SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program Explained

September 2, 2016

SBA’s “Universal” Small Business Mentor-Protégé Program’s Impact On Other Agencies

Source: SmallGovCon, Candace Shields, August 10, 2016U.S. SBA

With the finalization of the new SBA Small Business Mentor Protégé Program, other agencies without statutorily-authorized mentor-protege programs must seek SBA approval of their mentor-protege programs within one year, if they wish those programs to continue.

In a final rule scheduled to be effective August 24, 2016, the SBA questioned the need for other agencies (except the Department of Defense) to continue to operate their own mentor-protege programs, but provided a road map for agencies to preserve their separate mentor-protege programs if they wish.
As we have discussed in detail on SmallGovCon, the new “universal” small business mentor-protégé program establishes a government-wide program open to all small businesses, consistent with the SBA’s mentor-protégé program for participants in SBA’s 8(a) Program. But the final rule doesn’t just add a new SBA mentor-protege program–it may also signal the end of many other Federal mentor-protege programs.

Under the final rule, a Federal department or agency can no longer operate its own mentor-protégé program, unless: 1) the agency submits a program plan to the SBA, and 2) receives the SBA Administrator’s approval of the plan within one year of the SBA’s mentor-protégé regulations finalization. The requirement for SBA approval does not apply to DoD, which has special statutory authority to operate its own mentor-protege program. However, the SBA approval requirement does apply to most other Federal mentor-protege programs, including those operated by the VA, NASA, DHS, State Department, and so on. READ MORE….

SBA Small Business Mentor-Protege Program: Applications Accepted Oct. 1, 2016

Source: SmallGovCon, Steven Koprince, August 12, 2016

Circle October 1, 2016 on your calendar: that’s when the SBA will begin accepting applications for its new universal small business mentor-protege programREAD MORE….

Contact your nearest PTAC to learn more about the new program..

 

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