Did SBIR get reauthorized at the end of FY2008?  No.  Did it get reauthorized by the end of the "Continuing Resolution" (CR) that expired March 20, 2009?  No.  Will it get reauthorized before the 2nd CR expires July 31, 2009?  Not likely, according to a source tracking the process that reports the House of Representatives MIGHT get around to voting on it in August, but then it has to go to the Senate where significant discussion and modifications are likely (and where the reauthorization bill got held up during last fall's session).  So our best guess is that, for the foreseeable future, we will continue to have an SBIR program under a series of short-term CRs while Congress tries to act on the reauthorization.  Oh, and by the way, some SBIR agencies, like National Science Foundation, have significant additional funds for SBIR awards because of the Economic Stimulus Package's injections--so that means why we don't have a reauthorization yet, we could see a lot more SBIR awards being made by some agencies in the coming months!

 

In our opinion, that means that you should continue to consider SBIR as a cornerstone of your product and service development strategy, using the program to prove the feasibility of, and then conduct the R&D on, your innovative ideas for solving pressing agency and societal issues. If you need some help in making SBIR funding a reality for your firm, or in perfecting your ability to compete for these awards, then please consider joining us for one (or more) of our upcoming training events.    

 

Before giving you a list of workshops we're teaching in the next few months, let us remind you of the Federal agencies with pending SBIR/STTR Phase 1 proposal due dates.  Unless indicated otherwise, the dates are for Phase 1 SBIR proposals; those agencies with an asterisk (*) next to their name will be accepting both SBIR and STTR proposals on the dates shown.

 

Agency                                                 Solicitation             Proposals                               Website
                                                             Available                   Due

 

Environmental Protection Agency                      Now                May 20, 2009      http://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir  

 

National Science Foundation SBIR              Now                June 9, 2009          http://www.nsf.gov/eng/oii/about.jsp

 

Dept of Defense SBIR 2009.2                      Now               June 17, 2009       http://www.dodsbir.net

National Institutes of Health*, CDC, FDA      Now              Aug 5, 2009   http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm

 

Dept of Agriculture                               ~June 1, 2009    ~Aug 31, 2009 http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/sbir/sbir.html

 

NASA                                                  ~July 7, 2009       ~Sept 15, 2009       http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/SBIR.html

 

Now, let's talk about some of those upcoming training events:

1.  Phase 1 Proposal Preparation Workshop, Salt Lake City , Utah , April 28, 2009.  This one day workshop is packed full of so much information that it will make your brain hurt. We bring you up to speed on the SBIR/STTR programs, and clarify their differences and similarities. We lead you through a simple but effective four-step process for developing a competitive Phase 1 SBIR or STTR proposal. Along with your fellow attendees, you will critique a sample Phase 1 proposal, learn its history, and find out the benefits (and limitations) of sample proposals.  For more information or to register, please contact mcardon@utah.gov. 

 

2.  Phase 1 & Phase 2 Proposal Preparation Workshops, Herndon, Virginia ( Washington DC Area), May 20-21, 2009.  You know by now what to expect during Day 1 of this event: overview of SBIR/STTR, recommendation for preparing a solid Phase 1 proposal to any SBIR/STTR agency, a look-see at a real Phase 1 proposal.  Then, in Day 2, we focus on the all-important Phase 2 of the SBIR/STTR program. This 2^nd day workshop is designed primarily for current recipients of Phase 1 SBIR/STTR awards who want to prepare to submit their Phase 2 proposals, but anyone who wants to understand what they're getting themselves into before they embark on even a Phase 1 project will benefit.  We will cover the basics of Phase II, how it differs among the various agencies, how to prepare the Phase II proposal, and what should be covered in the commercialization discussion in the Phase II proposal.  For more information or to register, contact 3080 rbrooke@cit.org or check out http://www.cit.org/events/index.html.

 

3. SBIR/STTR Commercialization Workshop, Gainesville, Florida, May 22, 2009.  This is our latest workshop offering, aimed at helping you better understand the commercialization (that's "transition" to those of you dealing with DoD) side of your SBIR/STTR project. What do the agencies' reviewers expect in the way of a discussion of your commercialization?  How do you identify the features of your innovation that make it unique and desirable in the eyes of the purchaser?  Why do you ALWAYS have competition? What is a competitive advantage that any alternative to your product/service ALWAYS has over you?  Be prepared to look at your SBIR/STTR project as a business opportunity, not just a technology or innovation!  Contact cbrown11@rgp.ufl.edu  with your questions or to sign up for this new, information-packed workshop.

