Part B · Startup-relevant scheme
DOD Mentor-Protégé Program (DOD Mentor-Protégé)
Department of Defense
Incubation
Growth / ScalingMarket Access & IP
Defense & Aerospace
A large prime contractor (the mentor) enters a formal, DOD-approved agreement to help a small business (the protégé) build technical and business capacity, in exchange for incentives to the mentor.
Type of support
Incubation
Best suited for
Growth / Market Access
Headline amount
Capacity-building support (not direct funding)
How much
N/A — mentorship and capacity-building
Objectives
Increase small-business participation and capability in DOD's supply chain, and build durable subcontracting relationships.
Who can apply?
- Protégé must be an eligible small business (including 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB categories).
- Mentor must be an experienced DOD prime contractor entering a mutually developed, DOD-approved agreement.
What do you get?
- Structured technical, managerial, and financial capacity-building from an established prime.
- Can lead to real subcontracting work and long-term teaming relationships.
- Agency-specific variants exist across DOD components (Navy, Air Force, DTRA, NGA, and more).
How to apply
Identify a DOD prime willing to mentor you and jointly submit a Mentor-Protégé agreement for DOD approval — often initiated by the mentor.
Key links
Details as most recently confirmed against the official source linked above. Deadlines, amounts and windows change — verify on the official portal before applying.