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2026-01-27 Federal Market Insights Episode 40 — Session Overview

WPI Podcast Episode 40 Summary 

Mentor Protégé Programs

Mentor Protégé Programs exist to assist small businesses develop to become more competitive and capable of performing larger and more sophisticated contracts. A tangential goal of these programs is to strengthen supply chain capabilities not only for the Mentor but also for the DIB.

There are several Mentor Protégé Programs (MPP) that exist besides the two best-known programs managed by the SBA and DoD. Both large and small businesses should be aware of these programs. This week’s Podcast will focus on the Small Business Administration (SBA) program and the DoD’s Mentor Protégé Program (MPP).

Small businesses naturally are interested in participating in these programs. Why not. Why not participate and gain access to training, information and resources that can be used to help grow the business. After all being in business is difficult and tailored resources and specialized assistance can be difficult to locate and costly. An MPP not only will provide access to these resources, they may provide access to subcontracts as in the DoD program and connections within the Mentor company and possibly beyond.

However, the MPP is not for every company that asks. The number of small businesses is significantly more numerous than the potential Mentor pool. Therefore, Mentors will be highly selective. Additionally, there are regulations that must be followed and address issues such as the number of Proteges a Mentor can have at any point in time.

The MPP is designed to be a win-win program. Value must flow in both directions and both Protégé and Mentor must see value. Small businesses gain by acquiring new skills, knowledge and capabilities. Mentors in turn benefit from improving a key element of their supply chain. When approaching a prospective Mentor, prospective applicants (proteges) must determine how the Mentor will benefit from participation besides either cost reimbursements or subcontracting plan credits. After all, a mentor’s involvement will be non-trivial.

Whether a small business is interested in the SBA’s or DoD’s MPP, there are two essential actions. The first is to perform a company’s capabilities review and identify capabilities which are strengths and those which are not.  This phase needs to be thorough and completed from a strategic and balanced perspective. Identify key elements seen as holding the company’s success back and which with proper attention (Mentor involvement) can change the trajectory of the business.

The next phase involves identifying potential Mentors and structuring outreach to potential Mentors based on the phase 1 review. If your firm is working with potential Mentors, approaching those firms would be a natural starting point. Additionally, mentors must have at least one active subcontracting plan and be eligible for federal contracts.

 Is there a magic number of areas of assistance that can be requested – No. However, a list which is extensive and implies – “we need help in everything” may be an indicator that the company is not ready to participate in the MPP. Additionally, a company needs to research which Mentors may be a good fit. A good fit evaluation is based upon many factors that include what assistance is requested, how it will benefit the Protégé and determining if there are internal resources. Mentor Protégé agreements take time, they do not occur overnight. Interest, commitment and continuing dialog will be critical to developing a relationship which may evolve into a Mentor Protégé agreement.

Mentor Protégé agreement can exist outside the approved programs. Such agreements can create affiliation and if there is affiliation between an OTSB (large) and Small Business, the Small Business may lose its Small designation. These formal and approved programs are specifically designed for such participation. Further, there are other aspects of the program that will allow the Mentor and Protégé to form an approved Joint Venture and pursue federal contracts under the Protégé’s size and socio-economic status.

Companies that are interested in the Mentor Protégé program should reach out to WPI at 414-270-3600 for more information. Online information is available at the following links.

DoD: https://business.defense.gov/Programs/Mentor-Protege-Program/

DoD approved Mentors: https://business.defense.gov/Portals/57/Documents/DoD%20Approved%20Mentor%20List%20January%202026.pdf

DoD MPP1 pager: https://business.defense.gov/Portals/57/Documents/1%20pagers/MPP%201-Pager%202025%2005.29.25.pdf

DoD MPP FAQs: https://business.defense.gov/Programs/Mentor-Protege-Program/FAQs/

SBA MPP: https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/sba-mentor-protege-program

General MPP information:  https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R41722