The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Mentor Protégé Program is designed to help small businesses obtain mentoring from DOE prime contractors. The program is meant to foster long-term business relationships between small businesses and DOE prime contractors while increasing the overall number of small business entities that receive DOE contract and subcontract awards.

The program is open to small business, which fulfill one or more of socioeconomic category including:

• Small disadvantaged businesses
• Small Business Administration-certified 8(a) small businesses
• HUBZone
• Woman-Owned
• Veteran-Owned
• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Small businesses interested in participating in the Mentor Protégé Program must:

• Be eligible for receipt of government contracts
• Have been in business for at least two years prior to applying for enrollment in the program
• Be able to certify as a small business according to the standard industrial code for the service or supplies to be provided
• Not have an existing DOE Mentor Protégé Program agreement in place.

HOW LONG DOES THE PROGRAM LAST?

When a small business applies for and is approved to participate in the Mentor Protégé Program, it will sign a two-year commitment. Within this time frame, the small business is eligible to receive sole-source subcontracts.

PROGRAM BENEFITS FOR MENTOR

These include however are not limited to the following:

• Helping small businesses and minority institutions of higher learning expand their capacity through the developmental and technical assistance provided.
• Equipping small businesses and minority institutions of higher with the knowledge, skills and capabilities needed to successfully compete for DOE prime contracts.
• Utilizing the unique/specialized skills of the Protégé.
• Opportunity to award non-competitive subcontracts to Protégés or other DOE Protégés in the program.
• Reimbursement of allowable costs incurred while providing assistance to the Protégé performing subcontract activities. Under cost-plus-award contracts Mentor may earn award fees associated with Mentoring.
• Receive credit for subcontracts awarded pursuant to MPP Agreement(s) toward subcontracting goals contained in their subcontracting plan.

PROGRAM BENEFITS FOR PROTÉGÉ

These include however are not limited to the following:

• Receiving technical and developmental assistance from an established DOE prime contractor.
• Gaining the knowledge, skills and capabilities needed to successfully compete for DOE prime contracts.
• Building relationships with small and/or large businesses to form teaming arrangements and/or joint ventures.
• Being eligible to receive non-competitive subcontracts from DOE and other federal agencies with MPP at 8(a) program thresholds of $4M for other than construction contracts and $6.5M for construction subcontracts.

MENTOR PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM AT INL

At INL, the program includes working with internal champions throughout the life of the MPP agreement.  INL looks for companies that reside within a reasonable proximity of the Laboratory in order to ensure program success.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For more information about the DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program at Idaho National Laboratory, please email Stacey Francis using the form below or call (208) 526-8564.

The INL Mentor-Protege Program follows the DOE Office of Small Disadvantage Business Utilization guidelines to determine program eligibility. Visit the DOE Mentor-Protege Program Web site for more information.