1. The “All Small Mentor-Protégé Program”
The Office of Government Contracting & Business Development
Department of Health & Human Services
Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Thursday, August 10, 2017
JoAnn Braxton
Sr. Business Analyst

2. The Beginning
The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 provided authority for the Small Business Administration to establish mentor-protégé programs for all small businesses.
Rather than creating separate programs for each constituency Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses, Women Owned Small Businesses, Historically Underutilized Business Zones- the SBA chose to create a single, all-inclusive mentor-protégé program.

3. The Beginning Final Rule Published: July 25, 2016
Effective Date: August 24, 2016
Official Launch Date: October 1, 2016

4. The All Small Mentor-Protégé Program’s Purpose
The purpose of the new program is to enhance the capabilities of Protégé firms by requiring approved Mentors to provide business development assistance to:
Improve the Protégé’s capacity to successfully compete for federal contracts
Learn new and improved business practices
Explore export readiness for international trade and contracts

5. 8(a) Firms 8(a) Firms 13 CFR 125.9 / 13 CFR 124.520
Active 8(a) business concerns with an existing Mentor-Protégé Agreement (MPA), may transfer that relationship to the All Small Mentor-Protégé Program, if it is within six months of graduating from the program.
Complete a profile at certify.sba.gov, upload the existing MPA and the latest Annual Review letter.
SBA district office approval is not required to request the transfer.
If you are an active 8(a) business concern without an existing MPA, full application is required to either the All Small Mentor-Protégé Program or through the 8(a) Mentor-Protégé Program. Requirements are the same for both Program.
13 CFR / 13 CFR

6. Applying to the All Small MPP
To be eligible to participate in the program, the prospective Protégé must be either a for-profit business or an agricultural cooperative that is considered “small” for the NAICS code in which it is requesting a Mentor-Protégé relationship. Additional requirements include:
Applicants must register in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to submitting their Mentor/Protégé application   
Protégé must have a Mentor before to submitting their Mentor/Protégé application    
Previous experience working in the NAICS code in which assistance is sought
Mentor must be organized for-profit and cannot own more than 40% equity in the business
The SBA has not made a determination of affiliation between the Protégé and Mentor
The Protégé may generally have only one Mentor at a time and cannot have more than two mentors across both SBA-administered Mentor-Protégé programs. Two Mentor Protégé Applications over the life of the Protégé.
Mentors may have no more than three protégés. The SBA may authorize a small business to be both a Mentor and a Protégé, but only if it can demonstrate that the second relationship will not compete or conflict with the first Mentor-Protégé relationship.

7. How To Apply
Evaluate and select your Mentor prior to applying. This is not a matching program. SBA will not find a Mentor for Protégés.
Applicants are required to register in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to submitting their Mentor/Protégé application.
Protégés and Mentors must complete the online tutorial and have certificate of completion ready for upload.
Have required documents ready for upload.
Complete your business profile in Certify.SBA.gov.
Begin the ASMPP application process.

10. Certify.SBA.Gov

12. Mentor Provided Assistance
Mentor-provided assistance can be sought for any, or all of the following activities:
Management and Technical Assistance Internal business management systems; accounting processes; marketing and business/strategic planning assistance; technology transfers; and manufacturing assistance.  
Financial Assistance In the form of equity investments and/or loans; and bonding.  
Contracting Assistance Contracting processes; capabilities; acquisitions; and performance.  
International Trade Education International Trade business and strategic planning; finding markets, and learning how to export.  
Business Development Assistance Strategy; and identifying contracting and partnership opportunities.  
General and/or Administrative Assistance Business processes and support; human resource sharing; security clearance support; and capacity building.

13. Benefits of the ASMPP www.sba.gov/allsmallmpp
One of the most tangible benefits of the ASMPP is the ability to receive an exclusion from affiliation. The ASMPP allows a small business to leverage the experience and relationships of a mature company.
What is an exclusion from affiliation? To better understand this concept and the benefit, it’s important to understand how federal set-aside contracts are bid on and awarded.  
When a federal set-aside contract is made available, qualifying businesses (in this case small businesses) can bid on the contract. If the small business lacks the capacity required in the contract, they can enter a joint venture with another small or other than small business to supplement their capacity and bid on the contract together.
With an exclusion from affiliation, a qualifying small business can enter a joint venture agreement with a business of any size. That is, if SBA approves your Mentor-Protégé Agreement, you and your Mentor may joint venture for any small business set-aside that the Protégé qualify for, regardless of your Mentor’s size.    

