USAID has accepted Panagora’s and Chemonics’ application to the Mentor Protégé Program! We received this good news in a letter dated March 14, 2011 from Mauricio Vera, Director of USAID’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Utilization (OSDBU). This notification formalizes the Mentor Protégé Agreement between the two companies.

The goal of USAID’s mentor protégé program is to increase successful entry of new businesses into the international development space and create new partners for the Agency. A successful application requires careful delineation of how the mentor-protégé relationship will help grow the small business into a successful federal contractor over a two year period. Chemonics is providing written materials and strategic advisory assistance to help Panagora develop its operations. In addition, Chemonics is procuring the services of Panagora to carry out work of common interest, including new business efforts that will help generate the longer-term contract revenue needed for Panagora to be a sustainable business into the future.

Many have asked whether this partnership still allows Panagora to team with other organizations. The answer is yes!

Many have also asked about the value of the mentor-protégé relationship – Panagora President Betsy Bassan says, “It is a fantastic program, a truly excellent way to reduce the barriers to entry for new or existing companies who want to work under contracts to support the U.S. Government’s foreign aid goals and objectives.”

Kudos to OSDBU for initiating the MPP in the last couple years!