The Mentor-Protégé Program has been developed by the Office of Small Business Programs of the Defense Logistics Agency to build a more resilient industrial base of suppliers. The program is meant to incentivize prime contractors to provide developmental assistance to small businesses as an aid in extending their expertise and/or processes for the advancement of Department of Defense (DoD) systems.
Daniele Kurze, director of the Office of Small Business Programs, explains, “This is another tool that we will use to help strengthen our defense industrial base. It will give small businesses new opportunities to grow and learn from large suppliers, which can help us fill critical gaps in our supply chain down the road.”
Chris Hall (see image above), DLA's deputy director of small business, said the program is meant to help develop new sources for difficult requirements, “The program presents a unique opportunity to expand the industrial base by investing in the capabilities of small businesses to improve DLA's ability to respond to warfighters' needs.”
The program is a result of the DoD’s National Defense Industrial Strategy, released in January 2024. It's intended to strengthen the defense industrial base for the U.S. and its allies and partner forces while encouraging smaller businesses to become more involved in delivering defense technology solutions. By forming new partnerships with smaller businesses, the DoD hopes to provide the U.S. and allied forces with competitive advantages while also fueling the growth of small partner businesses.
