September 2, 2021 - Engineering consultants Citrine and Olsson have obtained approval to form a mentor-protégé joint venture to compete for certain United States federal government set-aside contracts.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has established the SBA Mentor-Protege Program to assist small business government contractors. Under the program, mentors and proteges form joint ventures that qualify for set-aside contracts for which the small business is eligible. The Citrine-Olsson Joint Venture (JV) will work in partnership to pursue federal procurement opportunities set aside for small and Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) businesses.

Citrine and Olsson both have successful track records performing work for federal agencies. Their new joint venture will allow the firms to leverage their strengths, deepen their portfolios, and grow their businesses.

Citrine is a consulting firm committed to providing superior client service and creating effective solutions for today’s engineering challenges. Citrine is a certified Small Business and HUBZone firm. Citrine is also a certified Small Business Enterprise and Emerging Business Enterprise with the City and County of Denver and an Emerging Small Business (Level I) with the Colorado Department of Transportation. 

“It is a privilege to partner with Olsson, such a high integrity team with a renowned reputation,” said Shannon Rasmussen, principal with Citrine.

Citrine Principal Jeff Abbate added: “We are very excited to work alongside Olsson in this joint venture and we look forward to the future success of the team.”

Olsson is a nationally recognized, employee-owned engineering firm of people who craft expert solutions that improve communities. Olsson offers a full range of consulting services and ranks in the top 100 of the Engineering News-Record’s annual listing of the top 500 design firms. The firm maintains offices in multiple states, including two in Denver and one in Loveland.

The Citrine-Olsson JV is a HUBZone partnership with more than 500 licensed staff able to deliver project work in 48 states. Core competences include planning and design, engineering, field services, environmental and technology. In addition, the joint venture offers specialty services in arc flash survey and design, backflow survey, commissioning, cost estimating, construction administration, drilling, materials testing, nondestructive testing, land surveying and training.

The SBA’s HUBZone program was created in the late 1990s to fuel small business growth in urban census tracts and rural counties that have historically experienced a lack of investment. Small businesses with industry experience must meet a list of qualifications to obtain certification, which include maintaining a principal office in a HUBZone and employing a minimum number of staff who live in a HUBZone.

Protégé partners must receive assistance from the mentor partner in areas such as management, technical development and business development.

Combined, Olsson and Citrine have more than 85 years of professional experience serving clients in the private and government sectors.