs can compete for set‑aside and sole‑source contracts federal‑wide, with VA layering on additional SDVOSB/VOSB priority through Veterans First.

For manufacturers, this means your odds to win VA contracts increase when your solution is offered through a strong SDVOSB prime like Lovell.

Why Partnering with an SDVOSB Helps You Win VA Contracts

Several industry sources point out that the most obvious benefit of SDVOSB or VOSB status is the reduction in competition: set‑asides restrict the field to a smaller pool of veteran firms, making awards more attainable than in full and open competitions.

When you partner with an SDVOSB like Lovell:

• You gain access to VA opportunities where only SDVOSB primes can bid.
• Your offering benefits from VA’s statutory preference to award to SDVOSBs/VOSBs first.
• You can participate in sole‑source deals that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Other advantages documented by SDVOSB guidance include:

• Higher probability of award due to procurement quotas and preferences.
• Additional evaluation points or favorable scoring for proposals led by SDVOSBs.

Lovell’s role is to turn those abstract advantages into concrete wins by acting as the SDVOSB prime and government‑facing partner for your products.

Common Reasons Great Products Don’t Win VA Contracts

Even strong manufacturers often struggle at VA because:

• They lack SDVOSB status, so they can’t prime set‑aside or sole‑source opportunities.
• They don’t understand VA’s procurement hierarchy, including Veterans First, Federal Supply Schedules, and prime‑vendor programs.
• Their products aren’t available on VA‑preferred contract vehicles, making it harder for contracting officers to justify awards.
• They underestimate the time and resources required to manage VA proposals, pricing, and compliance internally.

VA‑focused guides emphasize that leveraging veteran business status and understanding the Veterans First hierarchy are among the top strategies for winning VA contracts. By teaming with Lovell, manufacturers address those gaps without restructuring ownership or building an internal VA contracting team from scratch.

How Lovell Uses Its SDVOSB Advantage to Help You Win VA Contracts

Lovell Government Services is a certified SDVOSB medical distributor that specializes in federal healthcare. As an SDVOSB, Lovell is eligible for Veterans First set‑aside and sole‑source awards and is part of the pool VA is required to prioritize.

Manufacturers can leverage Lovell’s status in these ways:

1. SDVOSB Prime on VA Opportunities

Lovell can serve as the prime contractor on VA solicitations that:

• Are set aside for SDVOSBs/VOSBs under Veterans First.
• Allow SDVOSB sole‑source awards under 38 U.S.C. 8127(c) and (d).
• Offer evaluation preference for SDVOSB‑led bids in otherwise open competitions.

You contribute the clinical and product expertise; Lovell brings SDVOSB status, VA contracting experience, and distribution capability. That combination makes your solution materially more competitive.

2. Alignment with VA’s Contracting Hierarchy

VA’s Vets First program creates a contracting hierarchy, with SDVOSBs first, VOSBs second, and other small businesses later in the priority chain. When Lovell is your SDVOSB partner:

• You align directly with the top tier of that hierarchy.
• Contracting officers can satisfy both clinical requirements and SDVOSB/VOSB mandates with a single award.

This is why VA OSDBU reports such high SDVOSB award percentages; contracting officers actively seek qualified SDVOSB partners like Lovell to meet their targets.

3. Access to Set‑Aside and Sole‑Source Lanes

SBA and SDVOSB program guidance emphasize that SDVOSBs can receive both:

• Set‑aside contracts, where competition is limited to SDVOSBs, and
• Sole‑source contracts, when conditions like thresholds and capability are met.

Partnering with Lovell effectively opens these lanes to your products. While you may not qualify as an SDVOSB yourself, you can be part of SDVOSB‑led teams that benefit from these special authorities.

Beyond Status: Why SDVOSB + Healthcare Expertise Matters

Status alone isn’t enough; you still need to perform. Sources note that successful SDVOSBs pair their status with deep understanding of agency missions and requirements. Lovell does this specifically in federal healthcare:

• Focus on VA, DoD, and other health agencies—not generic IT or construction.
• Experience with medical and pharmaceutical contract vehicles (VA FSS, DAPA/ECAT, GSA, etc.).
• Government‑ready warehousing and 3PL to fulfill orders once you win.

This blend of SDVOSB advantage and practical healthcare capability is what turns contracts into sustained revenue and impact.

A Practical Roadmap to Win More VA Contracts with Lovell

If you’re a manufacturer looking to increase VA wins, a realistic roadmap with Lovell might look like this:

Step 1: Define Your VA Opportunity

• Identify which products are strongest fits for VA’s patient population and clinical priorities.
• Prioritize offerings where you can clearly demonstrate value versus current VA therapies or devices.

Step 2: Map Contract Vehicles and Gaps

• Determine which VA contract vehicles (e.g., VA FSS, BPAs, national contracts, DAPA/ECAT for DoD‑VA overlap) are relevant for your products.
• With Lovell, identify where your products can be added under existing SDVOSB‑held contracts vs. where new VA opportunities must be targeted.

Step 3: Build an SDVOSB‑Centric Capture Strategy

• Use Lovell as the SDVOSB prime for relevant VA solicitations and set‑asides.
• Highlight SDVOSB participation in your proposals, aligning with VA OSDBU and Veterans First goals.
• Target opportunities where VA is explicitly seeking to increase SDVOSB vendor participation or where existing incumbents lack SDVOSB status.

Step 4: Couple Contract Wins with Reliable Delivery

• Ensure your products are stocked and distributed through Lovell’s VA‑ready logistics network, so awarded contracts translate into seamless orders.
• Coordinate closely with Lovell on forecasting, stocking levels, and issue resolution to maintain stellar past performance—fueling future wins.

Step 5: Expand and Optimize

• Use initial wins as case studies and proof points for additional VA contracts and VISNs.
• Expand product lines under existing SDVOSB contracts where performance is strong.
• Analyze win/loss data and feedback with Lovell to refine pricing, positioning, and targeting.

When You Should Consider an SDVOSB Strategy

You should seriously consider centering your VA strategy around an SDVOSB partner like Lovell if:

• You’re consistently losing to SDVOSB‑led teams, even with strong products.
• You see VA opportunities labeled as “SDVOSB set‑aside” or “Veterans First” that you cannot prime.
• Your internal resources are maxed out on commercial growth and can’t fully engage VA capture and compliance.
• You want to align your brand with Veteran‑owned partners and strengthen your story with VA leadership.

In these cases, continuing to compete as a non‑SDVOSB prime is often an uphill battle; teaming with Lovell can fundamentally change your odds.

Win More VA Contracts with Lovell’s SDVOSB Advantage

VA has made its priorities clear: SDVOSBs and VOSBs come first in its contracting decisions, and billions of dollars already flow to SDVOSB primes each year. Manufacturers that ignore this reality will keep fighting uphill. Those that embrace it—and team with the right SDVOSB partner—can turn VA from a frustrating prospect into a core growth channel.

Lovell Government Services is that partner. As an SDVOSB focused on federal healthcare, Lovell helps you:

• Align your offerings with VA’s Veterans First hierarchy and SDVOSB goals.
• Access SDVOSB set‑aside and sole‑source lanes you can’t reach alone.
• Combine SDVOSB status with real contract, compliance, and logistics capability to deliver for VA facilities and Veterans.

If you’re ready to win more VA contracts by leveraging a proven SDVOSB advantage, visit lovellgov.com and connect with the Lovell team. Together, you can design a VA strategy that doesn’t just compete—but wins, grows, and supports the Veterans your products are built to serve.