14. Program Administration
Central HQ opposed to 8(a) distributive model
Online Application – certify.sba.gov
Online course tutorial requirement
Annual Review and Evaluation
Template agreements i.e. MPA
To date 264 MPAs
Hosts Community of Practice Web Conference
Developing JV Template and Guide

15. ASMPP Highlights Description
11/7/2017
ASMPP Highlights
Description
Protégé may generally only have one Mentor at a time; SBA may approve a second where no competition exists/new NAICS/new Mentor skills; Two maximum.
Both Protégé and Mentor must be for-profit (with exception of Protégé being agriculture cooperative).
Mentor – no more than 3 Protégés at same time (not lifetime).
A participant can be both a Protégé and Mentor at the same time, if no competition or conflict.
Self-certifying; small in size standard corresponding to NAICS
SBA will not authorize MPAs in secondary NAICs in which the firm has no experience. Evidence of experience required. (i.e., copy of invoices, subcontracts, cancelled checks, etc.)
Active 8(a) firms in last 6 months of the 8(a) program may transfer its existing MPA to ASMPP. No district office approval or application required.
Requires an upload of Business Plan and Tutorial Certificate; financial statements or tax returns are not required at time of application.
JV Agreements: ASMPP – does not review or approve Joint Venture agreements

16. Mentor-Protégé Process
MPA
Protégé – Small
Mentor – OTS or Small
Can apply to ASMPP only
13 CFR 125.9
Joint Venture
Eligible to bid small business set-aside only
Ensure JVA adheres to 13 CFR 125.8
(protection against protest)
Protégé (8a)
Can apply to 8(a) MPP or ASMPP
13 CFR or 13 CFR 125.9
Eligible to bid SB, 8(a) SS & 8(a) Comp set-asides only
Ensure JVA adheres to 13 CFR or 13 CFR 125.8
Protégé – HZ, SDVO, ED/WOSB
Eligible to bid SB, HZ, SDVO, EDWOSB,WOSB set-asides
Same Requirements
8(a) BOS reviews, approves or declines JVs for 8a set-asides only, even if 8a firms apply thru ASMPP
ASMPP does not review, approve or decline JVs
JV entity takes on the form of the protégé
Same content in both citing. 124 speaks specifically to 8a contracts; 125 reference government contracts (all other)
Chart designed and created by JoAnn Braxton, SBA

17. Joint Ventures
ASMPP JVs are eligible to joint venture as a small business for any Federal government prime contract or subcontract.
13 CFR (3)(ii)
13 CFR governs SB joint ventures (ASMPP)
13 CFR (8a), (SDVOSBC), (HUBZone), (WOSB/EDWOSB)
13 CFCR 125.8(e) governs past performance and experience for JVs. Procuring activities must consider work done individually by each partner to the joint venture as well as any work done by the joint venture itself.

18. Joint Ventures MPA approval required prior to JV bid on award
An ASMPP approval letter will accompany a bid
13 CFR (3)(ii) – grants ASMPP JV exclusion to affiliation
Joint Ventures must be:
In Writing
Have its own JV name/Duns
Registered in SAM as a JV
Unpopulated (both partners providing employees and resources)

19. Joint Ventures SBA District Offices review and approves 8(a) JVs only
ASMPP does not review or approve JVs
Army’s Core of Engineers, SB Office advocating and supporting the ASMPP
Agency used the approved MP log to conduct market research
Sent an to participants in various locations across the United States
We encourage you to do the same

20. Resources Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)
Women’s Business Centers (WBCs)
SBA District Offices
Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs)
The SBA Learning Center (online training)
ASMPP E-box

21. For More Information contact
The All Small Mentor-Protégé Program