The objective of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Mentor-Protégé Program is to increase the number of Port Authority–certified Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) capable of bidding successfully on larger construction contracts with the Port Authority and other public and private organizations. The program seeks to improve the protégés' management, organization and construction skills by teaching them new strategic tools to speed the growth of their businesses.
The Mentor-Protégé training prepares the protégés for proficiency in the following eight categories: Construction Contract Law, Construction Estimating, Financial Management (Financial Strategies), Managing Projects Between $500,000 and $3 Million (Project Management), OSHA and Your Responsibilities–Understanding Safety, Planning and Scheduling to Reduce Project Costs, Project Controls and Professional Development.
The training takes place in a formal classroom environment and is reinforced by the mentors via one-on-one consultation.
Mentors provide "on-call" availability of a professional representative whose commitment to protégés involves a range of advice from project planning to estimating, bidding and project closeout, along with sharing a broad range of other important general and trade contracting information. Through this exceptional exposure, protégés are expected to incorporate this new knowledge into their business practices, making tactical and tangible changes in their approach and operations.
During the three-year program, protégés participate in seminars, information exchange sessions and mandatory curriculum classes. Additionally, protégé firms are exposed to networking events where they interact directly with well-known players in the industry, make formal presentations and secure the business connections and know-how necessary to further develop their businesses. They also can form partnerships with other protégé firms to expand their respective capabilities.
For more information about participating in the Port Authority's Mentor-Protégé Program, contact Dorothy Pentzke, Program Manager, by telephone at (646) 256-3569 or by email at dpentzke@panynj.gov or pentzkegroup2@gmail.com. For general information about the Program, contact Marie Doblas, Port Authority Manager, Contract Compliance by email at mdoblas@panynj.gov.