I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7401 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a goal for the Department 
of Defense for participation by certain veteran-owned small businesses 
in procurement contracts, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 15, 2024 
Mr. WALTZ (for himself and Mr. PANETTA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a goal 
for the Department of Defense for participation by cer-
tain veteran-owned small businesses in procurement con-
tracts, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Contract Our Veterans 
Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GOALS FOR PARTICIPA-
TION BY CERTAIN VETERAN-OWNED SMALL 
BUSINESSES IN PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS. 
Chapter 287 of part V of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
‘‘§ 3906. Small business concerns owned and con-
trolled by veterans: contracting goals and 
preferences 
‘‘(a) CONTRACTING GOALS.—In order to increase 
contracting opportunities for small business concerns 
owned and controlled by veterans and small business con-
cerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, 
the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) establish a goal for each fiscal year for 
participation in Department contracts (including 
subcontracts) by small business concerns owned and 
controlled by veterans who are not service-disabled 
veterans that is not less than the governmentwide 
goal for that fiscal year for participation by small 
business concerns owned and controlled by service- 
disabled veterans under section 15(g)(1) of the 
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)); and 
‘‘(2) establish a goal for each fiscal year for 
participation in Department contracts (including 
subcontracts) by small business concerns owned and 
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controlled by veterans with service-connected disabil-
ities that is not less than the governmentwide goal 
for that fiscal year for participation by small busi-
ness concerns owned and controlled by service-dis-
abled veterans under section 15(g)(1) of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)(1)). 
‘‘(b) SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS
FOR CONTRACTS 
ABOVE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD.—For pur-
poses of meeting the goals under subsection (a) and in 
accordance with this section, a contracting officer may 
award a contract to a small business concern owned and 
controlled by veterans or small business concerns owned 
and controlled by service-disabled veterans using proce-
dures other than competitive procedures if— 
‘‘(1) such concern is determined to be a respon-
sible source with respect to performance of such con-
tract opportunity; 
‘‘(2) the anticipated award price of the contract 
(including options) will not exceed the amounts es-
tablished in section 36(c)(2) of the Small Business 
Act (15 U.S.C. 657f(c)(2)); and 
‘‘(3) in the estimation of the contracting officer, 
the contract award can be made at a fair and rea-
sonable price that offers best value to the United 
States. 
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