Small Business Innovation Research (OSD)

Manager

Office of Secretary of Defense, Director Defense Research and Engineering

Web Site

http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir/

Summary

A contract program for small business supporting Defense and commercial applications.

Program Process

• OSD advertises interest in specific research topics.
• Small businesses offer proposals addressing topics.
• Successful proposals awarded Phase I support for 6 months' work.
• Successful Phase I projects compete for 2 years' additional support in Phase II.

Technology Maturity Level

Early developmental, some basic science.

Award Size

Phase I, up to $100K; Phase II, up to $750K. There are no Phase III SBIR funds.

Program Size

$10.3M in FY01.

Format Requirements for Topic Submission

USAMRMC submits relatively short (one to two pages) narratives describing proposed Phase I topics.

Criteria for Selecting Topics

• Cannot be used simply to fill gaps in normal program
• Must allow contractor reasonable degree of independence
• Must require contractor innovation
• Must fulfill a current military need.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

• Military relevance
• Technical merit, innovation
• Potential for commercial exploitation
• Staff qualifications.

USAMRMC Participation

• Develop candidate topics for Phase I
• Review proposals for Phase I, Phase II
• Monitor projects during execution.

Calendar

USAMRMC Recent History

Approximately nine topics, three Phase I awards per year.

Comments

Program has high visibility with Congress, financed by a tax on all 6.1 – 6.3 research funds.

Examples

• Anti-Ice Aptamers for Improved Red Blood Cell Storage
• Blast Mitigation Jacket for Training – three awards
• Analysis and Interpretation of Real-time Multi-parameter Biological Data