DCSA MPP Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicits proposals for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) for Fiscal Year 2026. The program aims to enhance the capabilities of small businesses (Protégés) by providing developmental assistance from large prime contractors (Mentors) to increase their competitiveness within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).

• Two-Phase Submission Process:

  • Phase 1: White Paper submission summarizing technical and cost information.
  • Phase 2: Final Proposal submission (Technical and Cost Proposals, Letters of Endorsement) for selected white papers.

• Protégé Pilot Initiative (PPI): An optional application for Protégés in DOW reimbursable agreements to propose projects supporting engineering, software development, or manufacturing customization for the War Fighter (limited to 25% of annual budget).

• Allowable Developmental Assistance: Includes technical/engineering assistance, business development, federal contract training, facility clearance sponsorship, personnel security training, cybersecurity compliance (DFARS/NIST/CMMC), insider threat program setup, DCAA-compliant accounting, proposal development support, FOCI mitigation, and IT systems enhancement.

• Technical Priorities: Modernizing IT Infrastructure and Cloud Optimization, Data Integration and Advanced Analytics, Cyber and Industrial Security, and Digital Workforce and Governance.

• Agreement Type: Reimbursable Mentor-Protégé Agreements.

• Period of Performance: Capped at three (3) years/36 months, typically with a 12-month base and two 12-month options.

• Administration: Managed by Move America, Inc. through a DOW OSBP MPP-I Cooperative Agreement.

• White Paper Submission Deadline: No later than 5 p.m. ET, 30 calendar days from the BAA announcement date. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis, with quarterly review cycles (March 29, June 30, September 30, December 31, March 31).

• Submission Address: Email to dcsa.quantico.hq.mbx.dcsa-mpp@mail.mil and mpp-src-i_contracts@moveamerica.org.

• Phase II Proposal Deadline: Within 30 calendar days of notification for selected white papers.

• Evaluation Criteria (Phase I & II): Alignment with National Security and DOW priorities, technical approach, cost reasonableness, Letters of Endorsement, FOCI Questionnaire, eligibility, engineering/technical assistance percentage, and involvement of specific partner organizations (HBCU/MSI/APEX/SBDC/WBC/MEP).

• Protégé Firm: Small business concerns meeting SBA size standards and specific socio-economic or nontraditional defense contractor criteria (HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, etc.).

• Mentor Firm: Prime contractors with $25M+ in DOW contracts in the last fiscal year, active subcontracting plan, financially sound, and approved by DOW OSBP.

• Mandatory: Active SAM.gov registration for all parties.

• Costs for proposal preparation are the sole responsibility of the Mentor and Protégé.

• Cybersecurity compliance (NIST SP 800 / CMMC Level I) is not reimbursable; Project Spectrum is recommended for no-cost CMMC Level 1 assistance.

• Attachments include White Paper Template, Detailed Cost Estimate Template, and PPI Application Template.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicits proposals for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) for Fiscal Year 2026. The program aims to enhance the capabilities of small businesses (Protégés) by incentivizing large prime contractors (Mentors) to provide developmental assistance, thereby increasing Protégé competitiveness within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).

• The program involves a two-phase submission process: White Paper and Final Proposal.

• Developmental assistance can include technical/engineering support, business development, federal contract language training, facility clearance sponsorship, personnel security training, cybersecurity compliance (NIST SP 800 / CMMC Level I is not reimbursable, but services like Project Spectrum are encouraged), insider threat program setup, DCAA-compliant accounting knowledge, proposal development support, FOCI mitigation strategies, and IT systems enhancement.

• Protégé Pilot Initiative (PPI) applications are optional and support engineering, software development, or manufacturing customization projects for the War Fighter, limited to 25% of the agreement's annual budget.

• Agreements will be Reimbursable Mentor-Protégé Agreements (MPAs).

• Period of Performance is capped at three (3) years/36 months, typically a 12-month base with two 12-month options.

• No Credit or Hybrid agreements will be accepted.

• Phase 1 (White Paper): Due 30 days after announcement date, submitted via email. Rolling basis accepted, with quarterly evaluation cycles (March 29, June 30, September 30, December 31, March 31).

• Phase 2 (Final Proposal): Issued to selected white paper submitters. Due within 30 calendar days of notification.

