PROGRAM UPDATEPDATE Has anyone heard any good rumors lately? Steve Guilfoos AF SBIR/STTR Program Manager Spring 2007
Too busy to deal in Rumors Yes ma am the facts... Just the facts... Nothing but the facts We deal only in the facts and not the rumors of what may or may not be
Air Force Mission Air Force SBIR/STTR is $360 + M per year
SBIR Program Background Designed to foster technological innovation by small businesses with 500 or fewer employees Congressional Goals Stimulate technological innovation Increase small business participation in federally funded R&D Foster and encourage participation by minority and disadvantaged firms in technological innovation Increase private sector commercialization of federally supported R&D The Air Force Research Laboratory is the executive agent for the Air Force SBIR Program
Air Force SBIR Phase I Concept Feasibility $100K 9 Months Phase II Enhancement $500K matching 1 Year Fast Track Phase II Concept Development $750K 2 Years Phase III Products ready for insertion Not SBIR
Air Force STTR Process overview Phase I Concept Feasibility $100K 9 Months STTR requires teaming between Small Business and Research Institutions Phase II Concept Development $750K 2 Years Phase III Products ready for insertion Not STTR
Types of Topics
The Inside Story
Latest Program Improvements Stronger strategic tie to program executive offices Shorter topic development cycle Multiple Solicitations Proposal page limits New types of topics Funding
Strategic Topic Development More in-depth process of working with the acquisition community to develop topics Acquisition Community Product Centers Program Executive Offices Topics SBIR Technologies Higher quality topics with a shorter internal cycle Laboratory Manages for Acquisition Community
Types of Topics These will be identified in the Solicitations Core Similar to regular old topics Example an innovative eddy current NDI technique for hole inspection Minimum of 2 phase I and 1 phase II award ($750K) Broad Usually a general technology area without limitations Example innovative NDI techniques Multiple phase I and II awards ($750K each) Critical Recognized need for more phase II development work to increase TRL Example an innovative NDI technique for advanced ceramics used in satellites Minimum of 2 phase I awards and 1 phase II award (up to $5M)
Multiple Solicitations The AF will participate in all four DOD solicitations 2007.3 SBIR Pre-solicitation opens mid-jul and closes mid-aug Solicitation opens mid-aug and closes mid-sep 2008.1 SBIR Pre-solicitation opens mid-nov and closes mid-dec Solicitation opens mid-dec and closes mid-jan 2008 STTR Pre-solicitation opens mid-jan and closes mid-feb Solicitation opens mid-feb and closes mid-mar 2008.2 SBIR manufacturing technology only Pre-solicitation opens mid-apr and closes mid-may Solicitation opens mid-may and closes mid-jun
Program Reality Competitive NOT a set aside Phase I criteria Phase II criteria Technical Technical Qualifications of team Commercialization plan Commercialization plan Qualifications of team Good is not good enough We already receive too many superior and excellent proposals
Foot Stomper Shoulda followed the rules...
The Big Change Page limits Phase I proposals are limited to 20 pages Phase II proposals are limited to 50 pages We will evaluate page 1 through the end of page 20 (50 for phase II) - Pages 1 and 2 count as the cover sheet - Anything after page 20 will not be evaluated - You may have other info in addendums, but they will not count in the evaluation of the proposal - The cost proposal is NOT considered part of the technical proposal, but if you bury inside those 20 pages, we will still not evaluate past page 20
But Don t Propose More Than You Can Deliver
Electronic Submission
Participating In SBIR Know your AF customer check web pages Use pre-solicitation to start homework contact local technical POC Focus on the technology and innovation Read the solicitation carefully don t guess Don t try to work around the rules
Awards Phase I prefer to have multiple winners to provide alternatives for phase II Phase II prefer to have at least one award per topic Can t turn a core phase II into a critical phase II Extensions are possible based on available funds Up to $1M (extenuating circumstances only) Up to $500K Enhancements (matching money 1:1) Conundrum Fewer Phase II awards with more dollars mean greater tech maturity which increases potential for commercialization but reduces the number of phase II awards Would you rather have a greater potential for getting a phase II award or would you prefer greater potential for commercialization?