 

4. SBIR/STTR Overview and Cost Proposal/Government Accounting Workshop, Buffalo, New York, June 2, 2009.  This workshop starts with an overview of the SBIR/STTR programs and how they are evolving, to ensure that everyone is up-to-speed on these sources of $2.5 billion annually in Federal funding. Then we shift gears into the mysterious and often befuddling world of cost and government accounting issues like estimating your indirect/F&A rate(s), preparing the cost proposal, tracking of expenses, and coping with audits and auditors.  If you do not spend ample time on these issues, you will LOSE MONEY on your SBIR/STTR project.  And if you do not handle these issues the way the government wants you to, you will LOSE MONEY on your SBIR/STTR project.  Do we have your attention now?  Good. So you might want to spend the day with us and learn a lot more about the important cost proposal and accounting side of your SBIR/STTR work, so that you do not LOSE MONEY! We will cover basic terms and concepts like direct vs. indirect rates, and costs that are allowable/unallowable/sometimes allowable.  We will go through the cost proposal formats of the largest SBIR/STTR agencies, and show you the kinds of recordkeeping expected if you are going to do business with the government (including receiving SBIR/STTR grants and contracts).  We even show you how to estimate the indirect/F&A rate for your business that you can defend with a straight face.  For more information or to register, please contact  RKosobucki@insyte-consulting.com.   

 

 

5.  Phase I Proposal Preparation Workshop, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, June 3, 2009. What better way to develop your knowledge of SBIR/STTR than by attending our most popular workshop on preparing a Phase 1 proposal for SBIR/STTR funding? We start with the basics of SBIR/STTR, then cover a four-step process for developing a competitive Phase 1 proposal.  For more information or to register, check out http://www.sbtdc.org/events/sbir/proposal_prep/

 

6. Phase I Proposal Preparation Workshop, Pensacola, Florida , June 9, 2009.  This workshop looks a lot like the one in North Carolina but it is being held close to the B-E-A-C-H.  You will learn a simple, four-step process for developing a competitive Phase 1 SBIR/STTR proposal, and have a chance to critique a sample Phase 1 proposal with your new knowledge.  We won't have time to cover the second sample Phase 1 proposal that is in the workshop binder, but you could peruse it later when you are sitting on the B-E-A-C-H.  For more information or to register, contact ccrowell@fgnw.org. .

 

7.  National SBIR/STTR Conference, Reno, Nevada, November 3-5, 2009.  This is the only national conference in 2009, so be there or be... left out.  Lots of good sessions planned.  We will do an abbreviated version of our famous Phase 2 proposal preparation workshop on the afternoon of November 5th.  We cover the basics of Phase 2, differences among the agencies' Phase 2 programs, advice on preparing the Phase 2 proposal, and basics of technology commercialization.  For more information, contact fhgrupe@gmail.com.

    

OTHER UPCOMING SBIR/STTR WORKSHOPS & EVENTS:

SBIR/STTR Workshops, Santa Fe/Albuquerque, New Mexico,  July 2009 (tentative)

SBIR/STTR Workshops, Norman, Oklahoma,  July 2009 (tentative)
SBIR/STTR Cost Proposal Workshops, Somewhere in Montana,  September 2009 (tentative)
SBIR/STTR Phase 1 Proposal Preparation Workshop, Boise, Idaho,  September 16, 2009 (tentative)

SBIR/STTR Workshops, Somewhere in New Jersey,  Winter 2009 (tentative)

Remember that if you attend one of our full day workshops (except those held as part of a national or regional conference), you are eligible for a free critique of your SBIR or STTR proposal! The idea is to give you the training you need to be able to write a very good draft, and then provide the feedback to allow you to refine the draft into an even more competitive proposal.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.  Or consider checking out our website at www.g-jgreenwood.com, where we list our training events and have copies of our SBIR/STTR proposal preparation tips that are published monthly by the SBIR Alerting Service.

ATTENTION POTENTIAL WORKSHOP SPONSORS:  We have received many requests for SBIR/STTR workshops from prospective attendees.  If you would like to
sponsor a workshop, please let us know. Thanks...

Until next time, best of luck to you all as you steer your company through turbulent economic and financial times..