Orange County set to give disabled-vet businesses a boost
Posted by | Posted in Business Days | Posted on 12-10-2011
Orange County Commissioner Lui Damiani wants to give businesses operated by disabled veterans a better shot at winning government contracts.
Damiani’s proposal would give such small businesses a preferred status similar to the bid-scoring system used to help minority- and women-owned businesses land a bigger share of county contracts.
“It’s a great first step by the county to try and assist service-disabled veterans,” said Michael Waldrop, president and chief executive officer of Blue Chord Design & Construction LLC, a commercial building contractor.
Waldrop worked with Damiani developing the proposal. But the Enduring Freedom veteran, who was wounded serving with the Army in Afghanistan, said he wants the state and local governments such as Orange County to go a step further and adopt the federal government’s goal of awarding 3 percent of its contracts to businesses owned by disabled veterans.
“It let’s us get our feet in the door,” said Waldrop, who added that few know the federal program exists. He said federal records indicate that at least 120 service-disabled veterans operate small businesses in Orange County.
The Damiani proposal is set for a vote 2 p.m. Tuesday during the County Commission meeting at 201 S. Rosalind Ave. in Orlando. When the measure was discussed earlier this year, no opposition emerged.
If it’s approved, Damiani said, Orange County would become only the second local government in Florida to adopt such a policy, according to an initial survey.
“I would like to see Orange County be a leader on this important issue and help to create opportunities for our veterans who have sacrificed so much on our behalf,” Damiani said.
The policy was one of the first initiatives Damiani championed after former Gov. Charlie Crist appointed him to the county’s District 3 commission seat last year.
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