Code of Federal Regulations Title 48. Federal Acquisition Regulations System 48.719.273-1 Purpose

The USAID Mentor–Protégé Program is designed to assist small business, including veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone, small socially and economically disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business in enhancing their capabilities to perform contracts and sub-contracts for USAID and other Federal agencies. The Mentor–Protégé Program is also designed to improve the performance of USAID contractors and subcontractors by providing developmental assistance to Protégé entities, fostering the establishment of long-term business relationships between small business and prime contractors, and increasing the overall number of small business that receive USAID contract and subcontract awards. A firm's status as a Protégé under a USAID contract shall not have an effect on the firm's eligibility to seek other prime contracts or subcontracts.