Where We Are Now - SBIR Sol 01.1 Sol 02.1 Sol 03.1 Sol 04.1 Sol 5.1 Sol 6.1 # of Topics 241 236 230 229 259 275 Ph I Prop s 1928 2700 3636 2998 3356 4093 Ph I Awards 375 427 448 518 590 581 Ph II Prop s 342 403 423 436 547 471 Ph II Awards 230 261 309 300 325 110 so far Ph II : Topics 95% 110% 130% 130% 126% pending Data as of 20 Mar 2007
600 500 Where We Are Now - Ratio of awards to topics SBIR Ratio of Phase IIs to Phase Is 2.3 2.2 2.1 400 300 200 1.6 1.8.61.61 1.9 Topics 100 Ph I Awards Ph II Awards 0 Sol 01.1 Sol 02.2 Sol 03.1 Sol 04.1 Sol 5.1 Sol 6.1 Proposals 1928 2700 3636 2998 3356 4093.67.57.54 Data as of 20 Mar 2007 P E N D I N G
Where We Are Now- STTR Sol 01 Sol 02 Sol 03 Sol 04 Sol 05 Sol 06 # of Topics 15 15 27 27 27 35 Ph I Prop s 116 200 331 290 376 561 Ph I Awards 35 55 80 82 94 117 Ph II Prop s 32 45 56 62 68 73 Ph II Awards 13 23 38 32 28 pending Ph II : Topics 87% 153% 141% 119% 104% Data as of 20 Mar 2007
120 100 Topics Ph I Awards Ph II Awards Where We Are Now - STTR Focus = basic research Executed exclusively by AFOSR 3.3 80 Ratio of Phase IIs to Phase Is 2.9 3.0 3.5 60 40 20 0 Ratio of awards to topics 2.3.37 3.7.42 Sol 01 Sol 02 Sol 03 Sol 04 Sol 05 Sol 06 Proposals 116 200 331 290 376 561.34.39.29 Phase II data from Sol 06 is pending P E N D I N G Data as of 20 Mar 2007
Budget SBIR/STTR increased by almost $20M in FY2007 Set asides for Special Manufacturing Technology Topics Quick reaction efforts to meet war fighter needs Commercialization Pilot Program administration We continue to limit the number of topics to approximately 240 per year Allows more flexibility to award more phase I and II contracts Allows more flexibility for Phase II extensions Entire SBIR/STTR program budget is distributed out to the field
Commercialization Pilot Program The Congressionally-mandated, DoD SBIR Commercialization Pilot Program will result in hundreds of millions of dollars in new Phase III awards to SBIR companies each year The Congressionally-mandated, DoD SBIR Commercialization Pilot Program does NOT add any money and does NOT identify any funding source What it does do is allow the Air Force to hire a support contractor to help facilitate the transition of technology
Commercialization Successful commercialization is much more than just designing a better mousetrap!
So What is Commercialization If not a better mousetrap... Is it technology transition From one TRL to the next Or to a specific TRL of 6 Is it technology insertion Into a weapon system Into a civilian application Who does it To whom do they do it to How do we know they did it NOTE TRL is transition readiness level (maturity) 1 = an idea on paper 2 = typical SBIR start 6 = minimum for engineering application 10 = well established and used in everyday life
Commercialization Variables Management Expertise Marketing Marketing Research Design for Manufacturing Established Infrastructure Capital Profitability Standards Industry Association Industry Roadmap Source: R&D Executive, Mar 2006, ppe15-16 As well as: Technical maturity Supportability Reliability Understandability
Technology Transition One View Program Suppliers Tier 2 Small Businesses How do we get this to happen... Who s gonna make sure it happens?? Tier 1 Prime
Keep Informed Air Force www.sbirsttrmall.com DOD www.dodsbir.net Overall info www.sbirworld.com www.zyn.com
Virtual Shopping Mall The ONE place to find any and all of the Air Force SBIR or STTR technologies Intended for prime contractors and their chain of suppliers
www.sbirsttrmall.com
www.dodsbir.net
For Small Businesses Who Have Existing Technologies --- contact --- The Air Force Small Business Office http://www.selltoairforce.org/ 210-536-1317
Success for the Air Force and the Small Business
Continue To Do Your Homework Everyone has a role to play Focus on the facts Then We should be able to read about YOUR SBIR Success Stories