The Department of Veterans Affairs failed to comply with a law aimed at increasing the number of federal contracts awarded to small businesses owned by disabled veterans, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
The justices sided with Kingdomware Technologies Inc., a veteran-owned contractor based in Maryland that said it should have been considered to provide services for a VA medical center.
The case is important to veterans groups that claimed the VA was wrongly interpreting bidding requirements in a way that deprived thousands of small companies owned by veterans. Those companies want a slice of the billions of dollars in contracts the VA awards every year.
Federal law requires the agency to use a bidding process if two or more disabled veteran-owned companies can offer service at a fair and reasonable price. But the VA argued the “rule of two” does not apply when it buys goods and services from vendors that already have contracts with the agency under a system called the Federal Supply Schedule.
Justice Clarence Thomas said the rule applies to all contract determinations.
A federal appeals court had said the VA did not have to follow the rule of two if it otherwise met the goal of awarding between 7 percent and 12 percent of all contracts to companies owned by disabled veterans. But Thomas said meeting annual benchmarks does not allow the VA to ignore a mandatory contracting rule.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
O admin has failed all American citizens! And too many DC insiders have gone along to get along. A long term input of cash for campaigns from the owners of the fed res. The owners of the fed res have wonderful cash flow because they have rigged the taxing power of the govt so they get a cut of all govt income. But they don’t call it patronage, a cut, a kickback, welfare of the rich but instead call it interest on the national debt!
When you go to the doctor you expect to get a diagnosis that is MC, medically correct. Not one that is PC so the doctor can make more money. When you vote for someone you expect them, at least most of us do, to do what is in the besy interests of thee nation. Not the bests of the party or even of getting re-elected. And they shouldn’t snap like an irritated dog with a bad attitude at a person that offers ideas for the nation!
You are right…however, every doctor I’ve ever met (except one) isn’t there to help people get healthy. They are there to make the hospital money. Hospitals as well as the government, are corporate run money hounds…that is all they want.
What can U say politicians have and always will put them selves ahead of their constituents. It’s the belief that I was elected to do as I want and if that just happens to coincide with someones wants or beliefs fine they are happy but politicians don’t care about anything but your VOTE. Still this is one of the best countries in the world when it comes to honest politicians … There are verging degrees of Honesty for Politicians.
The VA needs to understand they are expected to comply with all laws, not just the ones they agree with.
If our representatives do what is best for the majority of Americans’
citizens and consider their welfare before ALL others especially other Countries they should have no concern about keeping their jobs.??? The majority of citizens are no longer satisfied with what their Representatives believes is sufficient to satisfy their needs??? It is that attitude that deprives the masses from enjoying the educational gifts and abilities of those who study hard and apply themselves to make life better for ALL our citizens??? It is that lack of concern and financial assistance that stymies our Yankee Ingenuity that has previously given us all the technological and individual freedoms and advances that we have had the opportunity to enjoy without reservation??? Expecting immigrants from other countries to contribute greater and more spectacular ideas and inventions is a CRAP SHOOT at best??? Those that have contributed has been due to them having better schools where ours have deteriorated to a point where the majority can neither read, write, spell, or do simple math???