WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Small Business Administration has awarded a Maryland-based veterans procurement program $3.75 million over five years to expand nationwide training for veteran-owned businesses seeking federal contracts.
The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation Veterans Institute for Procurement will operate the Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurship Training Program, or VFPETP, with an initial $750,000 award covering Sept. 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2027.
The program is expected to serve about 250 veteran-owned small businesses annually through five cohorts each year.
Training will focus on federal procurement, including identifying contracting opportunities, developing capability statements, preparing proposals and pricing, and building the operational capacity needed to perform government work.
The program will provide no-cost, in-person entrepreneurial-development services to participants nationwide. It is intended for certified veteran-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, veterans seeking certification and transitioning servicemembers considering entrepreneurship.
The SBA said the initiative is designed to improve procurement readiness and help veteran entrepreneurs compete for federal contracts, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing and defense.
“The new Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurship Training Program will give veteran-owned small businesses the practical training and mentorship needed to compete for—and win—federal work,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said.
The award comes as the agency continues changes to its veteran contracting programs. The SBA reported that it cleared a backlog of 2,700 VetCert applications in November 2025 after restoring dedicated staffing and funding to the certification program.
The agency has also proposed broader changes to federal small-business contracting programs, including reforms to the 8(a) Business Development Program.
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