
Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP)
The newly rebooted Mentor-Protégé Program is now live!
NASA is committed to providing small businesses with opportunities to participate in both NASA prime contracts and subcontracts. The NASA Office of Small Business Programs is here to facilitate open and effective communication between our Centers and small businesses worldwide to make that commitment a reality. This website includes invaluable information regarding how to do business with NASA, its Centers, and the Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) while focusing on the socioeconomic small business categories.
Glenn A. Delgado
Associate Administrator
Office of Small Business Programs
Purpose
The NASA MPP encourages NASA prime contractors to assist eligible Protégés, thereby enhancing the Protégés’ capabilities to perform on NASA contracts and subcontracts, fostering the establishment of long-term business relationships between these entities and NASA prime contractors, and increasing the overall number of these entities that receive NASA contract and subcontract awards.
Eligibility Requirements
The Mentor and Protégé must both meet the established eligibility requirements in order to participate in the MPP, as defined in NFS 1819.72 and summarized below. A list of approved mentors is available for review below.
Mentors
All approved Mentors are eligible to participate in the program and must resubmit a renewal application every 6 years to verify their continued eligibility. Mentor applications can be submitted at any time during the year with or without a Mentor-Protégé Agreement (MPA). In accordance with NFS 1819.72, a Mentor must be:
- A large prime contractor performing under a NASA contract with at least one approved Federal subcontracting plan, as required by FAR 19.7 (the Small Business Subcontracting Program), and
- Eligible for the receipt of Government contracts.
Protégés
To participate as a Protégé, an entity must meet one of the eligibility requirements as defined in NFS 1819.72 and must maintain that status for the life of the agreement. If the Protégé self-certifies that it meets the eligibility requirements, a separate written self-certification of its small business status must be provided with the MPA. (Note: If Protégé eligibility expires prior to the end of the agreement period, the agreement may still be approved for the remaining duration of the POP but must include the condition that any credit received is subject to the Protégé’s recertification.)
A Protégé may participate in the NASA MPP as many times as they would like. However, a Protégé may engage in only one NASA MPA at any given time. In accordance with NFS 1819.72, the following entities are eligible to be chosen as Protégés:
- Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs)
- Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs)
- Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) concerns
- Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs)
- Service-Disabled Veteran–Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs)
- Historically Black College or University (HBCUs)
- Minority Serving Institutions (MSI)
- Small businesses with an active NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II contract
- Companies participating in the AbilityOne program
Benefits of Participation
The MPP has the ability to uniquely transform a small business or minority-serving institution and enhance its capabilities to win contracts and subcontracts as a direct result of its participation. Some of the potential benefits of the program include the following:
For Mentors:
- Develop long-term business relationships with small business concerns.
- Develop a qualified small business subcontracting base.
- Accrue credit toward small business subcontracting goals.
For Protégés:
- Receive relevant technical and developmental assistance.
- Qualify for sole-source contracts from Mentors.
For All Participants:
- Cultivate teaming opportunities with their partners to win new contracts and/or subcontracts.
- Engage the MPP as a marketing tool.
- Foster networking opportunities.
Types of Agreements
Credit Agreements
- In a credit-based MPA, a Mentor receives credit on a one-to-one basis toward its subcontracting goals. The credit is reported on the Individual Subcontract Report for the specific contract, as identified prior to the approval of the agreement.
Award Fee Program
- In the Award Fee Program, a Mentor is eligible to receive an award fee at the end of the agreement period based upon the Mentor's performance in providing developmental assistance to its Protégé. Only NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II Protégés are eligible to participate with Mentors in the Award Fee Program.
NASA Responsibilities
- NASA Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs) act as liaisons between the Mentor and the Contracting Officer (CO). A signed endorsement letter from the COR must be added to the agreement package before submission to the CO.
- NASA COs are responsible for adding approved MPAs to existing contracts through a contract modification. A signed letter endorsing the MPA must be added to the complete package before submission to the relevant Center’s SBS.
- NASA Small Business Specialist (SBSs) are responsible for the overall administration and management of their respective Centers’ MPAs. As the Center’s MPP point of contact, the SBS is responsible for reviewing and endorsing all agreements received at the Center before forwarding the complete applications for final approval to the NASA MPP Program Manager (PM) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, AL. Additionally, the SBS ensures that all agreements endorsed by the Center fulfill the requirements of NFS 1819.72.
- NASA’s MPP Program Manager (PM) at MSFC coordinates and manages the program from a Headquarters perspective with participating Centers to ensure successful program execution.
- The MPP PM is responsible for overall NASA MPP administration, policy, and oversight. The MPP PM will review all Mentor applications and conduct a semi-annual MPA performance review that highlights the progress and accomplishments gained under the approved MPA.
More information on MPP small businesses can be found at http://www.sba.gov/content/mentor-protégé-program.
