Survival Systems International (SSI) will be attending The Department of War (DoW) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) Summit 2026 scheduled for April 7–9, 2026, in Arlington, VA, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. Themed “Bridging Opportunities: Scaling Innovation for National Defense,” this flagship event focuses on bolstering the defense industrial base through partnerships, networking, and expert-led sessions.
The DoW Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) is the oldest continuously operating federal mentor-protégé program in existence. Originally established during the First Gulf War in 1990, the MPP helps eligible small businesses expand their footprint in the defense industrial base.
As a small business, SSI is currently a Protégé, with Bell Helicopter in the role of Mentor. We have completed the first year of the program and are in option year 1 of what will be a 3-year program with Bell.
Through this program Bell has provided numerous resources and teams to assess, benchmark, and guide us on how we can develop our technical capabilities and better align our business to support Bell & the Warfighter. The benefits to SSI have been tangible and have further strengthened our decades long business relationship with Bell.
