Some Advice on SBIR Proposals

Richard NelsonHenry Samueli School of Engineering, UCI

www.ece.uci.edu/~rnelson714-566-5747 (cell)

rnelson@uci.edu

Background

• 20 Years Large Industry• 2 Years Small Business

– Mostly SBIR Funded • 11 Years at UCI• All Have Involved

Proposals for Research and Programs

CONTENT

• Links to Detailed Information• Some SBIR Advice • The UC Discovery Program • Some SBIR Project Examples Involving

UC Discovery Matching

Big Picture

• $2B Annual Budget • SBIR: ~11 Agencies or Departments • STTR: ~ 5 Agencies or Departments• 3 Phase Program

– Phase I : Demo Feasibility – Phase II: Demo Prototype – Phase III: Commercialization

• Your Mission, Should You Chose to Accept It – Differentiate Your Proposal

Information Links• SBA www.sba.gov/SBIR/• DoD www.dodsbir.net/ • Commerce

– patapsco.nist.gov/ts_sbir/ – www.oar.noaa.gov/ORTA/

• DOE sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir/ • DHHS grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm• NASA sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/SBIR.html• NSF www.eng.nsf.gov/sbir/ • EPA es.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/ • DOT www.volpe.dot.gov/sbir/ • DO Edu www.ed.gov/offices/IES/SBIR/ • DOA www.reeusda.gov/sbir • DHLS www.hsarpasbir.com/• FFRDCs www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03308/start.htm

Constructive Advice

• Administrative Details Take Time• Address All Evaluation Criteria• Writing Style• Commercialization Plan• Use of Government Facilities• Your Contract Monitor is Your Advocate

Administrative Details Take Time

• DUNS Number – 866-705-5711, www.dnb.com

• Commercial & Governmental Entity (CAGE) Code

• Central Contractor Registry (CCR) • 888-227-2423, www.ccr.gov

• Read The Rules – Things Change

Address All Evaluation Criteria

• Explicitly Include All in Initial Outline • Develop each conceptually before

extensive writing • Not Being Excellent on all Criteria is likely

a Loser – Getting 95% on all is better than getting 100%

on most and 50% on one criteria • Follow the Provided Outline

Writing style

• Be Succinct • Use Graphics, Tables, Equations for Key

Concepts • Use Navigation Aids

– Bold Section Headings and Numbers– Underline Subsection Titles

Commercialization Plan• More than Marketing and Sales

– Beta Testing, Publicity, Sales Channels• What Will You Have To Offer

– Commercially – In Support of Mission of Funding Agency

• Market, Customers, and Competition • Intellectual Property • Financing Plans • Revenue Stream • Staffing Plan

Make Use of FFRDC Facilities

• Risky & Discouraged for Use on SBIR• Encouraged on a STTR by teaming with a

FFRDC • www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03308/start.htm

UC Discovery ProgramCan Increase Your Resources

• UC Will Provide Matching Funds for the UC Part of Project

• Subject areas– Biotechnology – Communications and Networking – Digital Media – Electronics Manufacturing – Information Technology for Life Sciences– Economic Impact – Opportunity Award

• uc-industry.berkeley.edu/welcome.asp

Opportunity Awards• Small awards for conferences, workshops, and

outreach events that promote dialogue between University and Industry Communities.

• Up to $15,000 to support activities that:– communicate developments in relevant research

fields at UC and within California firms; – enhance faculty, student, and staff understanding of

commercial technology research, technology transfer, and opportunities for cooperative research with private sponsors; and

– assess and improve university approaches to technology transfer and administration of industry-sponsored research.

Program Funding

• Typical Range – $50K to $2M per year – Up to 4 years – $15,000 Max. for Opportunity Award

• No Quotas per Campus or Region

Three Way Partnership• Benefits for UC Researchers and Students:

– Up to 4 years of funding and support for research projects – Training and funding for students and post-doctoral researchers – Special consideration for interdisciplinary and multi-investigator

projects – Frequent grant solicitations (three application rounds per year)

• Benefits for California:– Accelerated delivery of public benefits from UC research/education – Promotion of highly meritorious research that addresses

California's needs – Increased competitiveness of California businesses

• Benefits for Sponsors:– Immediate leveraging of R&D funds – California and Federal Tax Credits – Access to UC’s outstanding students – Expansion of company R&D capacity through partnership with UC

researchers – Participation in research requiring multidisciplinary teams – Intellectual Property rights

How the Program Works• Industry Sponsor & UC PI Agree on a Project

– Scope, Budget, Division of Effort – Documented by Research Agreement

• UC PI Submits Formal Proposal – Fall, Winter & Spring Proposal Submittals for each

Subject Area• 100 Day Review Period

– Peer Review– Executive Committee Decision

• Award Rate 40-70%– Rejected Proposals Are Encouraged to Resubmit

Silicon Micromachined Sensors

Micromachined shear stress sensor for aerospace applications

•Surface micromachined silicon device•Passive, non-contact measurement of shear stress•For testing aerofoil stress

Bulk Micromachined Sensors

Micromachined mass flow sensors for automotive applications

Bulk micromachined silicon, silicon nitride deviceThermal measurement of air flow and binary concentration ratioFor automotive engine sensing

Dielectric Mirror & Etalon ResultsReflectivity of Mirror 2

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Wavelength (microns)

Ref

lect

ivity

(%)

Designed for MWIR Spectral Window

Designed for Hydrocarbon Gas Detection

Silicon Circuit Board for LargeFocal Plane Array

High Density Packaging

Electronics Packaging for Mobile ElectronicsThinned ChipsThinned Substrates

Nanochannel Glass for Sensor Applications

Applications: pH sensorPhotonic bandgap Drug Release

Good LuckLet Us Know if UC Discovery Has a Role