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Advocates urge stronger enforcement, transparency and loans for New Jersey veteran-owned businesses
Summary
Representatives of the New Jersey Veterans Chamber of Commerce and veterans’ groups told the Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee that the state is falling short of its 3% disabled veteran-owned business (DVOB) procurement goal and urged measures including liquidated-damages language in RFPs, public spend reporting, a NJEDA loan fund, and tax incentives to raise participation.
Trenton — Witnesses at Monday’s Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing pressed lawmakers to tighten enforcement and expand supports for veteran-owned businesses, saying the state has long failed to meet its DVOB procurement target.
"The highest the state has ever gotten to that law is 0.9%. Last year was 0.5%, and roughly the year before that was 0.2%," said Jeff Cantor, a representative of the New Jersey Veterans Chamber of Commerce, laying out the group's priority bills and policy changes. Cantor urged adding liquidated-damages provisions to state RFPs, which would fine contractors that fail to make a good-faith effort to subcontract with veteran-owned firms.
The chamber also asked the Legislature to…
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