Bill Overview
Title: Department of Homeland Security Mentor-Protégé Program Act of 2022
Description: This bill provides statutory authority for the mentor-protégé program of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under which a mentor firm enters into an agreement with a protégé firm to assist the latter to compete for prime contracts and subcontracts of DHS.
Sponsors: Rep. McEachin, A. Donald [D-VA-4]
Target Audience
Population: People involved in small businesses potentially benefiting from government contracts with the DHS
Estimated Size: 31000000
- The bill provides a framework for support between mentor and protege firms within the DHS contracting space.
- The mentor-protégé program is designed to help small and disadvantaged businesses compete for government contracts, thus affecting small business owners.
- The program influences businesses interested in or currently working on contracts with the DHS, including those in diverse fields such as security, technology, and consulting.
- Such programs traditionally aim to boost small business participation by providing guidance and resources, therefore directly impacting those classified as small businesses under federal guidelines.
- Statistically, there are over 31 million small businesses in the US according to the Small Business Administration.
Reasoning
- We need to assess how this policy will impact individuals both directly involved in small businesses eligible for DHS contracts and those tangentially related.
- The budget and scale of the program suggest a focus on specialized small business sectors, primarily those that are minority-owned or disadvantaged, as these may benefit more from such mentor-protege arrangements.
- Since the program is initially funded with $5 million in year 1, the direct impact may be felt by those businesses actively seeking or currently holding DHS contracts, particularly those needing mentorship to grow.
- As the program expands over 10 years, it might impact a wider range of businesses, but initially, the most direct benefits are likely limited.
- Considering the broad estimate of 31 million small businesses in the US, only a fraction—those actively seeking federal DHOS contracts—will be impacted.
- By focusing interviews on a range of small business owners, from those who are directly impacted to those who will see little change, we can understand the policy's varied repercussions.
Simulated Interviews
CEO of a small cybersecurity firm (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could be really beneficial to help us secure more direct contracts.
- Having a mentor in the field would provide us insights we currently try to navigate on our own.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Owner of a small tech consulting firm (Austin, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm interested in the possibility of entering the DHS space, but it's intimidating.
- Hopefully, this program can provide the guidance we need.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Manager of a family-owned security services business (San Diego, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The concept seems promising but I see it as a long shot for us unless we're able to really tap into the mentorship benefits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Founder of a startup focused on AI solutions (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Government contracts aren't our main focus, but this might offer an easier entry point for federal engagement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
CFO of a mid-sized technology firm (New York City, NY)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We have mentors informally, but a formal mentorship might accelerate our growth in federal sectors.
- It would be critical for DHH contracts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Owner of a construction company (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We already have some expertise, but any extra help to navigate DHS specific contracts would be useful.
- Our sector can certainly benefit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
CEO of a start-up BioTech firm (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This program might shift our focus slightly if it opens significant DHS contract opportunities.
- Not on our immediate radar but good if available.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Partner at an environmental consulting firm (Portland, OR)
Age: 48 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could be the push we need to begin direct bidding on larger DHS contracts.
- We have good momentum and this formal support could be valuable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Owner of a veteran-owned tech firm (Dallas, TX)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- An opportunity like this was needed to help us elevate our business from subcontractor to a direct contractor.
- It aligns with our long-term goals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Director of sales for a small healthcare IT firm (Boston, MA)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative sounds beneficial, but we're on the fringes given our sector and current federal involvement.
- Still, worth monitoring if things change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $7000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $7000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $7000000)
Year 5: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $7000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The program requires consistent oversight to ensure that the benefits are truly realized by small and disadvantaged businesses.
- Collaboration between mentor and protege firms must be structured to create tangible benefits, including the transfer of knowledge and resources.
- The program's success will rely heavily on ongoing evaluation and improvement based on feedback and results.