• Evaluation Criteria: Alignment with national security and DCSA priorities, technical approach, cost reasonableness, Letters of Endorsement, FOCI Questionnaire, eligibility, engineering/technical assistance focus (>=50% of costs), and involvement of specific partner organizations (HBCU/MSI/APEX/SBDC/WBC/MEP).

• Submission Address: Email to dcsa.quantico.hq.mbx.dcsa-mpp@mail.mil and mpp-src-i_contracts@moveamerica.org.

• Protégé: Small business concerns meeting SBA size standards and satisfying specific socio-economic categories (HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, Native American, disadvantaged, employing severely disabled, nontraditional, or contributing to national security).

• Mentor: Prime contractors with $25M+ in DOW contracts (last FY), active DOW subcontracting plan, financially sound, and approved by DOW OSBP.

• Active SAM.gov registration is mandatory for all parties.

• Costs for proposal preparation are the sole responsibility of the Mentor and Protégé.

• The Government reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate MPAs.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a template for submitting white papers for the Office of Small Business Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) under a specific BAA (BAA-XXX-XX-20XX). It outlines the required information for both mentor and protégé firms to propose a developmental assistance agreement.

• Solicitation Information: BAA Number and Title.
• Proposed Agreement Information: Type of agreement (Reimbursable, Credit, Hybrid), Period of Performance (duration, start/end dates).
• Cost Estimate: Detailed breakdown of costs by year and category (labor, travel, subcontractors) for both total effort and specific assistance types (Engineering/Technical vs. General Business Development). Requires Engineering and Technical Assistance to be at least 50% of the total effort.
• Mentor Firm Eligibility & Information: Details on prior approval, firm details (address, contact, DUNS, CAGE, NAICS, PSC codes), background, past performance, and capacity.
• Protégé Firm Eligibility & Information: Criteria for eligibility (small business status, contract eligibility, size standards, ownership), firm details (address, contact, DUNS, CAGE, NAICS codes), historical background, and business information (contract awards, revenue, employees).
• Relationship Details: Information on current/past relationships between mentor and protégé, including subcontract awards.
• Developmental Assistance Approach: Description of planned engineering/technical and general business development assistance.
• Authorized Subcontractors: Details on any subcontractors involved (e.g., HBCUs, MIs, PTACs).
• Anticipated Benefits: Expected outcomes for the protégé, mentor, and the government.
• Agreement Alignment & Information: How the agreement aligns with agency requirements and if it's been proposed before.
• Contact Information: Key personnel for both mentor and protégé firms.

This template guides potential mentor and protégé firms on the specific data and structure required for a Mentor-Protégé Program white paper submission. Bidders must use this template to detail their proposed agreement, costs, capabilities, and expected outcomes to be considered for the program.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a template for submitting white papers for the Office of Small Business Mentor-Protégé Program, specifically for BAA-XXX-XX-20XX. It outlines the required information for both mentor and protégé firms to propose a developmental assistance agreement.

• Solicitation Information: BAA Number and Title.
• Proposed Agreement Information: Type of agreement (Reimbursable, Credit, Hybrid), Period of Performance (duration and dates).
• Cost Estimate: Detailed breakdown of costs by year and by assistance type (Engineering/Technical vs. General Business Development), including labor, travel/ODCs, and subcontractors. Engineering and Technical Assistance must be at least 50% of the total effort.
• Mentor Firm Eligibility & Information: Details on prior approval, firm name, address, contact info, DUNS, CAGE, NAICS/PSC codes, background, and small business status.
• Mentor Firm Capacity & Capability: Qualifications, experience, facilities, and equipment.
• Mentor Firm Past Performance: Experience with DoW/DCSA Mentor-Protégé programs, Nunn-Perry awards.
• Protégé Firm Eligibility & Information: Criteria for eligibility, firm details (name, address, contact, industry, size, revenue), and 8(a) program status.
• Protégé Firm Historical Background: Company profile and accomplishments.
• Protégé Firm Business Information: Details on prime and subcontract awards (DoW and other Federal agencies) over the past two fiscal years.
• Mentor Firm – Protégé Firm Relationship: Details on past/current relationships and subcontract awards between the firms.
• Protégé Firm Past Participation: History in the DoW Mentor-Protégé Program.
• Potential Mentor Firm Subcontracting Opportunities: Anticipated competitive and non-competitive subcontracts to the Protégé Firm.
• Anticipated Developmental Assistance Approach: Description of planned engineering/technical and business development assistance.
• Authorized Subcontractor(s): Information on any HBCUs, MSIs, APEX, SBDCs, WBCs, or MIIs involved.
• Anticipated Benefits: Expected outcomes for the Protégé Firm, DoW/DCSA, and Mentor Firm, including TRL/MRL advancements.
• Agreement Alignment: How the proposal aligns with DoW/DCSA requirements.
• Agreement Information: Previous proposals and relationship to SBIR/STTR, RIF, CRADA, or PLA programs.
• Contact Information: Detailed contact points for Mentor Firm, Protégé Firm, and Authorized Subcontractors.
• Key Personnel Addendum: Overview of key personnel qualifications.