Agreement Evaluation
The evaluation of all proposed agreements will be based on the following criteria:
- Perceived benefit and/or value of the agreement to NASA
- Merit of the developmental assistance to the Protégé
- Developmental assistance cost ratio
- Potential subcontracting opportunities available to the Protégé
- Utilization of HBCU/MSI, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), and SBA Business Development Centers (SBDCs)
- Proposed cost
How To Participate
Below, you will find the basic steps necessary to establish a NASA MPA.
- Locate a partner—Mentors and Protégés are required to establish their own counterparts. Each company has its own internal processes and procedures for locating partners. These processes are not mandated by NASA.
- Determine developmental assistance to be provided—Prior to filling out the agreement template, the Mentor must perform a needs assessment of the Protégé to determine what type of developmental assistance is required. Typical examples of developmental assistance may be related to technical transfer or business infrastructure. The dollar value associated with the technical transfer tasks should be approximately 70 percent of the proposed hours and cost. The remaining 30 percent may be related to business development tasks.
- Submit agreement for approval—The agreements are submitted to one of the NASA Centers for review and endorsement. If the agreement is endorsed at the Center level, it will be forwarded to the MPP PM at MSFC in Huntsville, AL, for final review and approval within 30 business days of receipt. The agreement officially begins on the date of the incorporation of the agreement into a contractual vehicle via a contract modification signed by the CO. Once the agreement begins, the mentor may start providing the developmental assistance outlined and reporting credit is received.
- Fulfill all reporting requirements—The reporting requirements for the NASA MPP include the following:
- Annual reports
- Semi-annual reviews
- Protégé post-agreement reports
Approved NASA Mentors
AECOM Technical Services, Inc.
Small Business Liaison Officer
703-559-1338
Aerojet Rocketdyne
Small Business Liaison Officer
916-355-6543
Bechtel National, Inc.
a.i. Solutions
Deputy Program Manager, ELVIS 3 Contract
321-867-0670
Assurance Technology Corporation
Contracting Officer
978-369-8848
The Boeing Company
Mentor Protégé Program Manager
786-265-4706
CH2M Hill
Small Business Program Manager
720-286-2274
CSRA, LLC
Mentor-Protégé Program Coordinator
703-645-5151
Deloitte & Touche, LLP
703-585-3946
Engility Corporation d/b/a TASC, Inc.
Small Business Liaison Officer
703-664-2787
Enterprise Services, LLC
Executive Director
703-736-4015
Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems, Inc (HSSSI)
Program Manager
281-336-8708
Honeywell International, Inc. (Aerospace Division)
Small Business Liaison
787-658-2289
Jacobs Technology, Inc.
Acquisition and Subcontracts Manager
281-461-5224
Jones Edmunds & Associates, Inc.
352-258-8816
KBRWyle Technology Solutions, LLC (d/b/a KBRWyle)
Small Business Liaison Officer
410-964-7233
L-3 Communications Logistics Solutions
Curtis Newton
Business / Contracts Administrator
661-276-2602
Leidos Innovations Corporation
Subcontract Management, Manager
720-568-2174
LJT & Associates, Inc.
Director of Contracts
443-283-2500
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Supply Diversity Government Program Manager
407-306-2010
Millenium Engineering and Integration Company
Vice President, Corporate Development
703-413-7740
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Corporate Mentor-Protégé Program Manager
703-875-8327
Small Business Liaison Officer
Northrop Grumman Innovative Systems
Propulsion Systems Division
435-863-2017
PAE Applied Technologies, LLC
Procurement Manager
281-843-3866
Raytheon Company
Supplier Diversity Business Lead
571-250-3725
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
Mentor-Protégé Program Manager
703-677-2910
Sierra Lobo, Inc.
Director of Contracts
567-401-1051
Sierra Nevada Corporation
Small Business Administrator, Sr.
775-849-6507
SGT, Inc.
Small Business Liaison Officer
301-464-7584
Southwest Research Institute
Director
210-522-6754
Teledyne Brown Engineering
Deputy Program Manager
256-951-0527
URS Federal Technical Services, Inc.
Business Office Manager
256-544-7991
Vencore Services and Solutions
Sr. Subcontracts Administrator
321-867-9435
Wyle Laboratories, Inc.
Director of Contracts and Procurement
281-212-1354
SBIR and STTR Phase II Companies
NASA SBIR Program
Phase Two Selections
NASA STTR
Phase Two Selections
FAQs
How many agreements may a Mentor and a Protégé have?
A Mentor is not limited in the amount of NASA MPAs they may have at the same time, whereas a Protégé may only be in one active NASA MPA at a time. Additionally. A Protégé may not participate in the NASA MPP as many times as they would like.
If I currently participate in another Federal agency’s MPP, may I participate in the NASA MPP at the same time?
The NASA MPP is completely separate from any other Federal agency’s MPP, and thus Mentors and Protégés may participate in one or both of them at the same time, as long as the Protégé has the resources to be mentored under two different Programs.
How long is a Mentor approval valid for?
A Mentor approval letter is good for six years from the date of the letter. Six years after the date of approval the Mentor must resubmit their Mentor application with the updated information and go through the approval process again.
