OREANDA-NEWS. July 27, 2016. Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Houston-based Bastion Technologies, Inc., a Boeing supplier for almost 20 years, have signed an agreement under a NASA program to help grow Bastion’s expertise and opportunities in the aerospace market.

Bastion was chosen because of its quality work history on Boeing programs and its ongoing growth potential as both a Boeing supplier and a standalone NASA contractor.

Called the Mentor-Protg Program, the initiative encourages NASA prime contractors (mentors) to help small businesses (prot?g?s) develop expertise needed to perform NASA work, growing and diversifying the agency’s supplier base.

During the next 18 months, Boeing and Bastion Technologies will share best practices in areas such as manufacturing, quality, marketing and business development.

“Bastion is an excellent example of how Boeing and small businesses can collaborate and grow as teammates and as individual companies,” said John Mulholland, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Programs. “Through Mentor-Prot?g?, we’ll accelerate our common support of NASA’s critical work advancing human spaceflight capabilities.”

“We have cherished our relationship with Boeing, which began with our work on the digital pre-assembly of the International Space Station to our work on today’s CST-100 Starliner program,” said Jorge Hernandez, president, Bastion Technologies. “We look forward to many more years of cutting-edge work with Boeing and strengthening our aerospace ties through this mentorship program."

Boeing, one of 26 NASA prime contractors serving as mentors, commits considerable resources toward supporting and developing its supplier network. The company committed more than \\$5 billion to contracts with small and diverse businesses in 2015.

Bastion is a certified small, minority-owned engineering and scientific services company headquartered in Houston. Its products and services include mechanical, electrical and structural design and analysis, systems engineering, information technology and safety and mission assurance services. Bastion’s support to the Starliner program will provide the company a considerable foundation in the Houston and Florida communities.

In 2016 Boeing celebrates 100 years of pioneering aviation accomplishments and launches its second century as an innovative, customer-focused aerospace technology and capabilities provider, community partner and preferred employer. Through its Defense, Space & Security unit, Boeing is a global leader in this marketplace and is the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Defense, Space & Security is a \\$30 billion business with about 50,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter @BoeingDefense and Instagram @Boeing.