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ROCKVILLE, MD – The Montgomery County Chamber Community Foundation (MCCCF) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the award of $500,000 in a grant agreement with the MCCCF’s National Center for the Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP), to deliver the SBA’s Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurship Training Program (VFPETP). VIP is a certification training program designed for veteran-owned companies to increase their ability to win government contracts by establishing best business practices. The curriculum, which includes VIP START, ideal for companies entering government contracting; VIP GROW, geared toward expanding within government contracting; VIP INTERNATIONAL, structured for companies that export or have federal contracts performing outside the United States; and VIP AEROSPACE, designed for those wanting to enter or scale in the highly compliant aerospace federal sector. "Since 2010, VIP graduates have won over $16.9 billion in federal government prime awards. This represents VIP’s commitment to providing meaningful training and support to the veteran small business community to ensure they are competitive in the federal marketplace," said Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator for SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development. "Through this partnership, VIP will support SBA and federal government-wide efforts to achieve the federally mandated three percent service-disabled veteran-owned business spending goal." "The Foundation is honored to be able to work in partnership with the SBA to provide VIP training to veteran-owned small businesses to accelerate their success in the federal marketplace," said Barbara Ashe, VIP National Director. "Since 2009, over 1,700 companies from all 50 states, DC., Puerto Rico, and Guam have benefitted from the VIP training and we are excited to continue our work to arms vets to win nationwide." Learn more here.