Architect of the Capitol - Capitol Visitor Center Small Business Industry Day

Bridget Bean, SBA District Director, asked us to provide the information below to Washington Metropolitan Area District Office (WMADO) 8a firms. An electronic registration site is being set up. If you have questions, contact Bridget Bean's office: (202) 272-0340.

SAVE THE DATE!

Greetings WMADO Firms,

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 18, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) will be hosting an event for small business owners at the new Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) on doing business with the AOC and the CVC. The AOC is responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of 16.5 million square feet of buildings and more than 450 acres of land throughout the U.S. Capitol complex in Washington, DC. Opened on December 2, 2008, the CVC is the largest expansion to the Capitol, and it is the new visitor entrance to the Capitol -- its facilities include a 16,500 Exhibition Hall, a 530-seat Restaurant, two Gift Shops, and two orientation theaters where visitors watch a 13-minute welcome film before touring the U.S. Capitol.

The Small Business Industry Day sponsored by the Architect of the Capitol at the U.S. Capitol is free and open to any small business owner; however, advance reservation is required and attendance will be limited to 400. Details on how to register and specific products and services sought will be forthcoming in early January. Generally, the CVC is looking for products to be sold in its two Gift Shops that are made in the U.S. A. and manufactured with U.S.-made materials such as educational toys, jewelry, and souvenir apparel whose product themes are focused on the Capitol. The AOC is looking for goods and services required to maintain its buildings such as elevators, escalators, air handling units and electrical systems as well as products and services needed to maintain the landscaping around the Capitol complex and conserve and repair historical objects and artwork.

The CVC Gift Shops would be interested in small businesses that provide goods in the following NAICS codes (not a complete list):

* 322233 Stationery, Tablet, and Related Product Manufacturing 500
* 327112 Vitreous China, Fine Earthenware and Other Pottery Product Manufacturing
* 339914 Costume Jewelry and Novelty Manufacturing 500
* 339931 Doll and Stuffed Toy Manufacturing 500
* 339941 Pen and Mechanical Pencil Manufacturing 500
* 423920 Toy and Hobby Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
* 424320 Men’s and Boys’ Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers
* 424330 Women’s, Children’s, and Infants’ Clothing and Accessories Merchant Wholesalers
* 424450 Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers 100
* 424920 Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers

The AOC is actively searching for small businesses that provide goods and services in the following NAICS subsectors:

* 238, Specialty Trade Contractors
* 315, Apparel Manufacturing
* 321, Wood Product Manufacturing
* 325, Chemical Manufacturing
* 326, Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
* 327, Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
* 331, Primary Metal Manufacturing
* 332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
* 333, Machinery Manufacturing
* 334, Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing
* 335, Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing
* 423, Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods
* 443, Electronics and Appliance Stores
* 444, Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers

Mentor-Protégé Relationships

Adapted from the D2DInc e-Newsletter

A Mentor-Protégé relationship can be mutually beneficial to large and small businesses because it expands the resources and opportunities available to small businesses and provides a unique tutoring experience to large companies and establishes a reliable relationship with the small business. A Mentor-Protégé relationship can help improve the performance of small businesses on contracts and subcontracts with government agencies.

Mentor-protégé agreements can be mutually beneficial as long as both parties are clear on the objectives of the relationship. Each agency has its own Mentor-Protégé program with its own requirements, but generally the mentor company must hold a prime contract with that agency in order to participate in the program. Agencies require the execution of a formal agreement between the parties that spell out the expectations for and benefits to each party. These could include teaming and subcontracting opportunities, training, assistance in raising capital, program management, process development, ownership resulting from the relationship, and others as agreed upon by the parties. Some agencies allow a mentor to have more than one protégé, but most do not allow the protégé to have more than one mentor; although companies may have different mentors through different Agency programs.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) manages a unique Mentor-Protégé program that is designed to allow companies to serve as a mentor to 8(a)-certified small business protégés. In order to enter into a SBA-approved Mentor-Protégé agreement, the mentor and protégé must have a written agreement and also meet certain requirements in order for SBA to accept them into the Mentor-Protégé program. Mentors have their own requirements, but to qualify, the protégé must be:

1. a) in the developmental stage of the 8(a) Business Development program OR b) never have received an 8(a) contract OR c) must be less than half the size of a small business, as defined by the SBA, based on its primary Standard Industrial Classification code
2. In good standing in the 8(a) Business Development program
3. Current with all 8(a) reporting requirements

What is unique about the SBA program is that once the mentor-protégé agreement is approved, the companies may form a Joint Venture (JV) to pursue Federal government contracts with any agency, and the JV is considered to be a small business, provided the protégé qualifies as small for the procurement (and if an 8(a) sole source procurement, has not met the dollar limit). Without a SBA-approved agreement, the size of a JV is determined by taking the aggregate of the sizes of the two companies. This is a benefit because it allows the 8(a) to use their mentor's experience and relationship to pursue work jointly as a small business prime.

8(a) firms should contact their Business Opportunity Specialist to determine if their company and a prospective counterpart qualify for the SBA Mentor-Protégé program. Additional information is also available on SBA's website (www.sba.gov).