MENTOR PROTÉGÉ (MP) PROGRAMS

Dr. Bob DawkinsDirector Education & Standards

A-T Solutions Inc

Definition & Purpose

Mentor: A person that has knowledge and experience in the area of your topic who can provide support and guidance• Applied to below purpose=experienced

business helping start-ups and smaller organizations

Purpose: provide incentives for government contractors to assist small businesses in enhancing their capabilities and participation in Government and commercial contracts

MP Overview

MP Program (DoD and DHS): Pre-eminent program within the Federal government for the

transformation of a small business firm with high potential to a firm of substance

All stakeholders (Mentor, Protégé, and DoD/DHS) enter an Agreement with a positive outlook and a need to succeed in a documented way by improving revenues, employment levels, and other key indicators of success such as technology enhancement or technology transfer.

A process of teaming and building acumen in the use of improved business systems and strengthening infrastructure.

Consensus is that the program has been positive, constructive, and useful in building stronger business relationships, elevating small business firms to a higher level, transferring technology, and fulfilling the supply needs of the DoD.

http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/mentor_protege/

Qualifications

Mentor firm must be: Currently performing under at least one active

approved subcontracting plan negotiated with DoD or another Federal agency pursuant to FAR 19.702 (DHS-based on their primary NAICS code) http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ North American Industry Classification System

Currently eligible for the award of Federal contracts. Mentor Applications (DoD must be approved and

may be submitted to the OSBP of the Cognizant Military Service or Defense Agency. http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/ Office of Small Business Programs

Qualifications

Protégé firm must be• Small disadvantaged business (SDB), women-

owned small business (WOSB), a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), or a historically underutilized business zone (HUB Zone).

• Small businesses in Virginia should also seek out the Virginia Department of Business Assistance @ http://www.vdba.virginia.gov/

Benefit to Mentor

Develops certified source and relationship for resources• AKA relationship building

For a subcontracting plan Eligible to receive credit in the source

selection/evaluation criteria process for mentor-protégé participation.

Post-award incentive for subcontracting plan credit is available by recognizing costs incurred by a mentor firm in providing assistance to a protégé and using this credit for purposes of determining whether the mentor firm attains a subcontracting plan participation goal applicable to the proposed contract.

Benefit to Mentor

Direct reimbursed Agreements are those in which the Mentor receives reimbursement for allowable costs of developmental assistance provided to the Protégé. These Agreements are outlined in DFARS Appendix I

Development Assistance

A mentor firm can provide to a protégé firm include: Management guidance related to:

Financial/Organizational management Overall business management/planning Business development Technical assistance Rent-free use of facilities and/or equipment Property Loans and any other types of mutually beneficial

assistance

Challenges

Like a good marriage: Both groups have to be committed

Time and resources Partnerships should be carefully thought out

Mentor should believe in potential of protégé and recognize ‘fit’ with its own organizational requirements

Protégé must also compare cultural norms and ask; ‘is this mentor the best choice for my strategic goals

Both groups have a clear WIIIFMS What-is-in-it-for-me statement

Exemplary Performance has been named as the newest partner in the Booz Allen Mentor-Protégé program.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has just approved Exemplary Performance as a protégé small business to Booz Allen.  Booz Allen’s mentor-protégé program offers the best of two worlds: combining the resources, stability, and experience of a large, established business (mentor) with the innovation, focus, and energy of a small, emerging business (protégé).

Today’s managers face a daunting challenge—responsibilities and demands for services have increased, but internal resources have decreased.  To achieve their missions, managers need qualified, responsive, support contractors who can meet program requirements and deliver real value.       Booz Allen and Exemplary Performance are ideally suited to help government agencies with the management and analytical services demanded by today’s critical Homeland Security programs. Mentor-Protégé programs have been designed so that everyone benefits from participating in them:    

Clients gain access to the corporate capabilities and resources of large companies and the emerging technologies that are often delivered by small companies 

Government agencies can support small business opportunities and meet their agencies’ small business prime and subcontracting goals

Mentors are reimbursed or credited in accordance with the terms and conditions of the program’s contract agreement and expand their small business subcontracting base

Protégés gain access to the business and technical expertise and experience of a large firm, broaden their market areas and client base, and participate in new large-scale efforts they may be unable to lead on their own

Exemplary_Performance@mail.vresp.com

Summation

Must understand requirements Must outline relationship Recognize WIIIFMS Put in the necessary work/resources

Most important: partner selection

Questions

References

Small Business Sector Topic Mentor /Protégé Program PPT by Michael Davis http://www.freeppts.net/powerpoint/navy-mentor-prot233

g233-program-208891.html http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/mentor_protege/ http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/105301 http://www.sba.gov/content/mentor-prot%C3%

A9g%C3%A9-program http://www.dhs.gov/xopnbiz/smallbusiness/edit

orial_0716.shtm

http://www.state.gov/m/a/sdbu/c14690.htm

http://www.mda.mil/global/documents/pdf/osbp_Mentor_Protege_Manual.pdf

http://mentorprotege.gmu.edu/contact.html

Contact Information

Dr. Bob Dawkins robertdawkins@a-tsolutions.com Office: 540-373-9542 Ext 105