Mentor is able to participate in set-aside awards – and retain 60% of at least 50% of total contract amount.

Protege can pursue set-aside contracts that would’ve been otherwise out of reach of the protege due to capacity, past performance, clearances, or other requirements that they don’t have.

Ability to form Mentor Protege Joint Ventures that enable access to set-aside contracts without triggering affiliation rule.

The financial benefit is obvious to both – the mentor isn’t spending internal resources helping the protégé, but rather the DOD’s money.

Dept of Defense also administers reimbursement agreements (as well as credit agreements) but some DOD agencies will award dollars directly to the mentor to invest in the protégé.

For example, the protege’s wins as a prime at the same or different agency, the protege’s win as a subcontractor for other prime contracts at the same or different agencies – if the mentor protege agreement was instrumental in building capacity / ability of the protege company to win the additional work. This can also help mitigate gaps in subcontracting requirements Mentors can get credit for their protege’s accomplishments because the implication is that the mentor’s help was instrumental in getting the company ready.

Agencies will apply subcontracting “Credit” to mentors when under consideration for awards.It’s an agreement between two businesses that is regulated and approved by either the SBA (for civilian agencies) or the DOD.Ī few reasons large businesses are incentivized to become mentors: It’s not a direct government-to-small-biz program: there’s no application that small businesses fill out to ‘get in’ – but there is a checklist. To the protégé, essentially investing resources into the company’s growth and infrastructure. General and/or Administrative Assistance.The mechanics: Mentor Protégé Program (MPP) is an agreement between typically a large business (mentor) and a smaller business (protégé) whereby the mentor provides:

So what? What does it mean to your small business? How do you take advantage of it? The long-anticipated, much applauded, expanded SBA All Small Mentor Protege Program is here…not to be confused with the SBA 8(a) Mentor Protege Program … or the Department of Defense Mentor Protege Program*

Sba mentor protege program checklist