(a) Mentor firms will be solely responsible for selecting Protégé firms. Mentors are encouraged to select from a broad base of small business including small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, and HUBZone firms whose core competencies support USAID's mission.

(b) Mentors may have multiple Protégés. However, to preserve the integrity of the Program and assure the quality of developmental assistance provided to Protégés, USAID reserves the right to limit the total number of Protégés participating under each Mentor firm for the Mentor-Protégé Program.

(c) The selection of Protégé firms by Mentor firms may not be protested, except that any protest regarding the size or eligibility status of an entity selected by a Mentor shall be handled in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Small Business Administration regulations.