11/15/2005
Defense Dept. Invites Small Business Research Proposals
by Douglas Mathew, Graduate Assistant, UALR SBDC
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) released its first SBIR Fiscal Year 2006 Solicitation earlier this month. The DoD is the largest agency that offers Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) opportunities to Arkansas entrepreneurs to do research and development for its component units. Entrepreneurs have until January 13, 2006 to respond to the DoD’s FY06.1 Program Solicitation. Participating component agencies within DoD have identified 409 technical topics for which they want research proposals from the U.S. small business community. Awards for feasibility studies will be made based on the technical merit of the solutions being proposed to the topics.
DoD begins accepting Phase I proposals on December 13, 2005 and all proposals must be received no later than 6:00 a.m. EST on January 13, 2006. Until December 13, entrepreneurs can talk directly with the research topic authors to obtain answers to technical questions.
This DoD SBIR solicitation includes research topics from 6 participating agencies. Phase I winners can expect to be notified of their proposal success in May 2006. For more details, visit www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir/solicitations/sbir061/index.htm.
Air Force
The FY06.1 announcement describes 275 research topics. Phase I awards from the Air Force are for 9 months and do not exceed $100,000. Phase I winners are expected to complete their primary research work during the first 6 months; the last 3 months offer project continuity for those projects that will also receive Phase II funds.
Navy
Navy’s FY06.1 solicitation describes 99 research topics. The department will fund certain topics at amounts up to $70,000 and 6 months with an option for as much as $30,000 and 3 months additional work effort. A second set of topics will be eligible for up to $80,000 and 6 months with an option not exceeding $70,000 and 6 months for additional work. These Phase I options are usually funded only if the Navy decides to provide Phase II funding for further research and development. Navy also has increased the maximum Phase II award to $1 million for projects it deems worthy of this higher funding level.
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
The FY06.1 solicitation identifies one topic for which NGA will accept Phase I proposals. NGA will provide up to $100,000 for performance periods up to 9 months to any small businesses receiving awards in response to its topic announcement. NGA’s research topic title is Modularized Transliteration Engine.
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
DTRA’s current solicitation describes 13 technical topics. Phase I awards from DTRA cannot exceed $100,000 and 6 months for performance. Entrepreneurs with expertise in weapons effects, arms control, dispersion modeling, chemical and biological defense, and counterproliferation technologies are encouraged to review the topic descriptions.
Chemical and Biological Defense (CBD)
CBD describes 10 research topics in its solicitation for which it will accept Phase I proposals. Successful Phase I proposers can expect awards not exceeding $70,000 and 6 months. As part of their Phase I proposals, Arkansas entrepreneurs can propose a Phase I Option to cover activities for up to 3 additional months and at a cost of no more than $30,000. Only small businesses selected to continue their research and development into Phase II will be eligible for this additional funding.
U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
The FY06.1 solicitation describes 11 research topics for which USSOCOM will accept Phase I proposals. Phase I awards will not exceed $100,000 and 6 months for performance. The USSOCOM mission includes developing and acquiring equipment, material, supplies and services required by special operations forces.
Arkansas entrepreneurs and researchers interested in learning more about this or other SBIR/STTR opportunities are encouraged to contact Mildred Holley mxholley@ualr.edu , 501.324.9043 or 800.862.2040.
Recent | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
Subscribe right now to our FREE
bi-monthly E-News service!
You will receive articles two full weeks before they appear on the Arkansas SBDC web site!
