The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) has increased its support for California Small Business/Microbusiness (SB/MB) over the last three years, awarding more than $9.5 million in SB/MB contracts in FY 2011-12, according to a Wednesday report.

That represents more than 28 percent of CalVet’s total contract dollars.

In addition, CalVet awarded more than $2 million in Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) contracts, which accounts for more than 6 percent of the Department’s total SB/MB contract dollars.

CalVet’s contracting performance has exceeded the State’s 25% SB/MB goal and more than doubled the State’s 3 percent DVBE goal. CalVet’s contracting efforts also exceeded its own more stringent 5 percent DVBE goal.

“These numbers directly reflect CalVet’s strategic goals because support of small business and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises means jobs for veterans,” said CalVet Secretary Peter J. Gravett. “It took a lot of work on the part of everyone involved in the procurement process for CalVet to make this happen, and I’m enormously proud of my staff.”

CalVet credits its success to a DVBE/SB first policy which requires buyers to first seek out certified DVBE and SB vendors for any purchases and contracts. This policy requires an approved waiver prior to contracting with other vendors.

Management support of this policy, and the DVBE and SB programs in general, is also critical to exceeding these performance goals.