Mentor Protégé Programs are designed to encourage large or experienced firms to develop technical and business capabilities of small and diverse firms to enable them to compete more effectively in their given market.
These programs are typically government sponsored and managed. They are designed to meet the needs of small firms seeking to support the sponsoring agency or department. AECOM recognize the importance of these programs and the support they provide to our small and diverse firms. We are committed to participating as a mentor in these programs and in developing our small and diverse partners.
Each mentor-protégé program is unique with different requirements and benefits to both the mentor and protégé. AECOM had found that the most successful agreements are the ones where both mentor and protégé gain from the partnership. Some of the most common benefits of these programs include:
- Allowing small firms to build strategic partnerships with large and experienced firms
- Providing opportunities to enhances the protégé’s technical capabilities or infrastructure
- Creating a mechanism for technology transfer from mentor to protégé
- Allows for the awarding of non-competitive subcontracts / purchase orders to the protégé
- Providing reimbursement to the mentor for efforts to develop the protégé
- Allowing for potential joint venture opportunities as a small business
- Giving mentors credit towards their small business subcontracting goals for dollars expended in support of the protégé
AECOM’s Approach to Mentor-Protégé Participation
AECOM has a long history of participation in the various mentor-protégé programs of our clients and we have been recognized with numerous awards for these efforts. Based on this experience, AECOM had developed a comprehensive approach to mentor-protégé that ensures that each agreement is put in the best position to achieve success. In addition to agency requirements, AECOM also seeks certain characteristics in potential protégés. These include:
- Previous or existing contractual relationship with AECOM
- Capabilities that do not compete with an existing AECOM protégé
- No existing, active mentor-protégé agreements
- Compatible ethics and financially stable
- Adequate resources to commit to a 2-3 year engagement
- Potential long-term strategic value in the given market
How to Partner with AECOM through Mentor-Protégé
AECOM first recommends reviewing the mentor-protégé program requirements for the program that you are interested in pursuing. Agencies that offer mentor-protégé programs will usually have information available on their program. We also recommend giving thought to what you want to achieve through participation in mentor-protégé, how your firm would complement AECOM’s support of our client’s missions, and whether your firm’s capabilities overlap with any of our existing protégés. If your firm qualifies for the program and your firm has the characteristics listed above, the next step would be to reach out to one of our supplier diversity contacts that align to your firm’s capabilities.