For Qualified Companies in AK, AZ, ID, MT, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY:

As part of its broader Technology Transfer & Transition mission in support of the U.S. Department of Defense, TechLink is committed to assisting in the development and transition of new technologies to support the Warfighter and meet DoD’s critical technology needs. The primary method of supporting this goal is through assistance provided to capable companies in TechLink’s region through all phases of the DoD’s SBIR and STTR programs, with a primary focus on achieving Phase III Technology Transition (Commercialization).

Because DoD utilizes the SBIR/STTR program to support the development and eventual acquisition of technologies needed for specific Defense applications, companies intending to succeed in the program must be committed to follow through the initial technology development with the steps required to ensure that the final product can enter Defense procurement channels, either directly or through another Defense contractor (usually a major Prime Contractor). This commitment, and the planning to back it up, should be plainly evident to Defense Program Managers in any DoD Phase I SBIR or STTR proposal.

During each DoD Phase I solicitation, TechLink will provide specialized assistance to a limited number of selected companies in its region, including financial, technical and professional support. Companies interested in this assistance must submit a signed letter specifically requesting support for the DoD solicitation topic they have chosen to pursue. This application letter must also provide sufficient information to indicate that the company and any partners have the capability to meet the requirements specified in the topic description, and will be capable of carrying forward realizable transition plans. Selections for TechLink assistance will be competitively determined, based upon relevant qualifications, with priority given to applications received at least three weeks prior to the "Blackout Date" (the official opening date for each DoD SBIR or STTR solicitation).

This TechLink DoD SBIR Assistance Program is not a Phase 0 competition, but a structured program providing guidance, assistance and incentives specifically tailored to significantly improve the potential of regional companies for winning Phase I SBIR contracts from the Department of Defense.

Solicitation information and topic descriptions are provided at the DoD SBIR/STTR website: http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sbir/ Additional useful information, including a topic search engine, is provided at the SBIR Gateway: http://www.zyn.com/sbir/, as well as at SBIRWorld.com: http://www.sbirworld.com/.   The DoD also has a DOD SBIR/STTR Topic Search Engine at: http://www.dodsbir.net/Topics/Default.asp.

Upcoming DoD Solicitation Dates:

*STTR rules requires that a minimum of 30% of the work, as measured by both the direct and indirect costs, be carried out by a "research institution" such as a university or FFRDC (Federally Funded R&D Center - see list).  The award contract must be with the small business, which must perform a minimum of 40% of the Phase I work.  The PI (Principal Investigator) for a DoD STTR may be at either the company or the research institution.  Also note that "The Small Business Administration (SBA) has made a determination that will permit the Naval Academy, the Navy Post Graduate School and the other military academies to participate as a Research Institution or subcontractor in the SBIR/STTR program, since they are institutions of higher learning."

Support Provided for companies selected for TechLink’s DoD SBIR Phase I assistance¹:

• Experienced Guidance in working with DoD organizations, laboratories and managers. TechLink is an authorized U.S. Department of Defense Partnership Intermediary (per authority 15 U.S.C. 3715), and has developed close working relations with all major Defense laboratories. Assistance can include help in finding appropriate additional DoD Program Managers and scientists to contact, guidance on DoD programs and background considerations, assistance in finding and working with appropriate Prime Contractors, and determining other DoD applications for specific technologies.
• Up to $1,500 Travel Reimbursement² for pre-approved travel to meet with DoD Technical Points of Contact (TPOCs), other key DoD personnel, or appropriate Prime Contractors, related to proposal development. Closer interaction with TPOCs and DoD technologists is a major advantage in preparing proposals that effectively address specific DoD needs, while providing potential reviewers a better perspective of the company. Due to federal acquisition regulations, any meetings with TPOCs, where permitted, must occur before the "Blackout Date." Contact TechLink for details.
• Guidance in Transition and Commercialization planning, with additional detailed help from outside professionals, where appropriate. Beginning with a workable plan for transition from the very start can help in crafting a much more competitive proposal, while helping to set the stage for your company’s long-term business success.
• Free Professional Graphic Art assistance - up to $750 in value. While building strong customer relations is a critical first component for success in the DoD SBIR program, successful business people also recognize the value of professional-looking visual imagery in making a strong impression and conveying complex ideas clearly and succinctly. Your graphics not only help to explain your technology, they can convey an impression of how capable and experienced your company is, and even whether or not the Program Manager might be taking a risk in contracting with your company. Graphics cannot be left as an afterthought, so set up your schedule for this service as soon as possible.
• Free Professional Proposal Reviews, providing critical feedback that often confers a key advantage for writing a winning proposal. Our highly-experienced reviewers have received frequent praise from both successful companies and SBIR newcomers alike, for their contributions to the success of numerous SBIR/STTR proposals.
• Grant Payments of up to $750² for timely completion of a complete Draft Proposal for review, and subsequent follow-up. Last-minute proposal writing is a major common failure point for less-experienced companies, so payments are structured to encourage early proposal preparation, with adequate time for review and improvements. See Payment Schedule.

