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The 30-Day Window is Open. Talk to Your TPOC Now!

April 26th, 2013 | by Becky Aistrup

The Dept. of Defense issued its 2013.2 SBIR pre-solicitation on April 24, opening a 30-window during which you can talk directly to its Technical Points of Contact (TPOCs), before proposals may be submitted beginning on May 24. Why bother talking to a TPOC?  

Here’s why:

  1. The TPOC is often the author of the topic and so is most knowledgeable about its intent.
  2. During the 30-day pre-solicitation period, your conversation with the TPOC is private. Once that period is over, you can post questions – anonymously – to the SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS) for technical clarification only, but your questions and responses will be public. (Conversely, you can gain information by monitoring the questions/answers of others, but the answers will likely be nowhere near what you can glean from a one-on-one conversation.).
  3. This is your opportunity to learn the parameters of the topic, ask technical questions, get clarification, and gauge whether and how well your technology meets the objective.

Even if you don’t talk to the TPOC, be sure you note who it is, because once the actual solicitation begins, TPOC names and contact information are withdrawn from view. A couple more BBCetc pointers:

  • Topics are sometimes altered based on the questions received during the pre-solicitation, or even withdrawn, so be sure to double check the topics when the actual solicitation period begins.
  • Always, always, always read the solicitation carefully. There’s no replacement for this invaluable step, which answers many questions and provides key pointers. 

Here are those dates again:
April 24 – DOD Pre-Solicitation released; Talk to your TPOC now!
May 24 – Solicitation opens and TPOC communication ends
June 26 – Proposal deadline 6 PM (ET)

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Becky Aistrup is a BBCetc Principal Consultant specializing in the DOD, NASA and DHS SBIR/STTR programs. 

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Think Your Company is Too Big for SBIR Funding? Think Again.

April 4th, 2013 | by Michael Kurek

More than $2 billion in R&D grants and contracts is awarded every year to innovative small companies by 11 federal agencies through the SBIR and STTR programs. It’s generally (mistakenly) believed that these two programs …Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) … are only for early-stage companies. While it’s

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Submitting to NIH This Cycle? A quick tip . . .

March 26th, 2013 | by Andrea Johanson

You may have already written the title of your SBIR/STTR project, but with the NIH deadline fast approaching (April 5, but for best results think April 1) we suggest taking another look. Make sure that it really tells your story, conveying what your product is (Innovation), and what public health problem it addresses (Significance). The title

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Considerations for Just Released NSF SBIR & STTR Solicitations

March 20th, 2013 | by Michael Kurek

The National Science Foundation recently released both a FY-2014 SBIR and a STTR solicitation. These are two separate solicitations. They share a number of common characteristics, but there are also some distinct differences. We’ve highlighted some key considerations below. Note that this is not a comprehensive list and it is critical that you read the

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A Late New Year’s Resolution: Get Registered!

February 14th, 2013 | by Lisa Kurek

A Riddle: What takes longer than anyone ever expects? Is insidiously difficult even for the most highly educated people? Will sabotage your SBIR/STTR submission in the final hours? When incorrectly done is never your fault but is in fact almost always your fault? Answer: Registrations to submit SBIR/STTR proposals! It never fails. No matter how

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Improving Women/Minority Access to Federal R&D Funding is a Focus of New FASTconnect Program

January 30th, 2013 | by Kristin Burgard

If you are part of an early-stage technology company, the government’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs can be an important source of funding for your project. Through the SBIR/STTR programs, 11 federal agencies award over $2.3 billion in non-dilutive grants and contracts annually through a competitive awards-based process.

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Bottom Line: R&D Tax Credit Extension is Good News

January 22nd, 2013 | by Scott Schmidt

As they have done consistently since 1981, Congress passed legislation as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extending the Research & Development tax credit. The new law extends the incentive retroactively back to January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013. This is great news that can enhance the bottom line for all

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Confusing SBIR/STTR Reporting Procedures Take a Step toward Uniformity

January 11th, 2013 | by Kris Bergman

It seems fair that SBIR and STTR awardees should have to report to the government on the use of their grant and contract dollars. In the past, however, awardees – especially those with awards from multiple agencies – have been confronted with widely differing reporting requirements set by the 11 participating agencies. Each one has

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Fraud, Waste and Abuse – Small Problem, Big Consequences

December 14th, 2012 | by Lisa Kurek

SBIR reauthorization has brought heightened attention to the topic of Fraud, Waste and Abuse in the SBIR and STTR programs. Although the incidence of this type of activity is low – estimated to occur in less than 0.1% of SBIR awards – agencies are nonetheless required to increase their focus in this area. This includes

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SBIR/STTR National Conference Message: To Be Effective…Communicate!

December 4th, 2012 | by Lisa Kurek

The 2012 National SBIR/STTR Conference that was held in Portland, OR, November 13-15 was replete with information about all aspects of the SBIR/STTR program, from SBIR basics for newbies to extended agency overviews and sector specific presentations. The topic that many attendees were most anxious to learn about was progress in the implementation of the

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