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| About WSSI | About SBIR/STTR | Getting Started | Wyoming Award Winners | News & Events |
| 1.0 FEBRUARY PHASE 0 AWARD WINNERS Congratulations to February's Phase 0 award winners! return to CONTENTS |
| 2.0 SBA ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR SIZE STANDARDS PROVIDES ADDITIONAL INFO On December 3, 2004, SBA published an advanced notice of proposed rule making (ANPRM) seeking comments from the public on potential changes to its eligibility rules for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and on simplifying and improving upon the structure of size standards. In particular, SBA wants comments on whether it should provide an exclusion from affiliation with venture capital companies in determining small business eligibility for the SBIR Program. The ANPRM lists several questions pertaining to the SBIR issue. Comments on these questions or on related issues are welcomed. In addition, the SBA wants to make size standards easier to understand and use. It seeks comments on issues raised during the comment period of SBA's recently withdrawn proposal to restructure its small business size standards. They are:
The SBA also seeks comments on excluding certain practices of temporary employment franchisors as condition for finding affiliation. Before submitting comments, SBA encourages all to read the Advanced Notice of Public Rule Making: http://www.sba.gov/size/anprm.html or http://www.sba.gov/size/anprm.pdf. It discusses SBA concerns, gives instruction on how to submit comments, and provides contacts for additional information. Also, the comment period has been extended to April 3, 2005. Gary M. Jackson |
| 3.0 GROUND TRANSPORTATION TO NATIONAL SBIR CONFERENCE IN OMAHA AVAILABLE If you are planning to attend the National SBIR Conference in Omaha, March 7 through the 10, there will be a van leaving from Laramie. All interested parties should contact Gene Watson via email at ewatson@wyoming.com ASAP so that a departure and return time can be determined. Details will be finalized by March 1. Conference details can be found on the SBIR World web site at: www.sbirworld.com/omaha/ return to CONTENTS |
| 4.0 AIR FORCE SBIR FUNDING HOLD courtesy of the SBIR Gateway The SBIR Gateway recently heard from several small businesses who have received notification that their Air Force SBIR awards have been put on "hold". It is reported that several companies were told that the Air Force put a hold on at least 50% of the agency's SBIR funds for this year. One company was told, "It's not gone, but we can't spend it either." Four companies were told that only about 1/2 of the Air Force's Phase I's and 40% of Phase II's selected for awards will be made. This is an Air Force issue only and does not pertain to any of the other DoD SBIR agency components. The SBIR Gateway contacted Mr. Stephen Guilfoos, Air Force SBIR/STTR program manager. Mr. Guilfoos told stated that the Air Force has not yet issued an official statement concerning this funding hold, but he wanted the small businesses to understand the dynamics of this situation. The following is an explanation of funding situation given to us by Mr. Guilfoos. This is not an official statement by the Air Force. "Every year the Air Force withholds some portion of our SBIR/STTR funding to pay for unbudgeted corporate bills (like the war in Afghanistan and Iraq). Because of the larger amount being withheld this year, some of our phase I and phase II awards may need to be put on hold until that money is released." Guilfoos believes things will work out fine. An informed Air Force source said "Basically if the RDT&E extramural budget gets reduced, the SBIR/STTR program must return their portion of that funding. Although this is a normal occurrence, this year's amount is rather large." Guilfoos did tell the SBIR Gateway that if a company received a letter of proposal rejection, it has nothing to do with this temporary freeze. However, if a company has not heard back from the Air Force concerning their proposal, it very well could still be considered for funding if/when the money is made available to the SBIR program. return to CONTENTS |
| 5.0 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CHANGES SBIR RELEASE AND PROPOSAL DATES The Department of Transportation has announced a change in the dates for their upcoming DOT SBIR solicitation. The new release date is February 28, 2005 and the closing date is May 16, 2005. Additional information can be found on the DOT SBIR web site: www.volpe.dot.gov/sbir/ 2005 DOT SBIR Research Topics Titles Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)return to CONTENTS |
| 6.0 NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION WEB SITE GETS NEW LOOK/CHANGES URL The National Science Foundation (NSF) has changed their web site address and have added an attractive new look. The new NSF SBIR address is www.nsf.gov/eng/sbir/. NSF Topics Posted: return to CONTENTS |
| 7.0 NEXT VENTURE WEST EVENT FEBRUARY 17 IN LARAMIE When: February 17, 2005, 2:00pm - 5:00pm This workshop targets all entrepreneurs and students who need to understand how to develop their business plan to attract potential investors. If you are trying to build or grow your business, you need to: Register for this workshop through our website: www.venturewest.org For more information, visit the Venture West web site, or contact Bob Bolton, 307-721-2388 return to CONTENTS |
