As prescribed in 519.7017(b), insert the following clause:
Mentor Requirements and Evaluation (MAR 2012)
(a) The purpose of the GSA Mentor-Protege Program is for a GSA prime contractor to provide developmental assistance to certain subcontractors qualifying as Proteges. Eligible Proteges include small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns, veteran-owned small business concerns, service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns, HUBZone small business concerns, and women-owned small business concerns meeting the qualifications specified in section 519.7007. The Program requires an Application process and an Agreement between the mentor and the Protege. See GSAR Subpart 519.70 for more information.
(b) GSA will evaluate a GSA mentor's performance on the following factors:
(1) Specific actions taken by the contractor, during the evaluation period, to increase the participation of its Protege as a subcontractor and supplier;
(2) Specific actions taken by the contractor during this evaluation period to develop the technical and corporate administrative expertise of its Protege as defined in the Agreement;
(3) To what extent the Protege has met the developmental objectives in the Agreement; and
(4) To what extent the firm's participation in the Mentor-Protege Program resulted in the Protege receiving competitive contract(s) and subcontract(s) from private firms other than the mentor, and from agencies.
(c) Semi-annual reports shall be submitted by a GSA mentor to the GSA Mentor-Protege Program Manager, GSA Office of Small Business Utilization (E), Washington, DC 20405. The reports must include information as outlined in paragraph (b) of this section. The semi-annual report may include a narrative describing the forms of developmental assistance a mentor provides to a Protege and any other types of permissible, mutually beneficial assistance.
(d) A GSA mentor will notify the GSA Mentor-Protege Program Manager and the contracting officer, in writing, at least 30 days in advance of the mentor firm's intent to voluntarily withdraw from the GSA Program or terminate the Agreement, or upon receipt of a Protege's notice to withdraw from the Program.
(e) GSA mentor and Protege firms will submit a ``Lessons Learned'' evaluation to the GSA Mentor-Protege Program Manager at the conclusion of the Mentor-Protege Agreement. At the end of each year in the Mentor-Protege Program, the mentor and Protege, as appropriate, will formally brief the GSA Mentor-Protege Program manager, the technical program manager, and the contracting officer during a formal Program review regarding Program accomplishments as they pertain to the approved Agreement.
(f) GSA has the authority to exclude mentor or Protege firms from participating in the GSA Program. If GSA excludes a mentor or a Protege from the Program, the GSA Office of Small Business Utilization will deliver to the contractor a Notice specifying the reason for Program exclusion and the effective date. The exclusion from the Program does not constitute a termination of the subcontract between the mentor and the Protege. A plan for accomplishing the subcontract effort should the Agreement be terminated shall be submitted with the Agreement as required in section 519.7010(j).
(g) Subcontracts awarded to GSA Protege firms under this Program are exempt from competition requirements, notwithstanding FAR 52.244-5. However, price reasonableness should still be determined.
(End of clause) [74 FR 41066, Aug. 14, 2009, as amended at 77 FR 10666, Feb. 23, 2012]