FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The Treasury Department today announced its mentor protege program Success Partnerships. Success Partnerships, designed to establish business relationships between small companies and large prime contractors, was created as part of BusinessLINC (Learning, Information, Network and Collaboration), a partnership between the federal government and business community to encourage large businesses to work with small business entrepreneurs in economically distressed areas.

Fifteen large and small businesses will participate in Success Partnerships as mentor and protege teams, and work with the Treasury bureaus including the ATF, Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service, and Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

"Treasury believes in the value of facilitating these kinds of relationships because both companies can become more competitive," said Theodore Carter, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management. "Through Success Partnerships, mentors and proteges will be able to contribute to the growth of the economy and the pace of innovation."

Success Partnerships will help increase the participation of small, minority and women-owned businesses in the economy. Totaling more than $10 million in contract opportunities, primarily in the area of information technology, the mentors will provide the protégés with management support, access to capital and credit, and enhanced marketing and business planning efforts.

The Success Partnership mentors and proteges include:

• HJ Ford, Inc., a systems engineering and technical professional service firm serving as
• mentor to HMR Tech, a professional services firm;
• McNeil Technologies, a technical consulting firm with management support services
• serving as mentor to Integrated Resources Technologies Inc., a management and
• professional training and education firm;
• E Associates, Inc., an information technology firm serving as mentor to Automated
• Resource Management Association, a woman-owned information technology firm;
• Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a research and engineering
• company serving as mentor to NetCom Solutions International, a international
• telecommunications and engineering consulting firms, Infinite Computer Technologies,
• a engineering services firm, and International Technology, Inc. a professional
• technology firm;
• SICPA Securink Corporation, a large business prime contractor serving as mentor to Chessie Sales Group, a supplier of oil, solvents and chemicals, and G.E. Chaplain, Inc.,
• a supplier of waxes; and
• Crane & Company, a currency paper company serving as mentor to Cashscan
• Corporation, an equipment manufacturer.

Additional information about Success Partnerships is available at www.treas.gov/sba