The National Science Foundation released its first 2011 SBIR Solicitation for the year. Anticipated funding amount for this solicitation is $45,000,000 (approximately 300 Awards). Maximum funding amount for these Phase I awards is $150,000 for the 6-month feasibility study.
There are four Main Topics with multiple subtopics under each:
Proposals will be due by June 9th.
The Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) currently has an open SBIR solicitation. Maximum funding for one of these 6-month Phase I research projects is $75,000. If scientific or technical merit and feasibility is demonstrated during Phase I, awardees have the potential to receive $500,000 for their Phase II research which will cover a research period of up to 24 months. Application proposals are due March 15th.
Priority topic areas for research are:
(1) Increased independence of individuals with disabilities in the workplace, recreational settings, or educational settings through the development of technology to support access and promote integration of individuals with disabilities
(2) Enhanced sensory or motor function of individuals with disabilities through the development of technology to support improved functional capacity.
(3) Enhanced workforce participation through the development of technology to support access to employment, promote sustained employment, and promote employment advancement for individuals with disabilities.
(4) Enhanced community participation and living for individuals with disabilities through the development of accessible information technology including Web access technology, software, and other systems and devices that promote access to information in educational, employment, and community settings, and voting technology that improves access for individuals with disabilities.
(5) Improved interventions and increased use of health-care resources through the development of technology to support independent access to health-care services in the community for individuals with disabilities.
Please see the solicitation for more details.
SBIR stands for Small Business Innovation Research, so the “S”= “Small”, but what really is “small”? The SBA (Small Business Administration) defines a company as “small” if they have less than 500 employees, so technically, a company is qualified for SBIR if they have at least one employee or as many as 499 employees. Does that mean that companies of both sizes would be equally qualified? No. As with many facets of SBIR, it depends on the sponsoring agency and their needs/requirements.
All agencies are looking for successful SBIR companies. If you can demonstrate that you are realistically capable of doing all the work necessary to complete your Phase I work, then you stand a good chance. “Realistically capable”, means you have the education, experience, facilities, equipment, and time to complete the work. If your company does not have all these appropriate elements, then you need to find partners, subcontractors, or hire additional full-time/part-time employees to complete the work. Remember though, with SBIR, you may only subcontract up to 33% of the work.
Looking at first-time SBIR award recipients across all agencies, 70% of the companies have less than 25 employees with 41% having between 2-9 employees. In other words, small companies DO receive government awards! Agencies individually, though, vary, so know your agency and what it expects. Agencies, which tend to have more broad or researcher-initiated topics, tend to be more willing to fund the smaller start-up companies (as long as you can demonstrate you can successfully do the proposed work), rather than the agencies that utilize SBIR in their procurement process; these agencies not only evaluate the initial research, but evaluate how well the company will then develop, produce, and deliver the end-product.
If you are a company with less than 25 employees, don’t dismiss SBIR because you think you are too small—small companies are driving innovation in the marketplace. If you are a company with say 400 employees, don’t dismiss SBIR because you think it is only for startups—in this tight economy, you might be able to create a new product line which can sustain your company.
Bottom line: when small, think BIG with SBIR!
In an effort to to provide more timely and transparent peer review, the NIH has been implementing many changes to both the review process as well the proposal structure. Previously, a new scoring system was put in place. The 5 point system was replaced by a 9 point system, and reviewers are now required to provide a numerical score for each of 5 categories. These scores are presented to the applicant on the review statement, along with comments, providing a more transparent view of the review process.
The latest change is a restructured research proposal with shorter page limits. The proposal structure will now be more aligned with the review criteria, and the shortened page limit will, ideally, allow the reviewers more time with each proposal. The changes are as follows:
- Specific Aims section is now limited to 1 page only.
- Three sections of the Research Plan (Background & Significance, Preliminary Studies, and Research Design & Methods) are now combined into 1 section, Research Strategy, with 3 sub-sections, Significance, Innovation and Approach. Preliminary Studies and Progress Reports must be discussed under Approach.
This section is limited to 6 pages for Phase I and 12 pages for Phase II.
- The Commercialization Plan has been limited to 12 pages.
In addition, the Facilities section must now explain how the scientific environment will contribute to the probability of success for the proposed project. Lastly, a Personal Statement has been added to Biographical Sketch section.
Changes are effective for ALL proposals submitted after January 25, 2010
Practically, how does this effect your application and chances for success? If you are clear as to the commercial aspect of your technology, and can articulate that, as you would to any investor, it will actually make your work much simpler. If however, you are are still determining how to apply your science to the commercial market, you are in for a challenge. No longer can you use the Background section to talk about the scientific basis of your discovery. You must spend the majority of the proposal discussing it’s Significance and Innovation as it applies to the marketplace.
Changes to the Facilities section are in an attempt to ensure that applicants actually have appropriate commercial space in which to perform the work. These grants are not to fund academic endeavors.