8.0 UPCOMING CONFERENCES/TRAININGS/SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS
The Campbell County Care Board is sponsoring the workshop entitled "How to Manage and Keep in Compliance Grant Funded Projects." When: Feb. 18, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. & Feb. 19, 8 a.m. - Noon This workshop is designed for individuals or organizations who are anticipating receiving grant funding or have obtained grant funds. Administrators and managers, grant writers, business managers, administrative assistants and secretaries,non-profit organizations, federal and state employees, city and county personnel, police and sheriff departments, and school district personnel. Participants are requested to bring to the workshop specific grant documents. Each participant will receive a workbook and the first edition of the Campbell County Wyoming Administrative Grants Management/Compliance Handbook.
SBIR Colorado has assembled an impressive group of speakers, presenters and network facilitators for their fourth SBIR/STTR conference, The Innovative Edge, to be held in Denver on February 15 & 16, 2005. This conference is designed to stimulate and encourage the proper use of these programs. There will be 24 networking tables dealing with issues such as intellectual property management, marketing to the high- tech industry, how to become an SBIR company incubator, and much more. The SBIR and STTR programs represent the largest source of early-stage funding for high-tech start-up companies in the US. These congressionally mandated federal programs provide more than $2 billion every year to small, for-profit companies to carry out leading-edge high- risk research and grow their businesses. More than 40% of these funds are awarded to companies with 10 or fewer employees and much of the money goes to companies with just 1-3 employees. Nearly 1/3 of the awards go to first- time winners every year. Even though Colorado has historically received 4-6% ($45- $75MM) of the total SBIR/STTR funds and ranks 4th in the nation in terms of total dollars awarded, these programs are still not well- understood or well- used by the majority of the emerging business and technology community as a means to effectively advance technology from universities, national laboratories and small businesses into a commercialization path. Here's the beauty of the SBIR program. The SBIR grants and contracts (not loans or equity investments) pay for research, innovation & general business needs and at the same time do not dilute ownership in any way. And although these programs are highly competitive there are tricks of the trade that can help convert those ideas into reality. Sponsorships and trade show booths are now available. Click here (http://sbircolorado.org/sponsor.htm) for more information on how to help support this event that will help bring out tomorrows knowledge-based jobs and cutting-edge technologies. Please register at secure.airbase1.com/sbircolorado/enroll_form.htm. Or for additional information contact: Kim Keating - info@sbircolorado.org Phone: 303-427-5226
Scheduled for March 7-10, 2005
Come Learn How To Sell Your Products & Services To A Multibillion Dollar Market!
When: March 15, 2005, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Reception following from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Conference fee: $25/person (includes lunch & reception) Why Should You Attend? If you'd like to learn more about business opportunities & doing business on the Wind River Indian Reservation, stay a 2nd day for the: 5th Annual Native American Business Expo Where: The Inn at Lander, Lander, WY For more information contact Jeff Sneddon, U.S. Small Business Administration 307-261-6515 or Lisa Wagner, Wind River Development Fund 307-335-7330
If you have ever had an idea for an invention, but didn’t know how to turn that invention into a real product, or if you are simply interested in the invention process, you are invited to join Senator Mike Enzi in Riverton for the second annual "Inventor’s Conference: From Your Garage to the Assembly Line." Senator Enzi will host this FREE two-day workshop at the Holiday Inn on March 17 and 18, 2005. A no-host lunch will be provided. Dean Kamen, inventor of the first wearable drug infusion pump and other cutting edge technologies, will be the key note speaker. The conference will also feature other exciting speakers and informative discussions that will show you how to take your idea and create a product that could earn you enough money to send you into a higher tax bracket. The response to the first inventor’s workshop in Gillette last year was overwhelming. Senator Enzi is excited about this opportunity to help creative Wyomingites capitalize on their ideas to bring in cash and looks forward to seeing you at the second annual inventor’s conference. If you plan on attending, or need more information, please contact Senator Enzi’s Gillette office at (307) 682-6268 or Robin Bailey at robin_bailey@enzi.senate.gov.