This template is crucial for any firm wishing to participate in the DoW Mentor-Protégé Program. It dictates the structure and content required for a white paper submission, including detailed financial projections, eligibility affirmations, and descriptions of developmental assistance plans and expected outcomes. Bidders must meticulously complete all sections to be considered.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicits proposals for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) for Fiscal Year 2026. The program aims to enhance the capabilities of small businesses (Protégés) by providing developmental assistance from large prime contractors (Mentors) to increase their competitiveness within the Defense Industrial Base.

• The program involves a two-phase submission process: White Paper (Phase I) and Final Proposal (Phase II).

• Protégé firms must meet specific eligibility criteria, including small business status and meeting SBA size standards, and belonging to one of several socio-economic categories (e.g., HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, etc.) or contributing to national security priorities.

• Mentor firms must be prime contractors with $25M+ in DOW contracts in the last fiscal year, possess an active DOW subcontracting plan, and be financially sound and approved by DOW OSBP.

• Proposed projects should align with DCSA's technical priorities: Modernizing IT Infrastructure and Cloud Optimization, Data Integration and Advanced Analytics, Cyber and Industrial Security, and Digital Workforce and Governance.

• Allowable developmental assistance includes technical/engineering support, business development, federal contract language training, facility clearance sponsorship, personnel security training, cybersecurity compliance (NIST SP 800 / CMMC Level I is encouraged but not reimbursable), insider threat program setup, accounting/contracting knowledge, proposal development support, FOCI mitigation, and IT systems enhancement.

• The Protégé Pilot Initiative (PPI) allows Protégés to propose projects supporting the War Fighter, limited to 25% of the annual budget.

• Agreements will be Reimbursable Mentor-Protégé Agreements (MPAs).

• The period of performance is capped at three (3) years/36 months, typically with a 12-month base and two 12-month options.

• No Credit or Hybrid agreements will be accepted.

• Phase I: White Papers are due no later than 5 p.m. ET, 30 days after the announcement date. White Papers will be accepted for one year, with quarterly evaluations occurring before June 2026, September 2026, December 2026, and March 2027.

• Phase II: Final Proposals will be requested from selected White Paper submitters.

• Submissions are via email to dcsa-mpp@mail.mil and mpp-src-i_contracts@moveamerica.org.

• Evaluation criteria include alignment with national security and DCSA priorities, technical approach, cost reasonableness, and mandatory pass/fail items like Letters of Endorsement and FOCI Questionnaire.

• Specific eligibility requirements for both Mentor and Protégé firms are detailed.

• Active SAM.gov registration is mandatory for all participants.

• Attachments include a White Paper Template, Detailed Cost Estimate Template, and PPI Application Template.

• All costs for proposal preparation are the responsibility of the offerors.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicits proposals for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) for Fiscal Year 2026. The DCSA MPP aims to enhance the capabilities of small businesses (Protégés) by incentivizing large prime contractors (Mentors) to provide developmental assistance, thereby increasing the Protégés' competitiveness and presence in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB).

• The program focuses on providing developmental assistance to Protégés in DCSA's critical mission spaces, including modernizing IT infrastructure, integrating data, and securing IT infrastructure.

