Defense and Homeland Security-Mentor Protege Program

The federal government has a Mentor–Protégé Program to help small businesses grow into successful contractors. Only three companies are currently protégés under this program in Hampton Roads. Based on the size of our local industry, we would expect to see higher participation.

The Hampton Roads Defense and Homeland Security-Mentor Protégé Program has established a goal to add two additional protégés over the next year. Below is an outline of the government programs, followed by the Action Plan of the DHSC to accomplish this goal.

General Outline of the Federal Mentor-Protégé Program

The Mentor-Protégé Program is designed to provide incentives for Prime Contractors to assist Small Disadvantaged business (SDB), Woman-owned (WO), Hub Zone (HZ) and Service Disabled Veteran Owned (SDVO) businesses to enhance their business and technical capabilities and to increase their participation as subcontractors and suppliers.

Mentor-Protégé Program Objectives

Provide incentives to major federal agency contractors performing under at least one active approved subcontracting plan
Enhance protégé capabilities
Increase the overall participation of SDBs, WOBs, HZs, SDVOs as Primes and Subcontractors on Federal contracts

Foster the establishment of long term, mutually beneficial business relationships between protégés and mentors

The most successful
mentor-protégé programs include a protégé company with at least 60 employees and more than $6 million annual revenue.

Goals for the Mentor-Protégé Program

Develop long-term, strategic business partnerships between mentor and protégé
Increase:
- Revenues
- Technical capabilities
- Customer base/new markets
Help meet subcontracting goals
Enhance customer goodwill
- Personal recognition from the agencies

Program Participation
Large companies participate or plan to participate in the following Federal Agency Mentor-Protégé Programs. The process and requirements vary among programs.
         DOD – OSD               Army, Navy Air Force
         DISA                         DLA
TREASURY               DOE
NASA                        EPA
FAA                          SBA
Department of State    Department of Energy
DHS

Overall Action Plan for DHSC’s Mentor-Protégé Program:

identify candidate protégés most likely to successfully find a mentor

create two new protégés located in Hampton Roads over the next 12 to 18 months

build on that experience to further expand participation in these programs

Threshold criteria (initial):
>Minimum size =
60 full time employees

>Disadvantaged ownership status =
SDB, WO, HZ, SDVO

>Sales volume =
$6 Million annual revenue

>Location =
in Hampton Roads due to quantity of “face time” involved

This is a multi-year effort, not all candidates will meet criteria initially but could grow into the program.

Immediate Action Items:

Assemble latest version of applicable instructions/rules for federal programs
Assemble and assess list of all firms in Hampton Roads that potentially meet qualifications of federal instructions; include DED offices in list-building
Develop policy for nominal fee payments by participating candidates
Coordinate initiative with the programs of the Hampton Roads Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Develop survey to be sent by email to the broad list of firms for them to self-validate that they
a) meet the DHSC threshold criteria and
b) desire to participate
Based on response to survey, build final list of candidates
Identify potential Hampton Roads mentors and their contacts
Conduct telephone interview with candidates to collect more information about each and confirm participation
Develop two hour learning event for all candidates to identify steps needed for protégés to enhance their image and ability to attract and present themselves to potential mentors
Conduct learning event
Collect fee from companies that elect to continue in the program
Request area DED firms to consider scholarships for candidates to participate in the next DHSC Seminar series conducted at Tidewater Community College (TCC)

Future Action Items:

Assemble one-on-one Coaching Team to be available to candidates
Establish criteria for dropping candidate(s) that are not doing their part
Establish criteria for readiness of candidate to approach a potential mentor
Schedule quarterly (at minimum) reviews with candidates on their progress
Assist in identifying potential mentor, i.e. matchmaking
Red team each candidate's presentation/proposal
Provide one coach to accompany candidate on first presentation to a potential mentor (observation only)
Debrief first presentation to Coaching Team

Contact:

Jack Greenhalgh
New Era Energy, Inc.
jack@neweraenergy.com

888 635-8630 office
757 345-5508 office
757 345-5507 fax
757 478-8172 cell