Historic mentor-protégé agreement signed at Johnson
2018-06-13
Executives of PAE Applied Technology, LLC. (PAE) and Prairie View A&M University signed a historic NASA mentor-protégé agreement at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in early June. The 12-month agreement is the first of its kind overseen by the center, fostering a formal partnering agreement between a NASA prime contractor and a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
The start to this historic, collaborative effort began last year and builds on NASA’s firm commitment to increasing participation in this often difficult to make socioeconomic category. Not only is NASA one of only three federal agencies approved by the Small Business Administration to have its own Mentor Protégé Program, it is the only federal agency that has an agency-mandated one percent HBCU goal.
Jose C. Garcia, deputy director of Johnson’s Office of Procurement, echoed that same commitment as he lauded the efforts of both parties and challenged them to meet a high standard of excellence in this new and challenging business environment. Tabisa Kalisa, representing Glenn Delgado, NASA’s associate administrator for the Office of Small Business Programs, stood with Dr. Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View, and Stephen Brettel, program director for PAE, as they signed the historic tripartite agreement.
PAE, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, has been a NASA partner for more than 60 years and currently supports the U.S. space program in a variety of capacities at NASA centers around the country. At Johnson, PAE is the prime contractor for the Facilities Support Service Contract, providing facility maintenance and operation, facility design and construction support, and facility engineering in support of the center.
Prairie View has had a long-established relationship with NASA, including the Prairie View Solar Observatory at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Established in 1999, this facility is the first ground-based solar research facility. Since then, the university has collaborated with NASA on a number of projects, such as the Center for Radiation Engineering and Science for Space Exploration, NASA Microgravity University, NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute, Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program and the Thermal Science Research Center.
NASA’s Mentor Protégé Program, established in 2008 by NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs, allows NASA prime contractors opportunities to enter into mentor-protégé agreements with small businesses and HBCUs under their subcontracting programs to establish long-term relationships, enhance technical capabilities and enable protégés to successfully compete for larger or complex prime contract and subcontract awards.
Pictured from left are Stephen Brettel, program director, PAE Applied Technology, LLC.; Tabisa Kalisa, program manager, NASA Mentor Protégé Program; Dr. Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View A&M University; Robert Watts, Small Business specialist; and Jose Garcia, deputy director, Johnson's Office of Procurement. Image Credit: NASA/Allison Bills
Robert Watts
NASA Johnson Space Center
The start to this historic, collaborative effort began last year and builds on NASA’s firm commitment to increasing participation in this often difficult to make socioeconomic category. Not only is NASA one of only three federal agencies approved by the Small Business Administration to have its own Mentor Protégé Program, it is the only federal agency that has an agency-mandated one percent HBCU goal.
Jose C. Garcia, deputy director of Johnson’s Office of Procurement, echoed that same commitment as he lauded the efforts of both parties and challenged them to meet a high standard of excellence in this new and challenging business environment. Tabisa Kalisa, representing Glenn Delgado, NASA’s associate administrator for the Office of Small Business Programs, stood with Dr. Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View, and Stephen Brettel, program director for PAE, as they signed the historic tripartite agreement.
PAE, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, has been a NASA partner for more than 60 years and currently supports the U.S. space program in a variety of capacities at NASA centers around the country. At Johnson, PAE is the prime contractor for the Facilities Support Service Contract, providing facility maintenance and operation, facility design and construction support, and facility engineering in support of the center.
Prairie View has had a long-established relationship with NASA, including the Prairie View Solar Observatory at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Established in 1999, this facility is the first ground-based solar research facility. Since then, the university has collaborated with NASA on a number of projects, such as the Center for Radiation Engineering and Science for Space Exploration, NASA Microgravity University, NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute, Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program and the Thermal Science Research Center.
NASA’s Mentor Protégé Program, established in 2008 by NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs, allows NASA prime contractors opportunities to enter into mentor-protégé agreements with small businesses and HBCUs under their subcontracting programs to establish long-term relationships, enhance technical capabilities and enable protégés to successfully compete for larger or complex prime contract and subcontract awards.
Pictured from left are Stephen Brettel, program director, PAE Applied Technology, LLC.; Tabisa Kalisa, program manager, NASA Mentor Protégé Program; Dr. Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View A&M University; Robert Watts, Small Business specialist; and Jose Garcia, deputy director, Johnson's Office of Procurement. Image Credit: NASA/Allison Bills
Robert Watts
NASA Johnson Space Center
Dr. Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View A&M University, and Stephen Brettel, program director of PAE Applied Technology, LLC, sign a historic NASA mentor-protégé agreement. Image Credit: NASA/Allison Bills