Mentor-Protege Program Application and Reports, VAAR Clauses 819.7108 and 819.7113

Veterans Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 819.7108 Application Process

(a) Firms interested in becoming approved Mentor-Protégé participants must submit a joint written VA Mentor-Protégé Agreement to the VA OSDBU for review and approval. The proposed Mentor-Protégé Agreement will be evaluated on the extent to which the Mentor plans to provide developmental assistance. Evaluations will consider the nature and extent of technical and managerial support as well as any proposed financial assistance in the form of equity investment, loans, joint-venture, and traditional subcontracting support.

(b) The Mentor-Protégé Agreement must contain:

(1) Names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses (if available) of the Mentor and Protégé firm(s) and a point of contact for both Mentor and Protégé who will oversee the agreement;

(2) A statement from the Protégé firm that the firm is currently eligible as a SDVOSB or VOSB to participate in VA’s Mentor-Protégé Program;

(3) A description of the Mentor’s ability to provide developmental assistance to the Protégé and the type of developmental assistance that will be provided, to include a description of the types and dollar amounts of subcontract work, if any, that may be awarded to the Protégé firm;

(4) Duration of the Agreement, including rights and responsibilities of both parties (Mentor and Protégé), with bi-annual reviews;

(5) Termination procedures, including procedures for the parties' voluntary withdrawal from the Program. The Agreement shall require the Mentor or the Protégé to notify the other firm and VA OSDBU in writing at least 30 days in advance of its intent to voluntarily terminate the Agreement;

(6) A schedule with milestones for providing assistance;

(7) Criteria for evaluation of the Protégé’s developmental success;

(8) A plan addressing how the Mentor will increase the quality of the Protégé firm’s technical capabilities and contracting and subcontracting opportunities;

(9) An estimate of the total cost of the planned mentoring assistance to be provided to the Protégé;

(10) An agreement by both parties to comply with the reporting requirements of VAAR 819.7113;

(11) A plan for accomplishing unfinished work should the agreement be voluntarily cancelled;

(12) Other terms and conditions, as appropriate; and

(13) Signatures and date(s).

(c) The Agreement defines the relationship between the Mentor and the Protégé firms only. The Agreement does not create any privity of contract between the Mentor and VA or the Protégé and VA.

Veterans Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 819.7113 Reports

(a) Mentor and Protégé entities shall submit to VA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization bi-annual reports on progress under the Mentor-Protégé Agreement. VA will evaluate reports by considering the following:

(1) Specific actions taken by the Mentor during the evaluation period to increase the participation of their Protégé(s) as suppliers to VA, other government agencies and to commercial entities;

(2) Specific actions taken by the Mentor during the evaluation period to develop technical and administrative expertise of a Protégé as defined in the Agreement;

(3) The extent to which the Protégé has met the developmental objectives in the Agreement;

(4) The extent to which the Mentor's participation in the Mentor-Protégé Program impacted the Protégé'(s) ability to receive contract(s) and subcontract(s) from private firms and Federal agencies other than VA; and, if deemed necessary;

(5) Input from the Protégé on the nature of the developmental assistance provided by the Mentor.

(b) OSDBU will submit annual reports to the relevant contracting officer regarding participating prime contractor(s)' performance in the Program.

(c) In addition to the written progress report in paragraph (a) of this section, at the mid-term point in the Mentor-Protégé agreement, the Mentor and the Protégé shall formally brief the VA OSDBU regarding program accomplishments as pertains to the approved agreement.

(d) Mentor and Protégé firms shall submit an evaluation to OSDBU at the conclusion of the mutually agreed upon Program period, the conclusion of the contract, or the voluntary withdrawal by either party from the Program, whichever comes first.

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