[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36858-36859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15316]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket Number DOT-OST-2014-0073]


Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) 
Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Pilot Program

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Transportation (DOT) invites public comments 
about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) to approve an information collection regarding the DOT's existing 
small business Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot program. If approved 
by OMB, this information collection would request program participants 
to submit their mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] relationship agreements 
for review, and file a joint report on an annual basis documenting the 
assistance they have provided or received. In addition, program 
participants would be asked to complete an evaluation form at the end 
of their participation in the program, and prot[eacute]g[eacute]s would 
be asked to update OSDBU annually for 2 years after they exit the 
program.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by on or before August 11, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by Docket No. DOT-OST-
2014-0073] through one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 1 (202) 493-2251.
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 
Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leonardo San Rom[aacute]n, Mentor-
Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot program, U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-1930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In April 2012,\1\ the DOT launched a Mentor-
Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot program to enhance the capability of 
disadvantaged and small business owners to compete for federal 
procurement opportunities. The Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot 
program is designed to assist small businesses in developing the 
necessary tools and relationships to compete and perform in DOT and 
other federal procurement programs. Small businesses include small 
disadvantaged businesses, women owned businesses, HUBZone small 
businesses, veteran-owned-businesses and service disabled veteran-owned 
small businesses. The program is designed to improve the performance of 
DOT contractors and subcontractors by fostering the establishment of 
long-term business relationships between small businesses and prime 
contractors.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Although The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2013, Public Law 112-239, Sec.  1641, prohibits Federal 
agencies from establishing new programs, this provision does not 
apply to programs in existence on the date of the Act. Rather, 
agencies with existing programs in place as of the date of the Act 
may continue to implement and make modifications to their programs, 
as is the case here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Eligible businesses who are prime contractors may agree to mentor 
eligible prot[eacute]g[eacute]s. The mentors would provide appropriate 
developmental assistance to enhance the capabilities of 
prot[eacute]g[eacute]s to perform as contractors and/or subcontractors.
    Since the inception of the program, small business concerns 
participating in the program have been able to develop their core 
capabilities, enabling them to compete and perform in federal 
contracts. Therefore, DOT is continuing the Mentor 
Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program, allowing increased participation as 
indicated below.

Information Collection

    Under this new proposed information collection, we request that 
participants submit their mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] agreements for 
review. We request that only one copy of the joint agreement be 
submitted to OSDBU. In addition, once the agreement is reviewed, we 
would request that the participants submit annual report to the OSDBU 
describing their progress. The report may be developed jointly by the 
mentor and prot[eacute]g[eacute], so only one annual report per mentor-
prot[eacute]g[eacute] relationship would be submitted. If the 
relationship extends beyond the first year, we would request that the 
participants submit an annual update. The annual report would include 
information about the action taken or suggested by the mentor to 
increase the participation of the prot[eacute]g[eacute] in federal 
procurement programs; actions taken or suggested to develop the 
technical capabilities of the prot[eacute]g[eacute]; and the degree to 
which the prot[eacute]g[eacute] has been able to implement those 
actions or recommendations. Once the mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] 
relationship has ended, we would also request that each program 
participant complete a program evaluation and submit it to the OSDBU. 
The purpose of the evaluation form is to provide feedback to the OSDBU 
on the program, with suggestions for improvement. In addition, we would 
ask prot[eacute]g[eacute]s, once they have exited the program, to 
continue to provide annual updates to OSDBU for up to two years, 
describing their progress in participating in federal procurement 
programs.
    The estimated burden for this proposed collection is as follows:
    (1) Form: Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] agreement.
    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    Affected Public: Prime contractors and small businesses interested 
in participating in DOT's Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: Approximately 8.
    Frequency: One-time.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 32 hours.
    (2) Form: Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program annual report.
    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    Affected Public: Prime contractors and small businesses 
participating in DOT's Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 8
    Frequency: One-time.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8 hours.
    (3) Form: Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program evaluation form.

[[Page 36859]]

    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    Affected Public: Prime contractors and small businesses 
participating in DOT's Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 16
    Frequency: One-time.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 hour per respondent.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 16 hours.

Extending the Duration of the Relationship

    The duration of the mentorship will be determined by the mentor and 
prot[eacute]g[eacute]. We anticipate in most cases, this period will be 
12 months, but some participants may want to extend their mentorship 
relationship. Currently, the DOT allows for this relationship to be 
extended up to 24 months. However, the DOT proposes to amend the 24 
month cap and allow the relationship to be extended up to 36 months. We 
received anecdotal information from program participants and other 
businesses expressing that a longer relationship may be beneficial to 
the firms. Program participants should be able to develop long range 
developmental plans up to 36 months benefiting small business concerns 
to receive additional technical assistance; otherwise not received due 
to time constraints and limitations. In addition, other federal 
government Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] programs allow their 
participants to establish a relationship for up to 36 months.

Reports Beyond Program Participation

    DOT's Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program's primary goal is to 
provide developmental assistance to help small business to compete and 
perform on federal procurement opportunities. It's important to DOT to 
ensure the developmental assistance received by prot[eacute]g[eacute]s 
during their program participation helps them to succeed beyond the 
term of the Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] agreement. DOT will request 
firms participating as prot[eacute]g[eacute]s in the program to agree 
to report its progress to the OSDBU annually for two (2) years after 
exiting the program. OSDBU will not request this of Mentors.
    For additional information related to the Mentor 
Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program, visit OSDBU's Web site at www.dot.gov/osdbu.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 19, 2014.
Brandon Neal,
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
[FR Doc. 2014-15316 Filed 6-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P