For new applicants, such as post-docs or former graduate students, that want to experiment in the world of start-ups, the Personal Statement section provides as specific section is which to address their strengths such as inventor status.
As always, if you would like to discuss these changes, or your application, feel free to contact our office.
The Department of Education (DOEd) released two solicitations for 2010 SBIR. One is a Phase I solicitation and the other is a FastTrack solicitation.
The Phase I solicitation, RFP Number: ED-IES-10-R-0009, and the Fast-Track, RFP Number: ED-IES-10-R-0008 (which is actually a combined Phase I and Phase II solicitation) have two main priority topics:
- Education Technology Products for Students
- Education Technology Products for Teachers
Phase I Award: not to exceed $100,000
Phase II Award: not to exceed $750,000
The purpose of the Fast-Track solicitation is to eliminate the gap in time and funding between a Phase I and a Phase II award. NOTE: In order to apply for Fast-Track funding, offerors must submit both 1) a full Phase I proposal and 2) a Fast-Track proposal. Fast-Track proposals that are submitted without a Phase I proposal will not be evaluated.
The Solicitation will close at 11:00 AM on January 11th. This is a paper submission, so be sure to allow time for mail/Fed-X delivery. While the delivery method is paper, companies must still be electronically registered in CCR and ORCA prior to submitting a proposal.
The Department of Defense pre-released its 2010.1 SBIR Topics this morning. The solicitation will be open to proposal submission from December 10, 2009 at 6AM ET through January 13, 2010 6AM ET.
You may directly contact the Topic Manger (listed with the topic) to ask technical questions/clarification prior to December 10th. After this date, your questions and the responding answers will be made public on the website. The DOD is looking for specific solutions to their specific problems A clear understanding of the full problem, mission of the unit needing the solution, and the role of any prime contractors already involved in the solution can be critical information necessary for an effective proposal. Be sure to take advantage of this time to ask questions while you have a competitive advantage.
The DOD components with topics in this solicitation are:
- Army
- Navy
- Air Force
- CBD
- DARPA
- DARTA
- SOCOM
Each component has its own set of instructions, so be sure to read the DOD’s the full solicitation and the component’s specific instructions.
The DOD has its own DOD SBIR search engine to search for topics specifically in this solicitation. All proposals will be submitted through the DODSBIR.net system.
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, pre-issued its 2010.1 SBIR Solicitation. The full solicitation will be released on November 18th and the agency will accept proposals until 4:30 PM on January 4th. Phase I Awards are up to $100,000.
Topic titles for this solicitation are:
- H-SB010.1-001 Rechargeable, High Efficient, High Capacity Energy Storage
- H-SB010.1-002 Rare Variant Detection Using Next Generation Sequencing Technology
- H-SB010.1-003 Precision Information Environments
- H-SB010.1-004 Molecular Recognition for Explosives Detection
- H-SB010.1-005 Synthetic Biometrics
- H-SB010.1-006 GPS Resolution in Denied Location (GRIDLOC)
For full topic descriptions and the contact information of the Technical Points of Contact (TPOC) for each topic, please read the full solicitation. Proposers are encouraged to contact the TPOC before November 17th to ask technical questions not clearly stated in the topic description (proposers may not ask for advice or guidance on its solution approach, nor submit additional material). No direct contact may be made with the TPOC after this date.
Proposals will be submitted through the DHS’ secure portal; be sure to register early.
Have you checked out the SBIR/STTR Help Documents located under the “RESOURCES” tab of this ATDC site? Maybe you’ve heard about SBIR/STTR in passing, but you still are not exactly sure what these programs are or who qualifies. Maybe you think you qualify, but you can’t remember all the details of the programs. Your first step should be to review the documents on this Resource page. Some documents will give you general overview SBIR/STTR information, others list samples, participating agencies, and proposal preparation guidance.
This information might help you decide if these highly-competitive federal programs are right for your company. IF after reviewing, you think your company qualifies, and you are interested in learning more, meet with one of the ATDC Startup Catalysts specializing in SBIR/STTR during their Office Hours for further discussion:
Connie Ruffner
John Mills
Julie Collins
NOTE: We will be adding more documents/help in the future, so check back for new additions.
Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has pre-released its list of 2010 SBIR Topics. There are 42 research topics that include subjects like Cryocoolers, RFID-Integrated Sensors, Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes, 3-D Imaging Ssensors, and Barrier Fabrics for Fire Safety.
Full Solicitation will be released on November 2nd, but a list of 42 intended topics is available now. Proposals will be due on January 22nd and Phase I Awards will have a maximum value of $90,000.
The Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC-NOAA) released details of its FY 2010 Program Solicitation. Budgets may not exceed $95,000 or six months for Phase I research. NOAA anticipates making 10 Phase I awards. Physical deliver of the proposals must be made before 4:00 PM on January 14th. Topics fall within the following broad categories–see the full solicitation for details:
- Ecosystems
- Climate
- Weather and Water
- Commerce and Transportation