1. All payments contingent upon proof of submission of proposal to DoD by requisite deadline!

2. No more than one DoD Phase 1 Assistance travel award and grant per company or PI per DoD solicitation.

Before You Apply: Keep in mind that developing a competitive proposal is a major committment of your time and effort.  You want to ensure as best you can that your efforts are well-focused and that you have a reasonable chance of winning.  Beyond that, you must be sure that if you do win, you will be working on a project that furthers your business goals, and will lead you towards development of a profitable product or service. Most successful companies actually lose money on Phase I, as an investment for future Phase II and Phase III profits.  Before applying for TechLink’s assistance, you should complete the following to determine if the topic of interest is an appropriate fit for your company or team:

• Conduct initial background research on the appropriate DoD programs or systems (usually specified in the topic description), and find out about any similar topics from past solicitations:
  • Google searches are usually a good place to start.  Use appropriate keywords and system names (from the topic) as search criteria. If too many hits occur, you can use the search field limiter "site:mil" to restrict your search to DoD websites, or the more restrictive "site:army.mil" "site:af.mil" or "site:navy.mil" etc.
  • To find out about similar past topics, go to the SBIR Gateway (http://www.zyn.com/sbir/) and search "Closed SBIR/STTR Solicitation Topics" using similar keywords, or even search by the TPOC’s name, to find out about previous related solicitations.
  • If there were similar or related topics, search the DoD Award Data (http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sbir/awards/index.htm) to find out who won for those topics.  For older awards, a Phase II award for one of the winners may be listed.  More recent awards may not be posted at this site - check DoD SBIR/STTR Links for the specific award databases for Air Force, Army or Navy Components, which are usually more up-to-date than the DoD Award Database.  
  • Find out more about the listed winners, especially any Phase II winners.  Visit their website, or even call them to find out if they're willing to discuss their technology and/or results.
  • Go to DoD SBIR/STTR Links for more information about the specific DoD Component issuing the solicitation topic.  For example, if it's a DARPA topic, go to the link to DARPA Programs to find out which specific program the topic might support, and/or the DARPA programs managed by the listed TPOCs.  For CBD (Chemical/Biological Defense) topics, review the information at the JPEO-CBD website, and other websites listed at DoD SBIR/STTR Links under "CBD SBIR." 
  • Find out more about the specific organization/center issuing the topic.  For example, in the 2006.1 Air Force solicitation, page AF-8 (of the AF topics) shows that topics AF06-123 through AF06-153 are managed by AFRL/MN (Munitions Directorate).  Links to AFRL/MN may be found through the AFRL Organizations link from Air Force SBIR Home at DoD SBIR/STTR Links. In many cases, the domain name on the listed TPOCs e-mail address indicates their organization (e.g. joe.smith@navair.navy.mil indicates Joe is part of NAVAIR).

• After you've conducted this background research, contact the listed DoD TPOC(s) to discuss their specific needs, and to get a better understanding of how you might meet those needs superbly.  Note that you should not be trying to "sell" your approach to them over the phone, but rather listening to them as your customer, and demonstrating a keen interest in helping them solve their specific issues. 

Note that recent solicitations provided the following clarification regarding discussions with TPOCS:

"Direct Contact with Topic Authors.
... During this period, proposers have an opportunity to contact topic authors by telephone or email to ask technical questions about specific solicitations topics.  Questions should be limited to specific information related to improving the understanding of a particular topic’s requirements.  Offerors may not ask for advice or guidance on solution approach, nor submit additional material to the topic author.  If information given in response to a question is deemed necessary for the preparation of proposals, that information will be made available to the public through SITIS."

Points for discussion might include:

• Is this a major or ongoing issue for that Service (or other branches of the military as well)?  In other words, are they likely to have follow-on funding for Phase II and Phase III?
• How many proposals do they expect to fund? Note: where only one Phase I award is anticipated, Program Managers are unlikely to take risks with unproven technology or unknown companies.  In this regard, the Army averages only 1.4 Phase I awards per topic, while the Air Force averages at least two awards per topic, and the Navy averages 2.5 Phase I awards per topic.
• Who is (are) the Prime Contractor(s), if any, for the system(s) this is to be used in?
• Have any large Defense contractors expressed interest in this topic as a potential collaborator?
• Would the TPOC be willing to consider a face-to-face meeting for more detailed discussions? Note: the Army has set a policy of not permitting such meetings after topics have been posted, even prior to the Blackout.
• Can the TPOC refer you to other personnel using this technology, or working on related technologies, for further discussions?  Such contacts may provide helpful discussions, even after the Blackout.
• Do they normally review proposals on-line, or use B&W print-outs (low resolution ink jet, or even second-hand copies)? This can give you an indication of whether or not color or high-resolution graphics should be avoided in your proposal.
• Is the TPOC familiar with other approaches that have been tried in the past, and their results?  Based upon your background research for this (see above), you may be able to ask the TPOCs about the outcomes for specific past awards.