• Specific technical priorities include NBIS acceleration, cloud migration (e.g., DISS), system modernization (MOSA approach), data integration, AI/ML implementation, automated data ingestion, cyber and industrial security, behavioral threat analysis, zero trust architecture, digital workforce development, and IT governance.

• Allowable developmental assistance includes technical/engineering support, business development, federal contract language training, Facility Clearance (FCL) sponsorship, personnel security training, cybersecurity compliance (DFARS/NIST/CMMC), insider threat program setup, DCAA-compliant accounting knowledge, proposal development support, FOCI mitigation, and IT systems enhancement.

• Agreements will be Reimbursable Mentor-Protégé Agreements (MPAs).

• The Period of Performance is capped at three (3) years/36 months, typically with a 12-month base period and two optional 12-month periods.

• No Credit or Hybrid agreements will be accepted.

• This is a 2-phase submission process.

• Phase 1: White Paper submission (15 pages max) is due 30 days after the announcement date. White papers are accepted for one year, with quarterly evaluations.

• Phase 2: Final Proposal requests will be issued to selected Phase 1 submitters. Final proposals are due within 30 days of notification.

• Submission Address: Email to dcsa.quantico.hq.mbx.dcsa-mpp@mail.mil and mpp-src-i_contracts@moveamerica.org.

• Evaluation Criteria (Phase 1 & 2): Alignment with national security/DOW priorities, DCSA strategic plan, technical approach, cost reasonableness, CEO Letters of Endorsement, FOCI Questionnaire, eligibility, engineering/technical assistance comprising >=50% of costs, and involvement of HBCU/MSI/APEX/SBDC/WBC/MEP.

• Protégé Firm Eligibility: Small business concerns meeting SBA size standards and qualifying as HUBZone, Women-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Native American/Hawaiian controlled, socially/economically disadvantaged, employing severely disabled individuals, nontraditional defense contractors, or contributing to national security priorities.

• Mentor Firm Eligibility: Prime contractors with $25M+ in DOW contracts in the last fiscal year, active DOW subcontracting plan, financially sound, good character, not debarred/suspended, and approved by DOW OSBP.

• Active SAM.gov registration is mandatory for all participants.

• The Protégé Pilot Initiative (PPI) allows Protégés to propose projects supporting the War Fighter, limited to 25% of the annual agreement budget, due in Phase II.

• Costs for proposal preparation are the sole responsibility of the Mentor and Protégé.

• Attachments include White Paper Template, Detailed Cost Estimate Template, and PPI Application Template.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a template for submitting a white paper for the Office of Small Business Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP). It outlines the required sections and information that both mentor and protégé firms must provide to propose an agreement.

• Solicitation Information: BAA Number and Title.
• Proposed Agreement Information: Type of agreement (Reimbursable, Credit, Hybrid), Period of Performance (duration, start/end dates).
• Cost Estimate: Detailed breakdown of costs by year and category (labor, travel, subcontractors), including Engineering & Technical Assistance (ETA) and General Business Development Assistance (GBDA). ETA must be at least 50% of the total effort.
• Mentor Firm Eligibility & Information: Details on prior approval, firm profile, DUNS, CAGE, NAICS, PSC codes, and past performance.
• Protégé Firm Eligibility & Information: Criteria for eligibility, firm profile, DUNS, CAGE, NAICS codes, and historical contract awards.
• Relationship Details: Information on past or current relationships between mentor and protégé firms, including subcontract awards.
• Developmental Assistance Approach: Description of planned ETA and GBDA, including tasks and timelines.
• Authorized Subcontractors: Details on any subcontractors (HBCU, MSI, APEX, SBDC, WBC, MII) involved.
• Anticipated Benefits: Expected outcomes for the Protégé Firm, DoW/DCSA, and Mentor Firm.
• Agreement Alignment: How the proposal aligns with DoW/DCSA requirements.
• Contact Information: Key personnel for both Mentor and Protégé firms.

This template is crucial for any firm seeking to participate in the Mentor-Protégé Program. It dictates the structure and content of the white paper submission, guiding bidders on the specific information required regarding the proposed agreement, cost estimates, firm qualifications, developmental assistance plans, and expected benefits. Bidders must meticulously complete all sections to ensure their proposal meets program requirements.