If a Mentor is disbarred or suspended from Government contracts for any reason, their Mentor approval is automatically withdrawn and they may no longer participate in the NASA MPP.
Does a potential Mentor need to apply by division, or is there a corporate-wide approval?
Mentor approval may be corporate-wide, provided that Mentor applications are filled out with information at the corporate level. Once the application is submitted with corporate information and approved, all divisions of the company are eligible to participate as a Mentor.
What should a Mentor consider when selecting a Protégé?
The Mentor is solely responsible for selecting a Protégé with whom they believe they can develop a successful relationship. Mentors should consider the following when selecting a Protégé:
- A previous, established association is highly recommended between the Mentor and Protégé;
- Protégé’s geographic proximity to the Mentor;
- How the assistance aligns with the Protégé’s strategic vision;
- Protégé’s attitude regarding being mentored;
- Commitment to the relationship by both parties;
- Capabilities of the Protégé and how they interface with the Mentor;
- Stability of the Protégé’s management and financial status;
- Protégé’s past performance;
- Results of any contract/subcontract work between the Mentor and Protégé;
- Subcontracting expectations, and;
- Ensure that if the potential Protégés have previously participated in the NASA MPP, they will not receive duplicate developmental and technical assistance on the next NASA MPA.
Where is a listing available of all NASA SBIR Phase II awardees?
The link to NASA SBIR Phase II companies may be found here.
What is the Protégé application?
The Protégé application is a separate application for potential Protégé companies that details information about the company, including employee base and contracts received. However, it differs from the Mentor application in that it is NOT submitted in advance of an agreement, but is submitted concurrently with the agreement package. Any Protégé applications that are submitted without a complete agreement package will not be kept on file and will have to be resubmitted with the agreement.
What are the required documents that must be submitted with the agreement?
Before submitting an MPA, please insure that it contains all of the following:
- Cover Letter
- Protégé Application
- Completed Agreement Template
- Technical Proposal
- Cost Proposal
What is the agreement approval checklist?
The agreement approval checklist is an internal form that is utilized by NASA to determine that all required elements were included in the agreement package. The checklist does not need to be submitted with the agreement.
What are the selection criteria for MPA approval?
All proposed agreements will be evaluated by the NASA Centers and MPP PM based on the following criteria:
- Merit of the developmental assistance to the Protégé firm;
- Perceived benefit/value of the agreement to NASA;
- Percentage of hours associated with technology transfer;
- Subcontracting opportunities available to the Protégé;
- Utilization of HBCUs/MIs, PTACs, SBDCs; and,
- Proposed cost.
What is the limit on the period of performance for a MPA?
An agreement may not be longer than 36 months, or 3 years from the date the agreement begins.
If I previously participated in the NASA MPP prior to the update, will that affect my future participation?
No, being a prior participant from the MPP before it was updated does not affect any future participation. Previous Mentors are required to submit a Mentor application before submitting any new agreements. While Protégés are only allowed to participate in the new NASA MPP twice, any participation prior to the update does not count toward that total.
What are examples of technical transfer?
The developmental assistance provided under a MPA is expected to be about 70% technical transfer. Though this is by no means an exhaustive list, examples of technical transfer tasks may include:
- Tooling design and fabrication
- Quality management programs: ISO 9000, SEI/CMMI, AS9100 Rev. D
- Sensing and imagery
- Environmental remediation system design
- Metal machining
- Product assembly techniques
- Hazardous material control
- Lean Six Sigma
What do the following acronyms mean?
COTR: Contracting Officer Technical Representative
HBCU: Historically Black College or University
HUBZone: Historically Underutilized Business Zone
ISR: Individual Subcontracting Report
MI: Minority Institution
MPP: Mentor-Protégé Program
MSI: Minority Serving Institutions
NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
PM: Program Manager
PTAC: Procurement Technical Assistance Center
SBDC: Small Business Development Center
SBIR: Small Business Innovation Research
SDB: Small Disadvantaged Business
SDVOSB: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
SSR: Summary Subcontracting Report
WOSB: Women-Owned Small Business
If you have any further questions regarding the MPP please call 256-544-7768.
Templates and Forms
On Mentor-Protégé Program (NFS 1819.72)
Forms (PDF)
- NASA Mentor Application Template
- NASA Mentor-Protégé Agreement Template
- NASA Protégé Application Template
- 2020 Agreement Checklist
- 2020 MPP Guidebook
Reporting Forms (Excel)
NASA Mentor-Protégé Contacts
NASA Headquarters (HQ)
Ames Research Center (ARC)/Armstrong Flight
Research Center (AFRC)
Glenn Research Center (GRC)
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
and Headquarters Acquisition Branch
Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Kennedy Space Center (KSC)
Langley Research Center (LaRC)
Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
NASA Management Office at Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL)
NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC)
Stennis Space Center (SSC)
Useful Links
U.S Small Business Administration
SBA's Mentor-Protégé Program