FAR Council Raises Section 503 And VEVRAA Jurisdiction Thresholds

November 26, 2025

What's New

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council recently elevated the contract dollar thresholds needed to trigger compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 503) and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA).

Section 503’s nondiscrimination thresholds are now triggered with contracts in excess of $20,000 (up from $15,000), while the corresponding VEVRAA thresholds are now triggered for contracts valued at $200,000 or more (up from $150,000).

VEVRAA’s written affirmative action program (AAP) requirements are also now triggered for employers with 50 or more employees holding a contract valued at $200,000 or more. Section 503’s written affirmative action program requirements remain unchanged and are required for employers with 50 or more employees holding a contract valued at $50,000 or more.

In conjunction with the changes, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has published a new “Jurisdictional Thresholds” infographic and updated its webpage.

What It Means

The changes will have little to no impact on most federal contractors, though it’s certainly conceivable that a handful of employers will no longer need to prepare a VEVRAA AAP. More importantly, employers who are not subject to VEVRAA will no longer need to list their employment vacancies with a state or local government or a local veteran employment representative.

What You Should Do

For most employers, no action is needed. However, those curious as to their organization’s relationship with the federal government can view contract and subcontract awards and research grants through the Federal Procurement Data System or USASPENDING.gov.

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