This event begins with Jim & Gail Greenwoods most popular workshop in which they cover the basics of SBIR/STTR, then describe a simple but effective four-step process for developing a competitive Phase I proposal. Attendees will have the opportunity to review and discuss as a group a real SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal. On the second day, the Greenwoods will cover the basics of Phase II, how it differs from agency to agency, a process for developing a Phase II SBIR or STTR proposal, and alternative paths for commercializing an SBIR/STTR technology. This will be great event for someone who wants to get fully indoctrinated into the SBIR/STTR programs and how to apply for funding to both Phase I and Phase II. For more information or to register, contact stephanie_blair@und.nodak.edu. |
| 9.0 COMPETITION TIP: DON'T "OVER-STUFF" THE PROPOSAL!!! A well-balanced proposal presents a precise, concise, positive, clear and easy to read story. Information is provided where it is prescribed in the solicitation instructions. Sufficient detail is included to convince reviewers that the proposal scores well against the evaluation and selection criteria. But sometimes too much detail and information is provided, and the proposal becomes cluttered and hard to read. And the clutter obscures the "nuggets" that need to be revealed to the reviewers. The proposal does not need to be (and should not be) encyclopedic. The Phase 1 proposal 25 page limit dictates conciseness, and limits on the amount of detail and information presented. Frequently, the toughest job in proposal preparation is "editing out" or consolidating information as vital new data and facts are found and inserted in the proposal. Continuing to add "new stuff" without eliminating material elsewhere leads to clutter. Putting too much information and detail into a proposal forces compromise in other aspects of the presentation. For example, font size and margins must be reduced, spaces between sections and paragraphs must be eliminated, and graphics must be reduced in size and/or eliminated. The proposal looks cluttered, and loses the appearance of balance. The "cost" of the compromises cited above is a proposal more difficult for reviewers to navigate and understand, and the "benefit" of the added information and detail may be minimal, or none. The cost of "over-stuffing" the proposal can easily outweigh the benefits. The goal is to lead reviewers to "highly recommend" the proposal for award, not to present lots of information and detail. Sometimes, specific proposal sections are "over-stuffed" such as background sections. Yet sections where the solicitation prescribes detail are skimpy (e.g., the work/research plan). This "Tip" should not be construed to mean that detail is not needed in the proposal. Balance and responsiveness to the instructions are key. So, don't "over-stuff" the proposal with detail - focus instead on the reviewers, and make it easy for them to be convinced and excited about the merits of the innovation and proposed work. This competition tip first appeared in the June 25, 1999 issue of the Wyoming SBIR Newsletter. Follow this link to a complete set of Competition Tips. return to CONTENTS |
| 10.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND PUBLICATION INFORMATION
TO BE ADDED TO OR REMOVED FROM THE DISTRIBUTION LIST FOR THIS NEWSLETTER, SEND NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AND EMAIL ADDRESS TO jillkline@vcn.com. Prepared by: Jill Kline, WSSI Outreach Coordinator, 307.682.2660 or toll free in Wyoming, 866.703.3280, jillkline@vcn.com, and Gene Watson, WSSI Program Manager, 307.742.7162, ewatson@wyoming.com. This newsletter is published every other week as part of the Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI). The mission of the Initiative is to increase the number of federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program awards to Wyoming. The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) funds the initiative which is administered by the University of Wyoming Research Office. Please contact Jill Kline (see contact information above) with your comments. |