Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Veteran-owned business preference

Published (4/8/2011)
By Sue Hegarty
Share on: 



The Department of Transportation would be required to give qualifying small-business owners who are veterans contracts for state-funded construction projects, under a bill approved by the House Veterans Services Division April 4.

HF1327 now moves to the House Transportation Policy and Finance Committee. Rep. Bruce Anderson (R-Buffalo Township) sponsors the bill, which has no Senate companion.

The bill would strengthen current law by making it mandatory for MnDOT to implement a set-aside program for veteran-owned small businesses, similar to programs for targeted groups such as women and minorities.

There are an estimated 500 veteran-owned businesses in Minnesota, according to Jerry Kyser, vice chair of United Veterans Legislative Council.

The bill would also allow local governments to implement a similar bid preference program for veteran-owned small businesses.

In both state and local government projects, up to 6 percent of the bid amount could be subtracted from the veteran-owned bid for purposes of determining which company is the low bidder. If the veteran-owned contractor became the low bidder under this formula, the contractor would still receive the full bid amount, including the percentage that had been deducted for determining the low bidder.

Session Weekly More...


Session Weekly Home



Related Stories


Heroes for hire
Minnesota’s veterans do battle with rampant unemployment
(view full story) Published 4/6/2012