As prescribed in 1819.7215, insert the following clause:

NASA Mentor–ProtÉGÉ Program (OCT 2023)

(a) Prime contractors are encouraged to participate in the NASA Mentor-Protégé Program for the purpose of providing developmental assistance to eligible protégé entities to enhance their capabilities and increase their participation in NASA contracts.

(b) The Program consists of—

(1) Mentors, which are large business prime or research institution with at least one approved NASA subcontracting plan;

(2) Protégés, which qualify as one or more of the following:

(i) Small Business Concern, as defined in FAR part 2, Definitions of Parts and Terms, including: Women-Owned or Economically-Owned Concern; Veteran-Owned or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern; Historically Underutilized Business Zone Concern;

(ii) Historically Black College and University or Minority-Serving Institution;

(iii) Current NASA SBIR/STTR Phase II Company; or

(iv) An Entity Participating in the AbilityOne Program;

(3) MPA endorsed by the cognizant NASA centers and approved by the NASA MPPO; and

(4) In contracts with award fee incentives, potential for payment of an award fee for voluntary participation and successful performance in the Mentor-Protégé Program, in accordance with NFS 1819.7205.

(c) Mentor participation in the program, described in NFS 1819.72, means providing technical, managerial, and financial assistance to aid protégés in developing requisite high-tech expertise and business systems to compete for and successfully perform NASA, as well as other Federal and commercial contracts and subcontracts.

(d) Eligible businesses and research institutions interested in participating in the program are encouraged to contact the NASA MPPO.

(End of clause)