Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs

In 1982 the U.S. Congress established the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to stimulate technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal research and development needs, and increase private sector commercialization.

SBIR is a highly competitive program that encourages small business to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation’s R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.

The SBIR program is structured in three phases, the first two of which are supported by SBIR funds.

Phase I. The objective of Phase I is to determine the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of the proposed R/R&D efforts. The Phase I period concentrates on the R/R&D efforts that prove the scientific or technical feasibility of the approach or concept and that which are a prerequisite for further ED support in Phase II.

Phase II. The objective of Phase II is to continue the research or R&D effort initiated in Phase I with approaches that appear sufficiently promising as a result of Phase I.

Phase III. An objective of the SBIR program is to increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal R/R&D. During Phase III, the small business concern is to pursue commercialization with non-SBIR funds. Most agencies do not provide funding during the Phase III period.

Department of Homeland Security
Two Departmental organizations, the Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), have SBIR programs within HDS. The DHS SBIR Program Office resides with the S&T Directorate. the DHS S&T SBIR Program, two solicitations are issued per year. Generally, they will be issued in November and May. DNDO issues one per year.

Solicitation topics are developed by Program Managers in each of the Science and Technology (S&T) Divisions. The annual solicitations consist of topics that are relevant to the Borders and Maritime Security, Chemical/Biological Defense, Cyber Security, Explosives, Human Factors/Behavioral Sciences, and Infrastructure Protection and Disaster Management Divisions.

Similar to the R&D programs of the S&T Directorate, the SBIR topics generally address the needs of the seven DHS Operational Units, i.e., U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Secret Service, as well as First Responders.

For full information on requirements and deadlines, visit the DHS SBIR page.

DHS Contact information:

Elissa Sobolewski
DHS SBIR Director
Dept. of Homeland Security
Science and Technology Directorate
Washington, DC 20528
Phone (202) 254-6768
FAX (202) 254-5823
Elissa.sobolewski@dhs.gov

VIEW Elissa’s presentation to GTSC here.

Kevin Gutierrez
Program Manager
Dept. of Homeland Security
Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO)/
Transformational & Applied Research
Phone (202) 254-7627
FAX (202) 254-7747
dndo.sbir@dhs.gov

Department of Defense
DoD SBIR solicitions, funded at over one billion dollars annually, are issued three times per year. Program requests are issued by 12 participating components: Army, Navy, Air Force, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Chemical Biological Defense (CBD), Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA), and Defense Research & Engineering (DDR&E).

To participate in the SBIR program:
• a firm must be a U.S. for-profit small business of 500 or fewer employees
• work must be performed in the United States
• during Phase I, a minimum of 2/3 of the effort must be performed by the proposing firm; a minimum of 1/2 of the effort in Phase II
• the Principal Investigator must spend more than 1/2 of the time employed by the proposing firm

For full information on the program, its deadlines and requirements, go to the DOD SBIR/STTR page.

Christopher S. Rinaldi
DoD SBIR/STTR Program Administrator
Phone (866) 724-7457
http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sbir/index.htm

DoD SBIR Web Sites
Some agencies within DOD have their own SBIR programs to meet their specific research and innovation needs. More information on their requirements and deadlines can be found here:

Air Force SBIR/STTR
Army SBIR/STTR
DARPA SBIR Program Home Page
DTIC-Defense Technical Information Center
Missle Defense Agency SBIR Program Home Page
DTRA-Defense Threat Reduction Agency
NGA-National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
SOCOM-Special Operations Command