Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Recertifacation

LTC Marc King — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 15:37:49 -0400

I am writing this as a retired Army veteran and the owner of a “Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business” (SDVOSB) which operates out of my home office. I started my company shortly after I made the decision to leave the corporate world two years ago. I sought the advantage of registering my company with the Veterans Administration as a service disabled veteran, a unique distinction for which I am fully qualified. In going through the process of registering the company, I encountered a number of frustrating roadblocks along the way recounting the difficulty that was imposed by the VA in completing the task of registering the company. The amount of paperwork and intrusive information they required, for which they place the blame on Congress, was so onerous that I decided at the time not to complete the process. It was only with the help and guidance of my wife, a former Senior Executive in the DoD, that the process was completed.

Now, I have been informed by the program administrators that 2 years have passed since completing this arduous task and updates will need to be provided. I have been instructed to participate in a webinar where I will be instructed on the updates and information that the system will require for me to retain my SDVOSB status.

Here is my real concern. Given that we are still discovering the breath and scope of the hack of the government’s Office of Personnel Management, which is now reported to be approaching 18 million people and the compromise of the most personal information in their data base which went on completely undetected for over a year – I have very little confidence that the VA’s data base in which they want me to place my business checking account information, tax return information and other sensitive and vital information is no more secure, at least not at this time, than the servers at OPM. To request this level of personal and business information for the sole purpose of renewing my eligibility to be in the program is at best intrusive and at worst subject to be in the hands of Chinese or Russian hackers before I have even completed entering it. After only 24 months, the process wants to repeat itself and there is no confidence that the information provided will be secure. What is true is that the original qualifying requirements have not changed in 24 months and a simple check by the appropriate folks could confirm that with a telephone call or face to face meeting.

Is my concern for the protection of sensitive company information overstated in light of the recent cyber security failures, should the process give the benefit to the veteran and not the contractors running the program. How do other SDVOSB owners feel about this -- do we need to get Congress fired up?

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jun 30 at 2015 3:53 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 15:53:21 -0400

Yes, LTC Marc King, I think you should contact your Congressman and express your concerns to him/her. Since VP AL Gore touted the paper reduction act would make government more efficient we have not seen much of an increase in either reduction of paperwork or efficiency. Hopefully, your Congressperson and other members will help to move your issue along.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Jun 30 at 2015 3:56 PM

LTC John Shaw — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 15:56:14 -0400

LTC Marc King Is there a contact at the SBA you can mention your concerns to?

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Jun 30 at 2015 4:04 PM

CPT Pedro Meza — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 16:04:01 -0400

LTC Marc King, Thank Sir, I have been thinking of starting a home business but had no knowledge of the hassle.

Response by PVT Robert Gresham made Jun 30 at 2015 5:33 PM

PVT Robert Gresham — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 17:33:08 -0400

If your company is already up and running, and you feel that your privacy concerns outweigh the possible advantages, then I would definitely listen to that "little voice whispering in your ear".

The problems of hacking and data intrusion is a disaster that is only going to get worse. For every counter measure there is a genius hacker out there who can expect a cool payday for every name and social security number that he can provide to the right buyer. If you saw the last episode of "60 Minutes" on Sunday, the 28th of June, you will already know that there are dishonest people here in the US who will buy your information and file fraudulent tax returns. These thefts of your money through the IRS can take years to straighten out. Imagine what a foreign country, bent on causing nationwide panic and anger, could do with thousands of illicitly obtained names and SSNs.

For my security, the less I have to send ANYONE my Social Security Number, and other identifying information, the better.