Mentor-Protégé Program

Mentor-Protégé agreements unlock one of the most powerful tools in government contracting: the ability for a small business protégé to form a joint venture with its large business mentor and bid on set-aside contracts as if it were still a small business — even if the combined entity exceeds size standards.

SBA Mentor-Protégé Program highlights:

• Open to all SBA-certified small businesses (8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, and general small businesses)
• Mentors provide technical, managerial, financial, and business development assistance
• Protégés can form joint ventures with mentors to compete on set-asides — the JV is treated as a small business for size purposes
• Agreements must be approved by SBA before the JV bids on any contracts

DoD Mentor-Protégé Program (separate program):

• Administered by the Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP)
• Mentors can receive reimbursement (via contract modifications) for developmental assistance costs — up to $1M per year per protégé
• Focuses on building the defense industrial base
• Requires a formal agreement approved by the relevant DoD component

How to find a mentor:

• Identify large prime contractors in your space via FPDS or USASpending
• Approach companies where you already have a subcontracting relationship or warm introduction
• SBA's MPP database lists active mentors willing to take on protégés

For small businesses with capability gaps, a Mentor-Protégé agreement is often a faster path to prime contract wins than trying to compete independently.