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University of Wyoming


June 4, 2009

Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI) Newsletter
No. 05-09
(Past Newsletter Issues)

This Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI) Newsletter is available in its entirety at http://www.uwyo.edu/sbir/newsletter/nwsltr_090604.htm.

It is published by the Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI). Please visit our website at www.uwyo.edu/sbir for complete program information (including links to participating federal agencies, support agencies, conferences, archives of this newsletter, etc.) Contact WSSI@uwyo.edu to be added to or removed from the Distribution List for this newsletter.

SOLICITATION COUNTDOWN

WSSI Phase 0: due 5:00 p.m., 7/1/09; 26 days – submit to WSSI@uwyo.edu
 NSF SBIR Grants: - due 6/9/09; 71 days
 DoD SBIR 2009.2 Contracts: - due 6/17/09; 13 days
 DHS SBIR Contracts: - due 7/2/09; 35 days
HHS/NIH SBIR/STTR Grants: - due 8/5/09; 62 days
 2009 SBIR/STTR SOLICITATION RELEASE SCHEDULE  – All Agencies; Courtesy of ZYN Systems at www.zyn.com

CONTENT

1.0 Congratulations To Our May Phase 0 Award Winners
2.0 Attend the NIH SBIR Conference in Omaha - June 30-July 1
3.0 Read Rick Shindell's Latest SBIR Insider Newsletter
4.0 NIH Announces Two New Non-SBIR Funding Opportunities
5.0 DOE Announces New SBIR Technical Assistance Program
6.0 USDA Announces Rural Renewable Energy Assistance Program
7.0 So You Want to Get Funded
8.0 Acknowledgements and Publication Information

1.0 Congratulations to our MaY phase 0 award winners

MKS Technology, Laramie
Principal Investigator: Keith Carron
Email: kcarron@mks-t.com
Phase 0 Title: Fiber Optic In Vivo Prothromobin Time Measurement System
Phase I Target: NSF

Pronghorn Technologies, Laramie
Principal Investigator: Kent Henry
Email: kenth@prongtech.com
Phase 0 Title: Sensor for Detection of Residual Oxidant in Hypochlorite - Enhanced Water
Phase I Target: DoD (Navy)

SoftRay, Inc., Laramie
Principal Investigator: Paul Johnson
email: pjohnson@uwyo.edu
Phase 0 Title:  Rapid Low-Cost Cell Sorting System for Detection of Fungi in Bronchoalveola Lavage Fluid
Phase II Target: NIH

Wyoming Silicon LLC, Sheridan
Principal Investigator: Zachary Gray
email: zg@wyomingsilicon.com
Phase 00 Title: High Pressure Microvalve
Phase II Target: NSF

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2.0  attend the national NIH SBIR conference in Omaha - June 30-July 1

This is the only opportunity in 2009 to learn all about the expanded hhs/nih sbir programs from the nih sbir experts.

  • Meet one-on-one with representatives from NIH, CDC, and FDA
  • Learn the details and many nuances of the NIH, CDC, and FDA SBIR and STTR programs
  • Spread your entrepreneurial wings and attend the commercialization sessions
  • See demonstrations on new partnering tools
  • Network through a “Speed Dating” session

For full details, go to http://nbdc.unomaha.edu/SBIR/NIHconference/home.htm

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4.0  NIH Announces Two New NOn-SBIR Funding Opportunities for Small Businesses

The following is a notice from Jo Anne Goodnight, Coordinator of the NIH SBIR program, regarding new funding opportunities made available through the Federal ARRA economic stimulus program.

Dear Small Business Research Community,
I am pleased to announce two new Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAS) that will be supported by funds provided to the NIH under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“Recovery Act” or “ARRA”).

Announcement Number Title Release Date Receipt Date
RFA-OD-09-008 Recovery Act Limited Competition: Biomedical Research, Development, and Growth to Spur the Acceleration of New Technologies (BRDG-SPAN) Pilot Program (RC3) 6/2/09 9/1/09
RFA-0D-09-009 Recovery Act Limited Competition: Small Business Catalyst Awards for Accelerating Innovative Research (R43) 6/2/09 9/1/09
  • Application due dates for these FOAs are September 1.
  • Letters of Intent, though not required, are encouraged and are to be submitted by August 3, 2009.
  • Note that one FOA is a pilot program and uses a new mechanism, called the RC1. This FOA aims to address the funding gap between promising research and transitioning to the market -- often called the “Valley of Death -- by contributing to the critical funding needed by applicants to pursue the next appropriate milestone(s) toward ultimate commercialization.
  • The other FOA uses the SBIR Phase I (R43) activity code and encourages applications from small business concerns (particularly those without a history of NIH SBIR or STTR support) that propose to accelerate innovation through high risk, high reward R&D projects with commercial potential and that are relevant to the mission of the NIH.

