SBIR/STTR Vision 2020
As we begin a new decade we thought some quick tips, reminders and suggestions might help jump start your SBIR/STTR thinking. Here’s what the group came up with:
1.We can’t say it enough:
Start Early. These tasks often take longer than expected:
- Planning your project
- Registering your company
- Securing your PI
- Forming collaborations
- Getting university paperwork going
- Requesting Letters of Support
- Preparing your budget
- And for BBCetc clients, sending your drafts to BBCetc with enough time to get thorough feedback so you can prepare a strong proposal.
2.Familiarize yourself with the submission portal...
Read on
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What happens to my NIH SBIR/STTR proposal now?
You’ve survived electronic submission. Your January 5 proposal made it all the way to NIH! You saw your beautifully compiled proposal in your NIH eRA Commons account. What happens now? Well…
First, your application will now pass to NIH's Center for Scientific Review where it will be assigned a unique identification number that looks like this:
R43 AI183723 02 A1 S1
Each entry tells another snippet of information about your application.
The first number is the application type (e.g., new is Type 1), which tells NIH whether your application is new, a renewal, a noncompeting application, or another type.
Next is the activity code, the type of grant you've applied for, e.g., an R43 Phase I SBIR grant.
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NSF, DOD, DOE News Flashes
NSF's 2020 Solicitation
For the NSF 2020 solicitation, there are four new changes to be aware of as you prepare your full proposals:
1.The 2020 submission windows are:
- December 18, 2019 - March 5, 2020
- March 6, 2020 - June 4, 2020
- June 5, 2020 - September 3, 2020
- September 4, 2020 - December 3, 2020
2.Funding ceiling has been increased to $256,000 from $225,000.
3.Proposals submitted to the SBIR solicitation which are considered meritorious and which meet all the requirements of the concurrent STTR solicitation may, at NSF's discretion and based on budgetary considerations, be considered for award as STTR Phase I projects. (But this language is NOT in the STTR. Therefore, if a company COULD apply to both, they should apply to SBIR (and be concurrently evaluated for STTR).
4.There are two Indirect Cost "safe rate" options.
- Up to 50% of the total Direct labor (key persons + other)
- NEW: 10% of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC). MTDC = all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each sub-award.
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DOD's SBIR 20.1 and STTR 20.A BAA
To view the topics click
here, and to read the instructions click
here.
The BAA was released Tuesday, January 14 and the deadline for proposals is Wednesday, February 12 at 8 p.m. ET.
NEW: There is a new submission portal for DOD SBIR proposals. Click
here to view.
- The new submission portal began accepting 20.1 and 20.A proposals on January 14.
- Resources, training materials and FAQs can be found at the new site by clicking on the question mark.
- View a helpful slide deck for users of the new portal.
DOE's FY20 Release 2 Solicitation
Find the topics and descriptions
here.
Letters of Intent for Release 2 were due January 6, so if you have not already submitted a Letter of Intent, you will need to wait for the next cycle.
Deadline for proposals is Monday, February 24 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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Department of Transportation Update
A reminder that the period during which small businesses can review the technical topics and submit clarifying questions to the Technical Expert/Topic Authors at the Operating Administrations ends January 29 at 5 p.m. ET. As reported last month, with this solicitation DOT is changing from a typical proposal submission to a Pitch Day approach. Read about that and view the FY20 SBIR Phase I solicitation topics
here.
In other DOT news, the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center announced that the year 2020 marks the U.S. DOT Volpe Center’s 50th year advancing transportation innovation for the public good. To commemorate this occasion, the U.S. DOT Volpe Center unveiled new resources celebrating its five-decade journey addressing the nation’s most pressing transportation challenges. Check out the new resources and anniversary celebration plans
here.
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SBIR/STTR Pursuit Webinars
BBCetc's
SBIR/STTR Pursuit Recorded Webinar Library which provides a variety of SBIR/STTR topics, and now includes a series of short (10-15-min.) single-topic webinars call Tips at a Clip. Our recordings are updated regularly to keep them current. View our selection on our
website or our
YouTube channel.
This month's suggestion:
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Solicitations
Health & Human Services-NIH/CDC/FDA Omnibus
Clinical Trials not allowed:
Clinical Trials required:
Standard close dates: Jan. 5 Apr. 5, Sept. 5
Nat'l. Science Foundation
Submission windows:
Dec. 18, 2019 - Mar. 5, 2020
Mar. 6, 2020 - Jun. 4, 2020
Jun. 5, 2020 - Sep. 3, 2020
Sep. 4, 2020 - Dec. 3, 2020
Dept. of Defense
Pre-releases Dec. 10; opens Jan. 14, 2020; closes Feb. 12, 2020
Dept. of Energy
Topic release Nov. 12; FOA issued Dec. 16; LOI's due Jan. 6, 2020, closes Feb. 24, 2020
Dept. of Homeland Security
Pre-released through Dec. 17; Closes Jan. 22, 2020.
Dept. of Transportation
FY20 SBIR Phase I
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Upcoming Training and Events
SBIR/STTR Proposal Prep for NIH
Jan. 16 - Plymouth, MI
SBIR/STTR Proposal Prep for DOD & DOE
Jan. 16 - Southfield, MI
SBIR/STTR 101: Introduction & Overview
Jan. 22 - Ann Arbor SPARK East, Ann Arbor
SBIR/STTR Proposal Training
Jan. 22-23 - St. Louis, MO
Proposal Prep & Commercialization for SBIR/STTR Funding
Jan. 23 - Grand Forks, ND
Jan. 30 - Omaha, NE
Feb. 6 - Sioux Falls, SD
Mar. 6 - Kansas City KS
SBIR-STTR Grant Opportunities for Scientists/Innovators
Feb. 14 - E. Lansing, MI
SBIR/STTR Funding: Is it Right for Me?
February 19 - Kalamazoo, MI
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AUTM Annual Meeting
March 8-11, San Diego, CA
APTAC Spring Conference
March 9-12, Chicago, IL
NIH Regional Seminar
April 20-22 - Baltimore, MD
NIH-HHS Small Business Conference
April 28-30 - Las Vegas, NV
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A
bout BBCetc
BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting, LLC (BBCetc) works with technology-based entrepreneurs and companies across the U.S. on strategies to advance their R&D efforts to commercialization. The BBCetc team is nationally recognized for its success in helping clients secure federal funding through the SBIR and STTR programs. BBCetc services include research grant assistance, SBIR/STTR training and proposal development assistance, and grants and contract management.
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