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Mentor-Protege Program

The Energy Department's Mentor-Protégé Program is designed to encourage DOE prime contractors to assist small disadvantaged businesses certified by the Small Business Administration under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (8(a)), other small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other minority institutions of higher learning, and small business concerns owned and controlled by service disabled veterans in enhancing their capabilities to perform contracts and subcontracts for DOE and other Federal agencies. The program seeks to foster long-term business relationships between these small business entities and DOE prime contractors, and to increase the overall number of these small business entities that receive DOE prime and 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. 

Contact Information

For more information about the DOE's Mentor-Protégé Program, please email Mark Lochbaum at Mark.lochbaum@hq.doe.gov or call (202) 604-5994.