“On June 6, 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a decision in the matter of Veterans4You, Inc., deciding that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must apply the “Rule of Two” even when it procures goods and services through other government agencies…”
“This complicated history led to the protest of Veterans4You, wherein GAO reviewed the Government Publishing Office (GPO) procurement of suicide prevention gun locks for the VA using GPO’s unique authority to provide and procure printing services on behalf of the government. Veterans4You protested GPO’s invitation for bids, arguing that the VA was attempting to acquire these items without giving due consideration to whether veteran-owned small businesses could supply these locks, as required by the VA Rule of Two. GAO emphatically rejected the GPO’s argument that the Rule of Two did not apply because this was a GPO procurement.”
“The GAO’s decision once again emphasizes the mandatory and universal applicability of the VA Rule of Two. This decision also suggests, however, that veteran-owned small business should be on high alert to ensure that the VA complies with the Rule of Two…” Read the full article here.
Source: Government Fails Again to Apply the VA Rule of Two – By David B. Dixon and Toghrul Shukurlu, June 18, 2019. Pillsbury Law.
