Mentor-Protégé Program

About the All Small Mentor-Protégé Program

The Department of State has retired its Mentor-Protege Program (MPP) in favor of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) All Small Mentor-Protege Program.    

All Small Mentor-Protege Program .  The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 provided authority for the Small Business Administration to establish mentor-protégé programs for all small businesses. Rather than creating separate programs for each constituency – Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses , Women Owned Small Businesses , Historically Underutilized Business Zones  – the SBA chose to create a single, all-inclusive mentor-protégé program modeled on the successful mentor-protégé program available to participants in its 8(a)  program.

The purpose of the new program is to develop strong protégé firms through mentor-provided business development assistance, and to help protégés successfully compete for government contracts. Mentor-provided assistance can be sought for any, or all of the following activities:

• Management and Technical Assistance
  Internal business management systems; accounting processes; marketing and business/strategic planning assistance; technology transfers; and manufacturing assistance.
• Financial Assistance
  In the form of equity investments and/or loans; and bonding.
• Contracting Assistance
  Contracting processes; capabilities; acquisitions; and performance.
• Trade Education
  International Trade business and strategic planning; finding markets; and learning how to export.
• Business Development Assistance
  Strategy; and identifying contracting and partnership opportunities.
• General and/or Administrative Assistance
  Business processes and support; human resource sharing; security clearance support; and capacity building.