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Small Business and Veteran Programs Home
Welcome to the Small Business and Veteran Programs Department!
Through implementation, management, and monitoring of the District's Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) programs, the department seeks to ensure the School District of Osceola County utilizes small and veteran-owned businesses. Our department strives to encourage participation by small and veteran-owned businesses in the District’s construction projects, the procurement of goods and services, and professional services activities.
The Small Business and Veteran Programs Department shall facilitate involvement by assisting with certification, notifying vendors of available opportunities, conducting community outreach and vendor education sessions, maintaining a vendor directory, and monitoring compliance.
In support of the District's vision, to work in partnership with families and the community to ensure all learners develop the essential knowledge and skills of successful, future-ready graduates, the Small Business and Veteran Programs Department promotes economic investment in the local community. When the District utilizes small and veteran-owned businesses, it has a positive fiscal impact on the local economy, which benefits the students and families of the School District of Osceola County.
Small Business and Veteran Programs, 807 Bill Beck Blvd., Kissimmee, FL 34744, (407)750-9316.
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The School Board of Osceola County, Florida (Board) has two (2) programs intended to economically support small and veteran-owned businesses. Our programs include a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Participation Program and a Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) Participation Program. The Board certifies SBEs and accepts Local Developing Business (LDB) certifications from both the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and Orange County Public Schools (OCPS). The Board also accepts VBE certifications from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, through the Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE), the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), and the State of Florida's Department of Management Services Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD).
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Small Business Enterprise Participation Policy Statement
The School Board of Osceola County, Florida (Board) recognizes that small businesses are an essential part of the economy. Small businesses and small business owners provide essential support to the education system operated by the Board. This Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Policy of the Board is designed to promote the development of small businesses and facilitate the availability of firms to compete for upcoming projects of the Board.
Veteran Business Enterprise Participation Policy Statement
The School Board of Osceola County, Florida (Board) recognizes that veteran-owned businesses provide essential support to the education system operated by the Board. This Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) Policy of the Board is designed to promote the development of businesses owned and operated by Veteran individuals as defined herein and to facilitate the availability of firms to compete for upcoming projects of the Board.
For further information on definitions and eligibility requirements, please see School Board Policies 7.701 and 7.702 .
Small Business Enterprise Participation Program Procedures
Veteran Business Enterprise Participation Program Procedures
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The School Board of Osceola County, Florida (Board) certifies Small Business Enterprises (SBEs).
The Small Business Certification Application Supporting Documents Checklist (and its supporting documents), Small Business Certification Application, and Personal Net Worth Statement are all required for SBE certification. These required forms are available for download during the certification process in VendorLink.
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Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Central Florida
- Building Connections - Doing Business with the School District of Osceola County, April 25, 2024
Central Florida Chapter of NIGP
- 23rd Reverse Trade Show, December 7, 2022
- 24th Reverse Trade Show, November 8, 2023
- 25th Reverse Trade Show, November 8, 2024
Florida Association of Veteran Owned Businesses (FAVOB)
- After Hours in St. Cloud, September 13, 2022
- Military Service to Business Success Summit (Government Contracting Panelist), February 23, 2023
- Doing Business with Florida School Districts - An Unrealized Opportunity to THRIVE!, March 14, 2024
The Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at UCF
- RTS 2023: Government Contracting Reverse Trade Show, June 21, 2023
Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA)
- 16th Annual How to do Business, December 16, 2022
- 17th Annual How to do Business, October 12, 2023
- 2024 Vendor Networking Fair for Small, Minority, and Veteran-Owned Businesses, June 27, 2024
Orange County Public Schools, Office of Business Opportunity
- 2023 Annual Trade Fair for Small, Minority, and Veteran-Owned Businesses, June 22, 2023
- 2024 Annual Trade Fair for Small, Minority, and Veteran-Owned Businesses, May 30, 2024
- 2025 Annual Trade Fair for Small, Minority, and Veteran-Owned Businesses, May 30, 2025
- Business After Hours, September 14, 2022
Osceola County Purchasing Consortium
- 2023 Vendor Opportunity Fair, March 9, 2023
- 2024 Vendor Opportunity Fair, March 22, 2024
The Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
- Meet Our Trustees Open House, August 31, 2022
- How to do Business with The School District of Osceola County, November 2, 2022
Redemption Church, Business Ministry
- How to do Business with The School District of Osceola County, November 16, 2022
The St. Cloud Greater Osceola Chamber of Commerce
- Coffee-Co-Op, September 20, 2022
- Quarterly Breakfast, November 17, 2022
- Coffee-Co-Op, January 17, 2023
- 2023 St. Cloud Scavenger Hunt (Site Sponsorship), February 3, 2023
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2025 Vendor Opportunity Fair
Our 3nd Annual Vendor Opportunity Fair was held at the Tohopekaliga High School on July 16, 2025. The purpose of this event was to allow small and veteran-owned businesses the opportunity to meet and network with construction managers, general contractors, and architectural and engineering firms looking for subcontractors for current and future jobs with the Osceola School District, as well as officials from several community advocacy and support groups.
The networking portion of the event included booths hosted by:
- Balfour Beatty
- National Association of Minority Contractors Central Florida
- A&P International, Inc.
- BRPH
- Bishop Construction Group
- ABC of Central Florida
- Charles Perry Partners, Inc.
- SkyBuilders USA
- Addition Financial
- City of Kissimmee
- Larson Design Group
- CORE
- Chase
- DACG, Inc.
- City of St. Cloud
- Florida Association of Veteran Owned Businesses
- PBK
- Gilbane Building Company
- Florida APEX Accelerator at UCF
- Florida SBDC at UCF
- Schenkel & Schutlz, Inc.
- Lego Construction
- Ford Financial Wellness, LLC
- Pirtle Construction Company
- Guignard Company
- Song Associates, Inc.
- SEMCO Construction, Inc.
- Lake County Schools
- Siwel Inc.
- NAWIC Greater Orlando
- Spiezle Architectural group, Inc.
- Skanska USA Building Inc.
- New York Life Insurance Company
- T&G Constructors
- Osceola County
- The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
- Votum Construction
- Prospera
- Zyscovich, LLC, a Stratus Team Company
- WELBRO Building Corporation
- Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
- Wharton-Smith, Inc.
- The Osceola Chamber
- Williams Company
We hosted over 200 attendees from varying businesses looking for future opportunities to do work with the Osceola School District, which surpassed our expectations. I’d like to thank all of our booth hosts, attendees, school board members, district leadership, and district staff for their assistance and support in making this event such a success!
We here at the Small Business and Veteran Programs office, couldn't have done it without you!
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Name |
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Position |
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Katrina Ponzini, M.Ed., NIFP-CPP, CPPB |
Supervisor |
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Heather Allers-Sotomayor |
Secretrary |