DoD’s Mentor-Protégé Program is the oldest continuously operating federal mentor-protégé program in existence. Originally established in the midst of the First Gulf War, the MPP helps eligible small businesses expand their footprint in the defense industrial base.

Under the MPP, small businesses are partnered with larger companies. In the past five years, DoD’s MPP has successfully helped more than 190 small businesses fill unique niches and become part of the military’s supply chain.

Many mentors have made the MPP an integral part of their sourcing plans. Protégés have used their involvement in the MPP to develop technical capabilities. Successful mentor-protégé agreements provide a winning relationship for the protégé, the mentor and the DoD.