The EDS M-PP Process
STEP ONE: Protégé Selection
- If the candidate meets all EDS criteria, EDS M-PP personnel will meet with the company to determine whether that business is a good match for its program (EDS M-PP Protégé Selection Criteria).
- EDS finds candidates through various channels, collecting information on small businesses that may become strategic partners with EDS. These company names are collected by way of three different channels:
- Internal and external recommendations.
- Networking at tradeshows and conferences.
- Direct contact from qualified firms.
- The EDS M-PP office then pre-screens the small business to ensure they meet the EDS M-PP minimal criteria.
STEP TWO: Apply Agency-Specific Standards
- Each service or agency may have specific criteria established for selection of protégés, which is independent of the EDS qualification criteria. The potential protégé must meet this criteria or be eligible for a waiver to participate in the program.
STEP THREE: Good Fit Assessment
- A meeting or telephone conference is conducted to assess if the Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) is good fit for the M-PP customer and EDS. This is accomplished by examining the mission of the M-PP customer, as it relates to the EDS and the selected SDB lines of business. The corporate philosophy and strategic plan of the small business is also examined to determine the feasibility of a long partnership.
STEP FOUR: Protégé Candidate Needs Assessment
- EDS has developed a detailed Needs Assessment to determine the current as is operating posture of the SDB and identify the areas development is needed. Each candidate must complete this assessment.
Final Screening
After a decision is made to continue vetting the small business as a potential protégé the following steps will occur:- Needs Assessment.
- Synergy Meetings.
The potential protégé is provided a list of EDS leaders to meet with. These leaders are identified because of the synergy between the small business's capabilities and the leaders' functional areas of responsibility (AOR). The leaders will provide feedback to the EDS M-PP leadership on the feasibility of a long-term business relationship with
EDS.
A final decision is made by the EDS M-PP leadership on whether or not to pursue the mentor-protégé relationship. Official notification will be given to the small business at this time.
Proposal Phase
After the final screening of the small business as a potential protégé has been completed, the following steps will occur:
STEP FIVE: Development of the Agreement
- EDS and the protégé candidate work closely to develop a Mentor-Protégé Agreement which will provide the small business with the mentoring it needs and which will maximize the years spent in the program. A typical agreement lasts for three years, the maximum time a small business may stay in the program. In developing the agreement, EDS takes into consideration the following:
- Needs Assessment
- Good Fit Assessment
- Agency Mission
STEP SIX: Development/Submission of Proposal to the M-PP Customer
- It is the mentor's responsibility to develop and deliver the Mentor-Protégé Agreement, including a technical and cost proposal, to the M-PP customer.
STEP SEVEN: M-PP Customer Review/Endorsement
- The M-PP customer will review the proposal, and decide whether that relationship is a good fit for their agency's program.
STEP EIGHT: Submission to Government SADBU for Approval
- The Government SADBU has the ultimate approval of every M-PP agreement.
STEP NINE: Contract Award
- If it is a DoD relationship, funds are transferred from the sponsoring DoD agency or service to the mentor firm upon contract award. These are typically contract modifications or task order awards. The funding start signifies the beginning of the formal Mentor-Protégé relationship.