(a) The Small Business Administration provides general oversight to Federal mentor-protégé programs. However, DOT has its own program tailored to assist small business concerns in the transportation industry to enhance their capability to compete for Federal procurement opportunities. The program is administered by the DOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) at https://www.transportation.gov/osdbu/procurement-assistance/mentor-protege-pilot-program.

(b) Small business concerns and large DOT prime contractors are encouraged to participate in the Department's Mentor-Protégé Program. Mentor firms provide eligible small business Protégé firms with developmental assistance to enhance their business capabilities and ability to obtain Federal contracts.

(c) Mentor firms are eligible small businesses and large DOT prime contractors or other socioeconomic firms capable of providing developmental assistance. Protégé firms are small businesses as defined in 13 CFR part 121.

(d) Developmental assistance is technical, managerial, financial, and other mutually beneficial assistance that assists Protégé firms. The costs for developmental assistance will not be reimbursed to the Mentor firm.

(e) Mentor and Protégé firms shall submit an evaluation of the overall experience in the program to OSDBU at the conclusion of the agreement or the voluntary withdrawal by either party from the program, whichever occurs first. At the end of each year, the Mentor and Protégé firms will submit a report regarding program accomplishments under their agreement.

(f) Mentor or Protégé firms shall notify OSDBU in writing, at least 30 calendar days in advance of the effective date of the firm's withdrawal from the program.