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Introduction
Pages 37-43

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From page 37... ... Gansler began by providing an overview of both the National Academies' SBIR evaluation study and the goals of the conference. He noted that while the Department of Defense accounted for fully half of SBIR funding, both the study and the conference were intended to examine all five major agencies with significant SBIR programs.3 Purpose of the SBIR Review In summarizing the purpose of the National Academies' review, he pointed out that while the SBIR program itself was over 20 years old and had recently disbursed nearly $2 billion a year in small business funding, most reviews of the program had been largely anecdotal or internal.4 Only recently had the first external study been done of the NIH program, which he called a "very positive step forward." He said during his time as Under Secretary of Defense, he had initiated the first comprehensive assessment of the DoD SBIR program, with the primarily purpose of evaluating the DoD Fast Track Initiative.5 3In 2005, DoD accounted for 50.9 percent of total SBIR dollars. Read the entire page →
From page 38... ... It would draw from a sufficiently large and representative sample of more than 4,000 firms for the Phase II survey alone. The NRC plans to produce five kinds of reports: • A report for Congress on program diversity and assessment challenges • A formal methodology report required by agencies • This report on the commercialization and Phase III challenges • A stand-alone report on SBIR at each of the five principal agencies • An overview of the program with findings and recommendations. Read the entire page →
From page 39... ... Program area Range of approaches Selection procedures Internal review External review Topics Hard boundaries Guidance Funding flexibility None Significant Gap funding None Extensive Cycles Annual Multiple Phase II plus None Up to $3 million Commercialization support None Extensive Phase I size $30,000 $150,000 Phase II size $225,000 $890,000 FIGURE 2 Significant variation among the agency SBIR programs. Read the entire page →
From page 40... ... These include • An extensive survey of Phase II awards for the decade 1992-20028 • A Phase I award survey 8The data base stops around 2002, because considerable time is needed both to gather the needed data and to judge the impact of the program. Read the entire page →
From page 41... ... The Focus on Technology Transition He then moved to the topic of the "Phase III" challenge, saying that Congress had been urging the agencies to help small firms make the transition from the Phase II demonstration or prototype phase into an ability to commercialize or "insert" a technology into an agency acquisition program or into the public marketplace. This transition is perilous because it requires a small firm -- sometimes consisting of just one or two researchers or entrepreneurs -- to evolve quickly from a narrow focus on R&D to a much broader understanding of systems and missions (in the case of a federal agency) Read the entire page →
From page 42... ... – Emphasized push for Acquisition Offices to make Phase III awards and include SBIR in planning process • 1999 Senate Report 106-50 (Sec 803) – Requested that DoD develop plan to facilitate rapid transition of SBIR projects to Phase III & incorporation into DoD acquisition programs • 2000 SBIR Law, PL 106-554 – Emphasized protection of Phase III data rights and push for more Phase III awards • 2005 National Defense Authorization Act (Rep.108-491) Read the entire page →
From page 43... ... He also noted additional efforts by DoD to improve SBIR outcomes -- notably the Fast-Track Initiative, which provides expedited decisionmaking for SBIR awards to companies that have commitments from outside investors.12 An Increased Need for the SBIR Program In summary, he said, the federal government had already had a significant impact on technology development through the SBIR program. This impact could become more important in the future as the nation's need for innovation solutions grows. Read the entire page →

From page 37...

... Gansler began by providing an overview of both the National Academies' SBIR evaluation study and the goals of the conference. He noted that while the Department of Defense accounted for fully half of SBIR funding, both the study and the conference were intended to examine all five major agencies with significant SBIR programs.3 Purpose of the SBIR Review In summarizing the purpose of the National Academies' review, he pointed out that while the SBIR program itself was over 20 years old and had recently disbursed nearly $2 billion a year in small business funding, most reviews of the program had been largely anecdotal or internal.4 Only recently had the first external study been done of the NIH program, which he called a "very positive step forward." He said during his time as Under Secretary of Defense, he had initiated the first comprehensive assessment of the DoD SBIR program, with the primarily purpose of evaluating the DoD Fast Track Initiative.5 3In 2005, DoD accounted for 50.9 percent of total SBIR dollars.

Read the entire page →

From page 38...

... It would draw from a sufficiently large and representative sample of more than 4,000 firms for the Phase II survey alone. The NRC plans to produce five kinds of reports: • A report for Congress on program diversity and assessment challenges • A formal methodology report required by agencies • This report on the commercialization and Phase III challenges • A stand-alone report on SBIR at each of the five principal agencies • An overview of the program with findings and recommendations.

Read the entire page →

From page 39...

... Program area Range of approaches Selection procedures Internal review External review Topics Hard boundaries Guidance Funding flexibility None Significant Gap funding None Extensive Cycles Annual Multiple Phase II plus None Up to $3 million Commercialization support None Extensive Phase I size $30,000 $150,000 Phase II size $225,000 $890,000 FIGURE 2 Significant variation among the agency SBIR programs.

Read the entire page →

From page 40...

... These include • An extensive survey of Phase II awards for the decade 1992-20028 • A Phase I award survey 8The data base stops around 2002, because considerable time is needed both to gather the needed data and to judge the impact of the program.

Read the entire page →

From page 41...

... The Focus on Technology Transition He then moved to the topic of the "Phase III" challenge, saying that Congress had been urging the agencies to help small firms make the transition from the Phase II demonstration or prototype phase into an ability to commercialize or "insert" a technology into an agency acquisition program or into the public marketplace. This transition is perilous because it requires a small firm -- sometimes consisting of just one or two researchers or entrepreneurs -- to evolve quickly from a narrow focus on R&D to a much broader understanding of systems and missions (in the case of a federal agency)

Read the entire page →

From page 42...

... – Emphasized push for Acquisition Offices to make Phase III awards and include SBIR in planning process • 1999 Senate Report 106-50 (Sec 803) – Requested that DoD develop plan to facilitate rapid transition of SBIR projects to Phase III & incorporation into DoD acquisition programs • 2000 SBIR Law, PL 106-554 – Emphasized protection of Phase III data rights and push for more Phase III awards • 2005 National Defense Authorization Act (Rep.108-491)

Read the entire page →

From page 43...

... He also noted additional efforts by DoD to improve SBIR outcomes -- notably the Fast-Track Initiative, which provides expedited decisionmaking for SBIR awards to companies that have commitments from outside investors.12 An Increased Need for the SBIR Program In summary, he said, the federal government had already had a significant impact on technology development through the SBIR program. This impact could become more important in the future as the nation's need for innovation solutions grows.

Read the entire page →

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Introduction Pages 37-43

Introduction
Pages 37-43