Acquisition Hour: Understanding the US SBA and Department of Defense (DOD) Mentor Protégé Programs (MPP) – What You Need to Know

During this session, you will learn about the two primary Federal Mentor Protégé Programs.

• The US SBA Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) helps eligible small businesses (protégés) gain capacity and win government contracts through partnerships with more experienced companies (mentors).  A mentor and its protégé can joint venture as a small business for any small business contract, provided the protégé individually qualifies as small. The joint venture may also pursue any type of set-aside contract for which the protégé qualifies, including contracts set aside for 8(a), service-disabled veteran-owned, women-owned, and HUBZone businesses.
• DoD’s Mentor-Protégé Program is the oldest continuously operating federal mentor-protégé program in existence. Originally established in the midst of the First Gulf War, the MPP helps eligible small businesses expand their footprint in the defense industrial base.  Under the MPP, small businesses are partnered with larger companies. In the past five years, DoD’s MPP has successfully helped more than 190 small businesses fill unique niches and become part of the military’s supply chain.  Many mentors have made the MPP an integral part of their sourcing plans. Protégés have used their involvement in the MPP to develop technical capabilities. Successful mentor-protégé agreements provide a winning relationship for the protégé, the mentor and the DoD.

This session will be presented by:

• Shane Mahaffy, Lead Business Opportunity Specialist – U.S Small Business Administration (SBA)
• Ben Blanc, Government Contract Specialist – Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI) – WI APEX Accelerator

This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.

View a schedule of all upcoming Acquisition Hour webinars.