---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 8129"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "8129"
heading: "Preference for offerors employing veterans"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/8129"
units:
  - "Part VI — Acquisition and Disposition of Property"
  - "Chapter 81 — Acquisition and Operation of Hospital and Domiciliary Facilities; Procurement and Supply; Enhanced-Use Leases of Real Property"
  - "Subchapter II — Procurement and Supply"
---

# §8129. Preference for offerors employing veterans

- (a) **Preference.—**
  - (1) In awarding a contract for the procurement of goods or services, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may give a preference to offerors that employ [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) on a full-time basis.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall determine such preference based on the percentage of the full-time employees of the offeror who are [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2).
- (b) **Enforcement Penalties for Misrepresentation.—**
  - (1) Any offeror that is determined by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) to have willfully and intentionally misrepresented the [veteran](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) status of the employees of the offeror for purposes of [subsection (a)](#a) may be debarred from contracting with the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for a period of not less than five years.
  - (2) If the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) carries out a debarment under [paragraph (1)](#b-1), the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall—
    - (A) commence debarment action against the offeror by not later than 30 days after determining that the offeror willfully and intentionally misrepresented the [veteran](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) status of the employees of the offeror as described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1); and
    - (B) complete debarment actions against such offeror by not later than 90 days after such determination.
  - (3) The debarment of an offeror under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) includes the debarment of all principals in the offeror for a period of not less than five years.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 116–315, title VII, § 7003(a), Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5058.)