The U.S. House of Representative's Small Business Committee announced on Dec. 2 the passage of a five-year reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs as part of the 55th National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). 

Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-OH) noted,"In an era of unfair global competition, making it easier for American small businesses to develop and commercialize new, innovative products is essential for both our economic and national security...SBIR and STTR are critical parts of this effort because their awards go to small innovators who have always been on the cutting edge of groundbreaking research and life-saving technology. The long-term reauthorization passed by the House today will provide certainty to thousands of small businesses who use these programs today and open doors for the inventors of tomorrow." The bill is now before the Senate.   Read the press release

If you are an emerging researcher with an active, independent program of research and you don't have a major grant, the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) would like you to consider applying for its Early Career Reviewer Program. The program seeks to develop qualified scientists, without prior CSR review experience, into critical and well trained reviewers. The idea is to help emerging researchers advance their careers by exposing them to the peer review experience, making them more competitive as applicants while enriching the existing pool of NIH reviewers. Click here for more information and to apply.

... Direct Phase II and Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program to expire soon  Many of the NIH SBIR Direct to Phase II Pilot Solicitation(s) and the Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program Solicitation(s) will stop accepting applications after January 5, 2017 as the Congressional authority to offer these pilots expires. Please see the table below for specific deadlines.

FOA	Last Due Date
PAR-14-088	Jan 5, 2017
PAR-14-265 (NINDS only)	Jan 5, 2017
PAR-15-288	Apr 5, 2017
PAR-16-017	Jan 11, 2017 (AIDS only)

The U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (DoEd/IES) has issued its FY 2017 Phase I SBIR solicitation with a deadline of Jan. 5, 2017. Firms with strong R&D capabilities in education technology in one of the priority areas listed below are encouraged to participate:

 

2. Education technology products for use by infants, toddlers, or students with or at risk for disabilities, or teachers (or other instructional personnel, related services providers, or family members) in early intervention or special education settings

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate and DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) issued their FY17.1 SBIR Pre-Solicitation Notification on Nov. 30. The period of exchange between topic area managers and potential vendors is now through Dec. 14. The solicitation will open on/about Dec. 15 with a deadline TBA. Pre-solicitation topic descriptions include:

DHS Topics
H-SB017.1-001	Enhanced Agent Situational Awareness in Dismounted, Low Light/Adverse  Conditions
H-SB017.1-002	Video Analytics for Homeland Security Missions
H-SB017.1-003	Identity Verification & Validation for Mobile Networks Authentication Enhancement
H-SB016.1-005	Blockchain Applications for Homeland Security Missions
H-SB017.1-006	Wearable Chemical Sensor Badge
H-SB017.1-007	Over-the-air Authentication Technology for Messaging via Emergency Alerts
DNDO
H-SB017.1-008	Accelerated Crystal-Size Scale-Up Development of Thallium-based, High Efficiency, Dual or Tri-Mode Elpasolite Scintillator
H-SB017.1-009	Unattended Radiation Detection System

The Department of Defense (DoD) pre-released its SBIR 17.1 and the STTR 17.A Broad Agency Announcements on Nov. 30. This is DoD's largest solicitation of the year with more than 450 SBIR/STTR topics offered by eight components ( View BBCetc's quick-reference summary listed by participating component.)