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.

• 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.