DoD Mentor-Protege Program

The Department of Defense (DoD), Mentor Protege Program was established in October 1991 to expand and enhance small business participation in DoD contracting opportunities and expand the technical capabilities, capacity, and overall growth of socio-economic small businesses. The focus of this program is to also develop participants to expand, improve, broaden, and innovate the Department's Supply chain - focused on assisting small businesses to perform competitively for both prime and subcontracts as best-in-class partners in the defense industrial base. This assistance listing seeks to expand participation in the program, provide developmental assistance that will strengthen and build the Department's supply chain, national security, critical technology priority areas, and partners in the DIB. Awards fund the mentor's labor costs, assistance in mentoring received by Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions, Apex Accelerators (formerly Procurement Technical Assistance Centers), Manufacturing Innovative Institutions, and other direct costs (on a case-by-case basis - ex. travel).