The program is open to all Louisiana businesses that meet the following eligibility requirements for a Small Entrepreneurship (SE) under the Veteran Initiative. Once certified, business owners are required to submit annual updates through www.ledsmallbiz.com. Failure to submit the required information before your anniversary date each year will result in termination of your certification.

What are the eligibility requirements?

• Veteran Ownership – At least 51% of the business must be owned by a veteran
• Principal Place of Business – The company must have its principal place of business in Louisiana
• Employees – The company must have fewer than 50 full-time employees
• Average Annual Gross Receipts – Average annual gross receipts must not exceed $6 million for non construction and $10 million for construction companies
• Independently Owned and Operated – The business must be independently owned and operated
• Not Dominant – The business must not be dominant in its professional field
• Louisiana Residency – Must be owned by persons domiciled in Louisiana
• Citizenship – Must be owned by and have officers who are U.S. citizens or legal residents

Service-Connected Disabled Veteran – This is an additional distinction available within the Veteran Initiative for Service-Connected Disabled-Veteran-owned businesses. To qualify, the business must meet all of the requirements above, as well as the following:

• Service-Connected Disabled-Veteran-Owned – At least 51% of the business must be owned by a Service-Connected Disabled Veteran

Program Statutes & Rules: 

All incentive program rules are in the Louisiana Administrative Code maintained by the Office of the State Register.

• View the Veteran Initiative Statutes
• View the Titles of the Louisiana Administrative Code 
  
• Rules for the Veteran Initiative can be found in Part IX
• Governor Edwards Executive Order

To take advantage of Louisiana's Veteran Initiative and to gain greater access to purchasing and contracting opportunities with the state government, complete the online application at www.ledsmallbiz.com.

For more information on the Veteran Initiative, contact:

Stephanie Hartman
Director, Small Business Services
[email protected]
225.342.5677

1. LED will review completed applications within two business days of submission.
2. You will receive an email notification after review that acknowledges your application status.
3. Register as a vendor with the Office of State Procurement to begin receiving email notifications about purchasing and contracting opportunities available through the State of Louisiana. The Hudson and Veteran Initiatives’ Coordinator List can be found on the Office of State Procurement website.
4. Submit annual updates through www.ledsmallbiz.com by your anniversary date each year to remain certified in the program. Three email notifications will be sent to remind you to submit this information.

Q: I have a business that is 50% owned by a veteran. Would my business qualify? 
A: NO. Your business would not qualify for the Veteran Initiative certification. If you meet the other qualifications, however, your business would qualify for the Hudson Initiative certification.

Q: I am registered under VETBIZ, the federal certification. Do I need to apply for this also? 
A: YES. If you would like to do business with the state government in Louisiana, you must be certified by Louisiana's Veteran Initiative program, LAVETBIZ.

Q: I qualify for the Veteran Initiative. Do I also need to register for the Hudson Initiative? 
A: If you qualify for the Veteran Initiative, then you also qualify for the Hudson Initiative and your application will be submitted for both.

Q: Once I am certified, will I automatically be given contracts? 
A: NO. The Veteran Initiative is a goal-oriented program, but there are no contracts set aside for certified businesses. You must register your business with the Office of State Procurement in order to learn about current bid opportunities in your industry.

Q: I have a Veteran-certified company. What do I need to do to start receiving information about purchasing and contracting opportunities? 
A: You must register your business as a vendor with the Office of State Procurement in order to learn about current bid opportunities in your industry.

Q: How does the Veteran Initiative certification differ from the Hudson certification? 
A: The Veteran Initiative certification provides 12% extra points that can be added to your bid on a Request for Proposal (RFP) whereas the Hudson Initiative only provides 10% extra points. For non-construction related businesses, the Veteran Initiative requires that average annual gross receipts must not exceed $6 million, the Hudson Initiative requires not to exceed $5 million.  

Q: Where do I find a list of Certified Veteran or Service-Connected Disabled Veteran clients? 
A: Go to www.ledsmallbiz.com and click on the link under the program headers to find the list of Certified Veteran or Service-Connected Disabled Veteran businesses.

Q: How can I learn more about creating bid proposals? 
A: Contact the Louisiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center for help with the marketing and bidding process, and post-award and contract management.

Q: Where can I find more information about doing business with the State? 
A: Visit the Vendor Center page on the Office of State Procurement's website for additional information for vendors, including the annually updated guide on "How to Do Business with the State of Louisiana."