“Draft” Insights on Mentor Protégé Program (MPP)

What is MPP? Questions for Potential Mentor Some Thoughts On How To Posture Questions Content

The Mentor-Protégé Program is designed to encourage approved Mentors to provide various forms of assistance to eligible Protégé Participants. The purpose of the Mentor-Protégé relationship is to enhance the capabilities of the Protégés and to improve their ability to successfully compete for federal and private contracts. Typical focus areas are: Technical and management assistance The mentor’s expertise, resources, and capabilities are made available to the protégé. Prime contracting Mentors can enter into joint-venture arrangements with protégés to compete for government contracts. Financial assistance in the form of equity or loans Mentors can own equity interest of up to 40% in a protégé firm to help it raise capital. Qualification for other SBA programs A protégé can obtain other forms of SBA assistance as the result of its good standing in the Mentor-Protégé program. What is MPP?

Questions To Ask A Potential Mentor What agencies are you a prime contractor in? How many Protégés have you mentored and how many do you currently have active? Of the active Protégés, how many are on current prime contracts with you? Of previous Protégés, how many continue to do work with you following the MPP? How do you envision developing a protégé? What support are you currently providing your Protégés? What works and does not work? Etc.

Some Thoughts On How To Posture Be in the Game: –Understand Client Mission –Client Organization –Meet with Client Small Business Advocate and contact periodically – if she has not heard of you then you are a non-player –Attend Workshops –Join AFCEA, NDIA, etc –Register on Contracting Sites (ie: FedBizOps, ENCORE, SEAPORT-E, SEWP, GSA, etc) –Find out who the Primes are and contracts used –Be apart of the Mentor’s Weekly/Mthly Pipeline discussions Team: Team with Strategic Partners (your Mentor) doing work at Agency (Large and Small) – get on IDIQs (ENCORE, GSM, etc) Get Your Back Office In-shape: –Obtain TS Facility Clearance and establish an FSO –Establish a Cost Accounting System that can standup to DCAA (means CPA support required) –Establish Lines of Credit with bank –Establish a recruiting process (internal or outsource) –Establish a proposal process (internal or outsource) –Establish a knowledge portal (ie Sharepoint) –Certify and Train your team (CISSP, CAP, Ethical Hacker, ArcSight, ISS, etc) targeted at DISA requirements Market –Develop IP and marking materials for meetings and conferences –Respond to RFIs and RFPs (always ask for a back brief – win or lose) –Respond to unsolicited RFPs (CTO Office often request) –Send Holiday Cards, etc.

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