GSA Mentor-Protege Program Expands Small Businesses Opportunities

Contact: Diane Merriett, (202) 501-1231 diane.merriett@gsa.gov

WASHINGTON -- Taking aggressive steps to expand federal contracting opportunities and support to small businesses, the U.S. General Services Administration recently launched a new Mentor-Protege Program. The goal of the program, sponsored by GSA's Office of Small Business Utilization, is to motivate and encourage GSA prime contractors to partner with smaller companies and help them earn more business. "The business mentoring concept is a proven model for increasing small-business access to key subcontracts," said GSA Acting Administrator Paul Prouty. "The program fosters long-term business relationships between prime contractors and small business subcontractors, which strengthens contracting opportunities for all parties." GSA recently received the highest possible rating on its Small Business Procurement Scorecard issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Mentor-Protege Program is one effort by GSA to maintain and enhance its small-business contracting efforts, particularly as it implements the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The agency's Mentor-Protege Program enables GSA prime contractors to furnish developmental assistance to protege small businesses, including disadvantaged, women-owned, historically underutilized business zoned, veteran-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned. For additional information on GSA's Small Business Mentor-Protege Program, visit www.gsa.gov/smallbusiness.

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Related terms: business, federal, small business, washington, women