Brainstorm: CDOT ESB Mentor-Protégé Program
Mission
The purpose of the CDOT Mentor-Protégé Program is to provide opportunities for Emerging Small Businesses (ESB) to hone their business skills by working closely with established firms in highway construction or design. The program assists CDOT and the transportation industry in general to build a more effectivediverse consultant base for the future.
Program Overview
The Mentor-Protégé Program is open to both contractors and consultants in highway construction and design. Individual firms will be responsible for identifying and forming a mentor-protégé relationship and applying to CDOT for formal approval.
Approved mentor-protégé teams must identify a goal(s) of the relationship and create a plan to achieve the identified goal(s). Mentor-protégé teams will be responsible for managing and tracking progress against the plan by providing quarterly updatesurveys to CDOT. Mentor-protégé teams may receive various benefits and incentives for participating in the program.
A maximum of six firms will be selected each year for the program. A mentor-protégé team is approved for one calendar year, but may apply to be part of the program for up to two years.
Program Requirements
The following are required to qualify for the Mentor-Protégé Program:
●Applicants must do construction or professional services work in the transportation sector.
●Mentor and protégé may not have any ties that would appear to compromise the independence (in accordance with DBE and ESB criteria) of the protégé.
●Protégés must meet the following criteria:
○Existing in business for at least 2 consecutive years;
○Revenue of at least $250,000 annually;
○Have a minimum of (2) full time employees (including owner);
○Past performance on highway construction or professional services contracts;
○Pursuing transportation-related contracts; AND
○Have CDOT ESB certification.
● Mentors must meet the following criteria:
○Completed a minimum of 10 CDOT projects a prime or sub;
○Prequalified with CDOT;
○Have skills and capacity to assist a protégé business; AND
○Have a commitment to assisting small and diverse firms in the transportation sector.
Preferred Candidates for the Program
●Preference for mentor’s who are working on a CDOT project with the intention of using the protégé.
●Preference for protégés that have completed Connect2DOT’s Leading Edge for Transportation or US DOT’s Bond Education course.
●Preference for a mentor-protégé pair that have worked together in the past.
Application Process
●Application materials are due on November 1st.
●Required Materials:
○ CDOT Mentor-Protégé Program Application
Disqualification
●Protégés may be disqualified if they;
○ Graduate from the ESB program.
○ Do not provide quarterly update survey.
○ Are unwilling to be an active participant in the program.
○ Miss more than two meetings with mentors.
○ Engage in fraud or a misrepresentation to participate in the program.
●Mentors may be disqualified if they;
○Are unwilling to be an active participant in the program.
○Do not provide quarterly update survey.
○Miss more than two meetings with the protégé.
○Fail to meet the ESB targets or goals on three or more projects.
○Engage in fraud or a misrepresentation to participate in the program.
Incentives
●Mentors may receive two points for the participation of a protégé that participated in the CDOT Mentor-Protégé Program with the mentor in the past 3 years. This can be used for two awarded contracts.
●Mentors may receive a financial incentive or double ESB participation on design-build projects for the participation of a protégé that participated in the CDOT Mentor-Protégé Program with the mentor in the past 3 years, to be dictated by project.
●Mentor-protégé teams may be eligible for a bonus as part of the financial incentive for CDOT low-bid selection construction contracts. Mentors may receive $2,000 for at least $20,000 of participation by a protégé that participated in the CDOT Mentor-Protégé Program with the mentor in the past 3 years. Mentors may receive $5,000 for at least $50,000 of participation by a protégé that participated in the CDOT Mentor-Protégé Program with the mentor in the past 3 years.This can be used for two awarded contracts.
●Mentors may receive a financial stipend for time spent with the protégé. To receive the financial stipend, firms must submit an invoice at the completion of a program milestone identified in the team’s Mentor-Protégé Program Plan.
●Special Recognition (to internal and external stakeholders, including newsletter announcement, internal CDOT communication, recognition before the Transportation Commission).
*All incentives subject to funding and feasibility determination.