• Develop a conceptual Transition Plan for how your company, perhaps in a strategic alliance with other companies or Prime Contractors, could ultimately get the resulting technology into the Defense acquisition cycle and into the hands of the Warfighter. Questions for you to consider may include:
  • Do you expect to eventually sell this directly to the military? If so, how will you deliver and service the products?
  • Would you be working with a Prime Contractor? If so, who is (are) the Prime Contractor(s) for the systems or products this technology will go into? Have you established contacts with any of the Primes?
  • Will you be making the product yourself? If it's a manufactured product, do you have the facilities to make this, or who could you partner with? If it needs to be made in large quantities, will you/they be able to scale up rapidly?
  • Have you had any experience in developing and commercializing similar products, or in military procurement?

You can contact Ray Friesenhahn at TechLink at any time to get feedback on your ideas, suggestions and assistance in developing a more effective approach, or finding appropriate partners with whom to work.

Application Procedure:  After determining the appropriateness of the selected topic, applicants should submit a short (two to three-page) application letter on company letterhead, signed by a company official, requesting proposal development assistance from TechLink. Applications may be faxed to TechLink at 406-994-7701. The application letter should specify:

• The DoD SBIR or STTR topic that the proposal will target.
• How the company’s innovation will address the expressed DoD needs.
• Relevant qualifications that indicate the company is capable of implementing the stated project.
• A brief description of the type of feedback received from discussions with the TPOC. Note: Applications for assistance cannot be approved without such feedback from the DoD TPOCs.
• A summary of your conceptual Transition Plan. This is a critical component that will help to determine specific needs and direct assistance. Where key Prime Contractors have been identified, contacts and discussions with those Primes will need to be established prior to any draft proposal reviews.
• For companies or individuals with previous SBIR/STTR awards, a list of previous SBIR/STTR awards to the company or PI must also be provided, as well as information on any relevant Phase 0 awards.

Companies selected for assistance will be determined by appropriateness of their technology, qualifications, and Transition Plan, along with TPOC comments and date of application. Applications received at least three weeks prior to the Blackout Date will receive first priority in evaluations. While only a very limited of applicants will be selected to receive the full assistance package described above, additional "streamlined" assistance may be provided to qualified companies needing only minimal assistance, as budget and/or schedules permit.

Payment and Assistance Schedule (for companies selected for TechLink assistance)

Applicants intending to use travel assistance should submit their application and travel request as soon as possible, in order to complete any travel before the Blackout (if meeting with TPOCs), or before completing the Transition Plan for other travel.

To be eligible for any payments, a draft proposal outline and more detailed Transition Plan (built upon feedback provided on the conceptual plan outlined in the application letter) must be submitted for preliminary review at least one week prior to submitting a complete draft proposal for review. This proposal outline should at a minimum summarize the "Identification and Significance of the Opportunity" and "Phase I Technical Objectives," as well as identify any key subcontractors and their role in the proposal. The Transition (Commercialization) Plan should realistically discuss strategic relationships with other companies and/or Prime Contractors, and how such relationships and other resources are being developed to ensure a pathway to successful Transition.

Companies approved for assistance that provide a complete draft proposal for detailed professional review at least four weeks prior to the DoD’s submission deadline will be eligible for payment of $500 upon submitting proof of submission by the deadline, along with a copy of the final, as-submitted proposal. Additional proposal reviews may be provided, schedule permitting. An additional $250 will be paid upon receipt of the debriefing (see below).

Approved companies providing a complete draft proposal for detailed professional review less than four weeks, but at least three weeks prior to the DoD’s submission deadline will be eligible for payment of $250 upon submitting proof of submission by the deadline, along with a copy of the final, as-submitted proposal. Additional proposal reviews may or may not be provided, depending on schedule and deadlines. An additional $250 will be paid upon receipt of the debriefing (see below).

Approved companies providing their first draft proposal for review less than three weeks prior to the submission deadline may receive a detailed or brief proposal review, depending on schedule and availability, but will not be eligible for any payments, other than for the debriefing.

Debriefing: After DoD award selections have been made, companies should request a debriefing from the appropriate SBIR Program Manager, in order to improve subsequent proposals (including Phase II, if Phase I awarded). To encourage such debriefings and to give important feed-back to reviewers, TechLink will provde companies a payment of $250, in addition to any payment above, for a copy of DoD debriefings of any proposals reviewed by TechLink. Only one such payment per company will be provided, in addition to any payments described above, to companies that have met the eligibility requirements for the draft proposal review payments described above.

TechLink's DoD Phase II Assistance Program

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