The Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development encourages Utah technology based companies to take advantage of the Federal SBIR and STTR programs. These programs provide billions of contract dollars to small companies throughout the United States. The Deputy Director of one of the SBIR programs said that “Utah has great potential and has not fully utilized the program.” In order to assist Utah firms in evaluating the potential of these programs and in identifying opportunities, this site contains a list of resources and links that can help you create a wining proposal. Visit the Tips and Information Page for more specific helps.
Why it Matters
The SBIR and STTR programs offer opportunities for urban and rural Utah companies. Topics for these contracts include an amazing array of technologies including medical technology, biosciences, fabric, food, high tech materials, aerospace, manufacturing technologies, rural environmental protection, software and IT hardware.
The SBIR/STTR programs offer contracts (and/or grants) ranging from a $75,000 Phase I award for 6 months to a $1 million Phase II award over 2 years. Some Utah companies have taken advantage of this program with great success. Although the program is very competitive, one Utah firm has brought in $11 million in Phase I and Phase II awards over the past 5 years alone. It is in Utah's interest to help more of our young companies use this program successfully.
It is very important to note that these awards are quite attractive because the small business retains ownership of any intellectual property already claimed or developed in the course of the project, and, although the Federal government does have some rights to use the inventions created with the award funds, this is more theoretical than actual as their push is to get the small business to put the technology into the marketplace.
There are two main type of agencies, "user agencies" such as DOD, which are interested in eventually purchasing or using the technology, and the research agencies, such as NIH, which hope to see something come of the work, but which themselves do not purchase the technology. The user agencies can become long term clients, which is often referred to as a Phase III contract.
From the SBA web site overview of the SBIR and STTR programs
SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research Program) funds the critical startup and development stages and it encourages the commercialization of the technology, product, or service, which, in turn, stimulates the U.S. economy. Since its enactment in 1982,…SBIR has helped thousands of small businesses to compete for federal research and development awards.
STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer Program) is a highly competitive program that reserves a specific percentage of federal R&D funding for award to small business and nonprofit research institution partners. STTR combines the strengths of both entities by introducing entrepreneurial skills to high-tech research efforts. The technologies and products are transferred from the laboratory to the marketplace.
Resources
The SBA's web site on the SBIR program
Search engines that let you search across all SBIR programs from one location
An SBIR alerting service to receive notice of newly posted solicitations - http://www.pnl.gov/edo/sbir/
SSTI is a national organization on technology based economic development - http://www.ssti.org/
Great Resources and Link to Proposal Writing Consultants (Both firms have provided quality training in Utah in the past):
The SBIR HelpDesk (run by MTC, Inc. and PBC, Inc.)
Greenwood Consulting Group, Inc.
Articles the Greenwoods have prepared on the SBIR process
A database of past recipients of SBIR/STTR awards.
http://www.inknowvation.com/Home.html
Comments: The SBA site is a good overview as they oversee the program. However the SBA does NOT grant any contracts under the program. All contracts are granted by specific agencies, which are listed on the Tips Page. The best way to search for potential opportunities is to use one of the two search engines above. Going to each agency to search the new solicitation is slow and cumbersome, while the search engines rapidly show any agency's solicitation with the relevant search phrases.
Visit the Tips Page for some tips and information that may be helpful.