I encourage you to review these FOAs and hope many of you will be able to take advantage of the opportunities. Please feel free to contact the Institute/Center staff listed in the FOAs to discuss potential projects.

NOTE: IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED IN BOTH GRANTS.GOV AND eRA COMMONS, BE SURE TO START THE PROCESS NOW AS THESE REGISTRATIONS CAN TAKE AT LEAST 4 WEEKS AND ARE NECESSARY TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO NIH.

 Best regards,

 Jo Anne

Jo Anne Goodnight | NIH SBIR/STTR Program Coordinator | Office of Extramural Programs|
Phone: 301-435-2688 | Email: JG128W@NIH.GOV | Fax: 301-480-0146 |

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5.0  DOE Announces NEw SBIR Technical Assistance Program

       To:  All Small Business Entrepreneurs Interested in the U. S. Department of Energy’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program

       You are invited to use the DOE SBIR Technical Assistance Program Web Portal at http://doecapreg.foresightst.com.   

The DOE SBIR Office has contracted with Foresight Science & Technology, Inc., a leading firm in commercialization and technology transfer, to provide a Technical Assistance Program (TAP) commercialization web portal which provides prospective SBIR applicants and other energy entrepreneurs with the tools, training, and support to write a successful SBIR proposal.  For more details on what’s available to you, please read more. 

 The DOE SBIR TAP Portal is built on Foresight’s T2+2™ platform which has numerous features incorporated specifically for potential SBIR awardees, including:

 v  Commercialization 101™:  An e-learning course on commercialization and how to do market research and deal-making.

v  Market Overviews:  Analyses on markets as they relate to over 200 R&D Technical Topics and Subtopics in the latest DOE SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunity Announcement at http://www.science.doe.gov/sbir.

v  Foresight’s Go/NoGo™ Template and Help File:  Tools to conduct your own assessment of your technology’s commercial potential.

v  The DOE TAP Discussion Group:  A venue for knowledge sharing and gaining advice from Foresight and the users of the portal.

v  Phyl’s Blog:  Phyl Speser is a multiple SBIR award winner, author of the best-selling textbook The Art & Science of Technology Transfer (Wiley 2006), a former professor of intellectual property law, and an accomplished deal-maker.  Phyl shares tips and tricks of the trade in addition to responding to questions about how to move your technology to market.

v  Tools for Writing a DOE Phase I Proposal:  Guides and tips for general SBIR proposal preparation and how to integrate commercialization into your DOE SBIR Phase I Proposal. 

 At the DOE, we believe that these tools, primers, and other extensive technical assistance available to you via the DOE TAP web portal will make a difference in successful small business commercialization efforts. We think you will too. 

 Please Note:       Use of the TAP Portal is free, but you must register at http://doecapreg.foresightst.com to gain access.

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6.0 USDA Announces Renewable Energy Program For RUral Small Business and AG Producers

Greetings from the Wyoming State USDA Rural Development office in Casper.

USDA has announced that Rural Business – Cooperative Service will be accepting applications for fiscal year 2009 to purchase renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements and to conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy systems for agriculture producers and rural small businesses in eligible rural areas.

Grants can cover up to 25% of total eligible costs to purchase renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements or conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy systems. Loan guarantees and combo’s (grants and loan guarantees) will not exceed 75% of the eligible project costs.

For renewable energy systems, the minimum grant is $2,500 and the maximum is $500,000. For energy efficiency improvements, the minimum grant is $1,500 and the maximum is $250,000. The maximum amount of a guarantee to be provided to a borrower will be $25 million. Funding for grant and loan combination packages will be funded from the same allocation as loan guarantees.

The program has been successfully used in Wyoming for such projects as pelletizing wood waste products for heating fuel, biodiesel processor, solar and geothermal projects.

The deadline for applications to be received at the state office is 4:30 pm on July 31, 2009. Applicants are encouraged to start the process early as late applications are not eligible.

No applications received in the State Office after July 31, 2009 will be considered.

Electronic applications must be submitted through the Grants.gov web site at: http://www.grants.gov  Hard copy applications must be submitted to the State Office in Casper.

Additional information about this announcement can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/busp/9006grant.htm or by contacting Jon Crabtree at (307) 233-6719.  

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7.0 So You Want To Get Funded? NASVF NETNEWS

According to the National Venture Capital Assn. (NVCA), total venture capital investment for the first quarter of this year was at its lowest in 12 years, down 47% in dollar amounts from the fourth quarter of 2008, and 58% from the same period last year. "The VC industry isn't immune from the downturn," says Mark Heesen, NVCA's president:
Business Week

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8.0 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 WSSI@uwyo.edu

This newsletter is published monthly 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 Gene Watson ewatson@wyoming.com with your comments.

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