Kennon Aircraft Covers of Sheridan recently learned they are the recipient of two Phase II SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grant awards from NAVAIR (the Marines). The awards total $545,000, which Kennon received after successfully developing and testing prototypes in Phase I efforts. One award is to develop a new attachment method for the insulation blankets in the MV-22, the Marine’s new tilt-rotor aircraft. The MV-22 is a composites-based aircraft, and traditional methods of attachment tend to damage airframe members.

A second award will be used is to explore the development of a lightweight ballistic protection system (BPS). The BPS would provide armor like protection at textile like weights. Kennon is very excited at the opportunity to develop protection for our troops flying in harm’s way, and at the prospect of developing new manufacturing capabilities in Wyoming. Kennon’s innovation would replace existing blanket type insulation, providing thermo-acoustic, and ballistic protection while adding no additional weight. Weight savings are essential for all aircraft, but more especially for military aircraft who benefit from increased troop capacity, payloads and/or fuel.

For more information on this SBIR project contact Ron Kensey at (307) 751-1125 or Mark Weitz at (307) 751-9151.

Although this is not SBIR, this funding opportunity may be of interest to you.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced the opening of its 2008 Technology Innovation Program (TIP) solicitation with a due date of September 4, 2008. TIP is the successor to the former NIST Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and is funded via a cooperative agreement targeted to high-risk/reward research and development proposals.

TIP is soliciting proposals under this competition in one area of critical nation need entitled “Civil Infrastructure”. NIST defines Civil Infrastructure as: The objective of this area of critical national need is to address two elements of a Civil Infrastructure Structural Integrity societal challenge. The two elements are inspection and monitoring of the United States’ Civil Infrastructure Structural Integrity as outlined in the white paper “Advanced Sensing Technologies for the Infrastructure: Roads, Highways, Bridges and Water Systems”  www.nist.gov/tip/helpful.html

Starting Mid-July NIST will hold a series of seven TIP Proposer's Conferences (see www.nist.gov/tip/2008_proposers_conferences.html ) including St. Louis, MO; Houston, TX; Atlanta, GA; Portland, OR; San Jose, CA; Boston, MA; and of course NIST's home in Gaithersburg, MD.

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8.0 DOT OPENS FY08.2 SBIR SOLICITATION (ZYN Systems)

The Department of Transportation's (DOT) Volpe Center has opened its FY08.2 SBIR solicitation with a closing date of September 5, 2008. It is unusual for DOT to have more than one SBIR phase I solicitation per year. DOT's previous FY-2008 solicitation was released on April 15, 2008 and closed on June 3, 2008. This solicitation contains 3 topics:
• 082-FH1 Dilemma Zone Detection and Warning System
• 082-FH2 Origin-Destination – Travel Time Measurement and Characterization
• 082-FR1 Cursory and Non-regulatory Removable Safety Appliances for Intermodal or Semi-Permanently Attached Railcars
The solicitation is available at www.volpe.dot.gov/sbir

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10.0 NEGATIVE SIGNS OF THE ECONOMIC TIMES (NASVF NETNEWS)

The Worst IPO Market on Record? VCs Don't See Climate Improving Any Time Soon