Department of Veterans Affairs Expands Contract With IFB Solutions In Winston-Salem

Posted on by

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Department of Veterans Affairs is holding off on plans to end its optical contract with IFB Solutions in Winston-Salem.

The non-profit makes about 1,200 eyeglasses a day and employs many people with disabilities. The non-profit was at risk of losing its contract with the department of veterans affairs following a court decision on the “rule of two.” That policy stipulates the Veterans Affair must give precedence awarding contracts to veteran-owned small businesses over other programs like theirs, called ability one.

Read the full story here.

Legal dispute over VA set-asides could force W-S factory to fire blind workers

Posted on by

Navy veteran Scott Smith went to bed on a Friday night. When he awoke the next morning he was blind.

Scott, who was a welder, suffers from optic neuropathy, which cost him his vision.

He was afraid he’d never work again.

But for the past four years, Smith has worked in an optical factory in Winston-Salem, handling the machines that put scratch-resistant coating on glasses for veterans.

Read more here.

137 jobs are still on the line in Winston-Salem. But the nation’s largest employer of the blind is fighting court rulings.

Posted on by

A group of 47 workers at IFB Solutions Inc. have a 15-day extension on their employment. There’s no guarantee, however, that they or 90 of their coworkers facing similar situations, will keep their jobs thereafter.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has informed Winston-Salem’s IFB that it will extend one of three federal contracts it has with the company until Aug. 15. The contract in question had been set to expire at midnight Tuesday.

Read more here.

VA Grants IFB Solutions 2-Week Contract Extension, Allowing for More Time To Find Jobs For 47 Employees

Posted on by

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — IFB Solutions says its optical contract with the VA will be extended into August.

IFB announced its contract that was originally set to expire Wednesday (July 31) will be extended until Aug. 15. CEO David Horton says although it’s not the outcome the organization hoped for, the extension will give them more time to find possible positions within for 47 employees who were originally slated to be let go.

Read more here.

IFB Solutions in Winston-Salem gets extension amid fight to keep 137 jobs, including 76 blind workers

Posted on by

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — IFB Solutions will need to cut 137 jobs, but the cuts won’t come for about two weeks thanks to an extended contract.

The Winston-Salem-based company, which touts itself as the largest employer of people who are blind in the country, said 137 jobs are on the chopping block after a policy change at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs meant the V.A. would not renew its contract with IFB.

Read more here. 

Media Update: VA grants IFB Solutions 2-week contract extension

Posted on by

Contact
Nicole Ducouer, IFB Solutions Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Programs
336-685-2393 | nducouer@ifbsolutions.org

Today, we received notice from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs that it is extending the optical contract slated to end on July 31 for two additional weeks with a new end date of August 15. This brief extension gives us additional time to find possible positions within our organization for those 47 affected employees. However, it is not the outcome we had hoped for as we believe the VA should not be taking business away from AbilityOne nonprofits like IFB Solutions who provide life-changing jobs for people who are blind or visually impaired. Every day, our employees go to work wondering when the next contract will end.

IFB Solutions has two remaining contracts with the VA that employ an additional 90 people.  Both of those contracts are slated to end this fall, putting a total of 137 people, including 76 who are blind, 15 who are veterans, out of work.

We will continue to advocate on Capitol Hill and in the courts to press for a solution that will enable the VA to maximize contracting awards for veteran-owned small businesses without eliminating or reducing AbilityOne jobs for people who are blind or severely disabled. During our meetings on Capitol Hill last week, we heard from many members of Congress about their intent to communicate with VA Secretary Wilkie that his department cease attempting to take way any current AbilityOne Procurement List contracts from non-profit organizations employing people who are blind or severely disabled as that is not consistent with the intent of Congress.  And, in early September, we will file a petition for our case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court as we pursue all available legal and legislative options to get this issue resolved. There is plenty of business with the VA for both veteran-owned small businesses and AbilityOne nonprofits.

We are grateful for the support of the national lawmakers we met with last week in Washington, D.C. who want to see a solution to this issue. We also are grateful for the many people in the community who’ve shared their support for our organization and our employees.

Court ruling may help veterans but hurt the blind

Posted on by

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NEXSTAR) – A court ruling requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to prioritize contracts that help veterans over people with disabilities.

That means current contracts benefiting blind workers could be stripped from the nonprofits dedicated to hiring them.

“We’re here to make sure that Congress does the right thing,” said Curtis Chase, Director of Operations, IFB Solutions in Arkansas.

Read more here.