The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) WOSB Ready Program (which helps women-owned small businesses compete for federal contracts) is being put on hold for a short time. The pause means the program’s activities (trainings, events, support sessions tied to it) are temporarily stopped while the VA handles end-of-year budget work and reviews the program.
Does this announcement affect the WOSB certification process or certification holders?
The announcement only affects the VA’s WOSB Ready Program (a training and support initiative). Certification is handled separately through the SBA and continues as normal. A valid WOSB certificate still gives eligibility for set-asides and sole-source opportunities.
What are the reasons that led to pausing this beneficial program?
This time the VA tied the pause to end-of-fiscal-year obligations. That means staff and budget are being redirected to close out contracts, reconcile accounts, and meet statutory deadlines before the government’s fiscal year ends on September 30.
In short, the certificate and its significance are unaffected. However, the pause signals internal capacity or funding pressures at VA OSDBU that weren’t as limiting in earlier years. Having said that, resources are still available online, but the structured program will resume only after the pause.
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