The NSF has released its FY-05 SBIR/STTR solicitation. The solicitation opens November 8, 2004 and closes December 8, 2004. Proposals must not be submitted prior to the November 8 opening date. The main topic is Manufacturing Innovation (MI) which is in line with the Presidential Executive Order 13329 - Encouraging Innovation in Manufacturing.

The NSF SBIR/STTR Program invests in cutting-edge, high-risk, high quality scientific, engineering or science/engineering education research with a clear goal of industrial innovation that would benefit society through commercialization.

Projects that make the country’s manufacturing base more competitive through innovation and responsiveness to changing needs are encouraged. Innovation in this context is fostered by research and development of technologies that are aimed at increasing the competitive capability of manufacturing firms. In a broad context, manufacturing-related R&D encompasses innovation in existing methods or processes; improved education with the aim of getting maximum benefit from existing or new methods or processes; or wholly new processes, machines or systems. The overall goal is to support new and emerging manufacturing innovation that will advance the competitiveness of the nation’s manufacturing sector.

Proposals must be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology and its potential for commercialization. The proposed technology must target the private sector (Government and non-profits do not qualify). It is mandatory that one or more letters of technology support from a manufacturing strategic partner be submitted as part of the proposal.

A. Unit Process Level Technologies

1. Additive Processes – Projects aimed at advancing rapid prototyping/solid freeform fabrication for material and process improvements.
2. Deformation Processes – Projects aimed at advancing forging, sheet metal processing and punching for material property improvements based on the advances in the processes.
3. Joining and Assembly Processes – Projects aimed at advancing welding and adhesive processes.
4. Powder Material Processes – Projects aimed at advancing powder-based materials/processes that include powder metals, powder ceramics, hybrid materials.
5. Casting/Molding Processes – Projects aimed at improved die/mold materials, improved efficiency/control in processing for die-casting, sand casting, and investment casting.
6. Semiconductor Processing – Projects aimed at advanced materials with potential for improved utility high-k and low-k dielectrics, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) materials, and resists.
7. Non-Traditional Material Removal Processes – Projects aimed at using Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), plasma, and water jet processes.
8. Chemical Separations Processes – Projects aimed at membranes, adsorbents, and/or extractant technology based upon and/or used during chemical processing.
9. Biological Separations and Purification Processes – Projects aimed at developing new or modifying current processes for separation and purification of biological molecules.
10. Novel Catalytic Systems – New catalyst applications and/or catalyst efficiencies.
11. Photochemical Applications – Solar, radiative, photochemical improvements related to specific manufacturing processes.
12. Electrochemical Applications – Improvements related to the manufacture of capacitors and/or batteries.
13. Improved Fluid Flow – Improved single or multiphase fluid flow, novel spraying applications, and computational software applications.
14. Thermal Energy Applications – Improved energy efficiency applications related to manufacturing processes.
15. Biological Applications – Improved process control, optimization, and cost reduction in manufacturing of food, pharmaceuticals, and other biologics.
16. Passive Nanotechnology Applications – Processes for nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanocomposites, nanocoatings, nanofilter membranes, nanocatalysts, nanomagnetics, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and nanobiomaterials.
17. Active Nantotechnology Applications – Processes for nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, nanoelectrical mechanical systems (NEMs), nanobiosensors, nanoenergy storage devices, nanofluidics, and nano drug delivery devices.

B. Machine Level Technologies

1. Machine Design – Projects aimed at improving design of existing machines and equipment in order to improve efficiency and/or cost.
2. Machining and Material Removal Processes – Projects aimed at process improvements for milling, grinding, drilling and cutting tools.
3. Semiconductor Equipment – Projects aimed at innovation in wafer and sensor production, packaging, lithography and interconnected metals.
4. Functional Nanostructures – Projects aimed at functional nanostructures such as templates and imprinting, directed self-assembly techniques, and bio-inspired assembly techniques.
5. Metrology – Projects aimed at improving machine tool calibration, measurement machines, and part inspection equipment.
C. Systems Level Technologies

1. Process Control – Software aimed at improving controllers, interfaces, and control processes.
2. Operations Research – Projects that contribute to modeling, optimization and equilibrium in classic focused problem environments such as scheduling, reliability, facilities (location and design), and inventory management.
3. Manufacturing Enterprise Systems – Decision tools for supply chains, planning, scheduling, distribution, and risk optimization for the extended and spatially distributed enterprises.
4. Nanoscale Processes – Material characterization tools for nanoscale process control and measurement, nanomanipulators, and simulation tools for nanoscale systems

D. Environmental or Societal Level Technologies
1. Workforce Health and Safety – Projects aimed at improving the manufacturing work environment by - incorporating ergonomics and interactive computing systems
2. Workforce Education and Training – Projects aimed at improving the skills and knowledge of the manufacturing workforce by means of the development of instructional and educational (including what is known as distance learning, telelearning, distributed education, or e-learning) systems content authoring systems, intelligent instruction systems and assessment technology.
3. Safety and Regulatory Compliance – Projects aimed at improving process safety and ensuring increased compliance with regulatory guidelines in the manufacturing of biologics and chemical-based products.
4. Environmentally Benign Technologies – Projects aimed at improving techniques for cleanup and recycling of materials, including those with nanoparticles and nanostructures.
5. Pollution Minimization Technologies – Projects aimed at reducing negative environmental impacts.
6. Nanoparticle Safety Technologies – Projects aimed at determining the safety of nanoparticle-based manufacturing systems and products. Technology should be compliant with OSHA and EPA regulations.

Proposals must be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology and its potential for commercialization. The proposed technology must target the private sector (Government and non-profits do not qualify). It is mandatory that one or more letters of technology support from a

To submit a proposal to the NSF - MI topic, make sure to review and follow the guidelines set forth in the solicitation.

It is nice to win an SBIR award with the first proposal submission, but that usually doesn't happen. More commonly, SBIR winners must submit several proposals before capturing a win. Several rounds of unsuccessful competition can test the resilience and perseverance of small businesses striving to enter the winner's circle.

The key to SBIR competition success is to KEEP TRYING and not give up. Each new SBIR proposal should build on lessons learned from past unsuccessful (and successful) submissions. These lessons can be provided by careful review of written reviewer comments and panel summaries, soliciting critical comments from cognizant agency personnel, and seeking out and listening to comments from veterans and mentors (e.g., at National/State/Regional SBIR Conferences).

The SBIR Program is very competitive, and overall only about 1 in 8 Phase 1 proposals are accepted for award. Therefore, winning dictates that the quality of proposals submitted must be driven into the top 10 percentile (or so) of all those submitted. This end will be achieved by continuing to compete while learning from previous losing competition processes and from others.

Too often, small businesses submit one or two SBIR proposals that fail to win, lose heart and opt out of subsequent SBIR competition. They often make little or no effort to learn winning SBIR competition practices, including from their own experiences.

There is one certainty in SBIR competition - opting out guarantees that there will be no SBIR award to the small business. Or as a person recently told us, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Inter-Mountain Labs/Chinook Engineering (Sheridan, WY) is great testimony to this message. The company and its team fought through the discouragement of 3 unsuccessful SBIR proposals, worked hard to learn winning SBIR approaches, and solicited and embraced critical reviews and counsel to enhance the quality of its SBIR competition. They "kept trying" and "learned from previous losses." And their 1 for 4 record is twice as good as the national average!!!

So, don't give up easily, and KEEP TRYING to win in the SBIR competition. Learn how to drive up proposal quality and win!!!