MWSBE_Mentor_Protege_Development_Plan_Form.docx

This is a Mentor-Protege Development Plan form designed for Leon County, Florida's Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWSBE) program to structure mentoring relationships between established firms and developing small businesses. The form serves as a guiding document completed jointly by mentor and protege firms to identify the specific assistance and education the mentor will provide throughout the relationship, with annual submission to the MWSBE Division to document progress and establish new goals. The form addresses five key areas: protege background and experience (including personnel, capital, and equipment inventory); mentor-protege management and technical assistance focused on internal business processes and management systems; financial assistance plans encompassing equity investments, loans, or bonding; contracting plan assistance covering navigation of the contracting process and capacity building for local government projects; and business development planning including strategic planning and identification of new markets and opportunities.

The development plan requires annual completion and submission following the initial year of the mentor-protege relationship, with each subsequent submission addressing previously identified goals and documenting protege accomplishments. This structured approach directly supports Leon County's RFP BC-2025-040 for Building Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical and Fire Protection Engineer Professional Services, which incentivizes mentor-protege relationships by awarding up to two additional points for firms engaged in such arrangements. The RFP establishes aspirational MWSBE participation goals of 8% for Minority Business Enterprise and 6% for Women Business Enterprise, with scoring incentives available for achieving these targets, thereby creating opportunities for smaller firms to develop capacity and compete for professional services contracts with construction values ranging from $10,000 to $4,000,000.