US DOT’s First Mentor-Protégé Participants Reach Six-Month Mark

(Seated L-R) Shiv Krishnan, President and CEO of INDUS Corp.; Brandon Neal, Director OSDBU; Sandesh Sharda, President, Miracle Systems, Inc. (Standing L-R) Michael Bowers, Chief Operating Officer, INDUS Corp. and Paula Ewen, Senior Vice President, Homeland Security and Civilian Sector, INDUS Corp.

DOT’s Mentor-Protégé Pilot Program was launched by Secretary Ray LaHood in April 2012 to enhance the capability of small and disadvantaged business owners to successfully compete for and perform in federal procurement opportunities. The first participants in the Mentor-Protégé Pilot Program were INDUS, Corporation (Mentor) and Miracle Systems, Inc. (Protégé). 

INDUS, Corporation is a DOT prime contractor based out of Vienna, VA, that specializes in Information Technology (IT) solutions to Federal Civilian, Homeland Security, Defense and Intelligence organizations. Miracle Systems, Inc. is an 8(a) certified small disadvantaged business based out of Arlington, VA, that provides IT systems, software applications, and databases services to the Federal Government. 

As part of DOT’s program oversight, INDUS and Miracle Systems met with OSDBU staff for a six–month informal review. INDUS has been working closely with Miracle Systems in areas such as proposal writing, strategic planning, navigating DOT’s procurement forecast to identify potential procurement opportunities, and meeting with Small Business Specialists to discuss procurement forecast opportunities. Additionally, INDUS and Miracle Systems have participated in several outreach and networking events, including DOT’s Small Business Day on July 25, 2012.  These activities are critical to improve the Protégé’s technical capabilities, and enhance the Protégé’s ability to compete and perform in federal procurement programs. 

Managed by the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), the Mentor-Protégé Pilot Program provides an opportunity for small businesses to create strategic alliances with successful prime contractors in order to receive technical assistance and move their businesses to the next level. If you would like to find out more about the Mentor-Protégé Pilot Program, please visit the OSDBU Mentor-Protégé Pilot Program website at: http://osdbu.dot.gov/Procurement/mentor-protege.cfm.