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“Draft” Insights on Mentor Protégé Program (MPP). Content. What is MPP? Questions for Potential Mentor Some Thoughts On How To Posture Questions. What is MPP?.
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“Draft” Insights on Mentor Protégé Program (MPP)
Content • What is MPP? • Questions for Potential Mentor • Some Thoughts On How To Posture • Questions
What is MPP? • The Mentor-Protégé Program is designed to encourage approved Mentors to provide various forms of assistance to eligible Protégé Participants. • The purpose of the Mentor-Protégé relationship is to enhance the capabilities of the Protégés and to improve their ability to successfully compete for federal and private contracts. Typical focus areas are: • Technical and management assistance • The mentor’s expertise, resources, and capabilities are made available to the protégé. • Prime contracting • Mentors can enter into joint-venture arrangements with protégés to compete for government contracts. • Financial assistance in the form of equity or loans • Mentors can own equity interest of up to 40% in a protégé firm to help it raise capital. • Qualification for other SBA programs • A protégé can obtain other forms of SBA assistance as the result of its good standing in the Mentor-Protégé program.
Questions To Ask A Potential Mentor • What agencies are you a prime contractor in? <Want these to align with your current or future goals.> • How many Protégés have you mentored and how many do you currently have active? <Are they a good partner> • Of the active Protégés, how many are on current prime contracts with you? <It is a contact sport. You learn nothing setting on the side lines> • Of previous Protégés, how many continue to do work with you following the MPP? <You are looking for a long-term relationship with a Mentor as a business partner> • How do you envision developing a protégé? <Do they have a solid strategy and plan to help you get to the next level?> • What support are you currently providing your Protégés? What works and does not work? <Looking for lessons learned> • Etc.
Some Thoughts On How To Posture • Be in the Game: • Understand Client Mission • Client Organization • Meet with Client Small Business Advocate and contact periodically – if she has not heard of you then you are a non-player • Attend Workshops • Join AFCEA, NDIA, etc • Register on Contracting Sites (ie: FedBizOps, ENCORE, SEAPORT-E, SEWP, GSA, etc) • Find out who the Primes are and contracts used • Be apart of the Mentor’s Weekly/Mthly Pipeline discussions • Team: Team with Strategic Partners (your Mentor) doing work at Agency (Large and Small) – get on IDIQs (ENCORE, GSM, etc) • Get Your Back Office In-shape: • Obtain TS Facility Clearance and establish an FSO • Establish a Cost Accounting System that can standup to DCAA (means CPA support required) • Establish Lines of Credit with bank • Establish a recruiting process (internal or outsource) • Establish a proposal process (internal or outsource) • Establish a knowledge portal (ieSharepoint) • Certify and Train your team (CISSP, CAP, Ethical Hacker, ArcSight, ISS, etc) targeted at DISA requirements • Market • Develop IP and marking materials for meetings and conferences • Respond to RFIs and RFPs (always ask for a back brief – win or lose) • Respond to unsolicited RFPs (CTO Office often request) • Send Holiday Cards, etc.