tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705796947940727922024-03-06T14:00:33.051-06:00The SBIR Coach's Playbook ®<small><b>Facts, opinions, and musings about the policies and politics of the SBIR Program from Fred Patterson, a 25 year SBIR practitioner and ardent advocist. Co-founder of companies that won multiple awards. An author and frequently invited speaker on SBIR issues. On the national scene as "The SBIR Coach" since 2001.</b></small><br><br>
HERE FROM A WEB SEARCH? Search the archive for a specific Post. Click <a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com">HERE</a> for the most recent.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-82130600815223922762012-01-02T08:26:00.006-06:002012-01-02T09:27:46.514-06:00It's Official - SBIR Reauthorized with the signing of HR.1540.<br />On New Year's Eve, just as 2011 was running out, President Obama signed HR.1540, the bill that contains the SBIR reauthorization provisions, into law. Whew! Not that I thought he wouldn't, but...<br /><br />Here's the White House Press Release on the signing: <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/12/31/statement-president-hr-1540" target="_blank">http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/12/31/statement-president-hr-1540 </a>. SBIR wasn't mentioned, of course. Sigh...<br /><br />I do want to read the bill that was signed, just to make sure no Federal Agency sneakily weaseled out of their SBIR obligation. Not that I'd think that any of them would be so callous as to do that, but...<br /><br />The next step if for the SBA to revise the Policy Directive to incorporate the changes into policies for the Agencies to administer. We're going to help them with that. They have 180 days to get the revision done, but we'd like to see it done a whole lot faster - especially since some of the provisions (e.g., eligibility) must be implemented within 120 days!!<br /><br />The coordination of that help will be through the Small Business Technology Council (<a href="http://sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a>), an arm of the National Small Business Association (<a href="http://nsba.biz/" target="_blank">NSBA</a>). Jere Glover, Executive Director of the SBTC, will be at the point. White papers will be submitted to each Agency with suggestions for productive implementation.<br /><br />If you'd like to get involved, especially with regard to a particular Agency with whom you do (or would like to do) business, join one of the committees being formed by (a) <a href="https://nsba.secu.net/secure/sbtc/09index.shtml" target="_blank">joining the SBTC</a>, and (b) contacting Alec Orban (<a href="mailto:alec@sbtc.org" target="_blank">alec@sbtc.org</a>) at the SBTC and letting him know of your interest.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[Note: it's not necessary to join the SBTC to get involved, but it's the right thing to do. They are the voice of the SBIR advocacy in DC. Please support them.]<br /></span><span><br /></span><span>I will</span><span> be making the rounds on the lecture circuit during 2012, talking about capitalizing on non-dilutive funding opportunities via strategic implementation of the new SBIR and STTR laws and policies. If you'd like to arrange to have me speak t</span><span>o your organization, please contact Brenda Keefer (<a href="mailto:info@willowmistpro.com" target="_blank">info@willowmistpro.com</a>) at <a href="http://www.willowmistpro.com/" target="_blank">Willow Mist Professional Services</a> </span><span>to discuss details.<br /><br />My <a href="http://www.sbircoach.com/page.aspx?page_id=33" target="_blank">SBIR Coach's Newsletters</a> for 2012 will focus on the new SBIR/STTR Laws and Policies, so be sure to <a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1102224430530&p=oi" target="_blank">subscribe</a>. They're free, of course.<br /><br />Well, at this point, all that's left is to wish you a ...<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tb7-OhVCEmufbJgpbwTb0En8Z-V74rbdgic_CLJNA4KnU4iQD0uPDISxCqjzVvRfYAGGnuJo2P0IklM_sqWJGfRVOJAr1KAVBO-pdiHNSdCW06ftZ01D5pyCEgsMmCeC4goqdpt-DP4/s1600/Happy+New+Year+2012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tb7-OhVCEmufbJgpbwTb0En8Z-V74rbdgic_CLJNA4KnU4iQD0uPDISxCqjzVvRfYAGGnuJo2P0IklM_sqWJGfRVOJAr1KAVBO-pdiHNSdCW06ftZ01D5pyCEgsMmCeC4goqdpt-DP4/s400/Happy+New+Year+2012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693048224011983170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fred Patterson - The SBIR Coach</span></span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">®</span></span> </div><br /><span>.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-style:italic;"></span>- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-40089621114009885412011-12-13T04:44:00.012-06:002011-12-16T07:48:12.428-06:00SBIR Reauthorization is VERY close - But don't light that cigar yet..<br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >[UPDATE: On Dec 15th, Congress approved the NDAA Bill (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1540" target="_blank">H.R.1540</a>) and sent it to President Obama for signature. See </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">SBIRreauthorization.com</a></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" > for that update. As we saw in what happened to the NIH's ARRA stimulus money (<a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2009/02/hidden-in-fine-print-sbir-explicitly.html" target=_blank>"Hidden in the Fine Print"</a>), strange things can happen to bills coming out of Conference Committee and going for signature. So pardon my hesitation to celebrate until the ink is dry and we can examine what was signed. Once we've verified that SBIR has REALLY been reauthorized as heralded, I'll publish a new commentary.]</span><br /><br />The SBIR Reauthorization fight is almost over. The House Small Business Committee has FINALLY decided to compromise in good faith. SBIR really does have a good chance to be reauthorized in the next few days without having been destroyed in the process.<br /><br />Sam Graves (R-MO), the Chairman of the House Small Business Committee, and Ralph Hall (R-TX), Chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued a Press Release on December 12th announcing that a deal had been struck with the Senate. Here's a link to that PR: <a href="http://smallbusiness.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=272194" target="_blank">http://smallbusiness.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=272194</a>.<br /><br />However - and this is a BIG HOWEVER - the fact that a deal has been struck, does not mean a bill has been passed! We're not there yet! As we've seen in the past when we were on the brink of victory, strange things can and do happen to slam-dunk bills.<br /><br />Your best source for the true skinny is to subscribe to Rick Shindell's SBIR Insider: <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/#subscribe" target="_blank">SUBSCRIBE</a>. 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mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Dear SBIR Insider, </span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We have some very encouraging news for you on the status of SBIR reauthorization, but contrary to what you may have read, SBIR has NOT been reauthorized. </span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We have been deluged with calls and emails tonight by those who said they read in another newsletter that SBIR was reauthorized. Although a deal was struck this afternoon, SBIR reauthorization has not yet happened, but we're closer than we've ever been in this iteration of the reauthorization process. </span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">An agreement between the Senate and House on SBIR/STTR reauthorization has been reached. Reauthorization is in the form of negotiated modifications to an amendment offered to the Senate's version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2012 (NDAA), by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship. </span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Because this agreement is part of the much larger NDAA, it was asked that details be kept to a minimum until the entire NDAA conference agreement is forthcoming (hopefully tomorrow, but soon).</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A few details we can present include:</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal;font-size:7pt;" > </span></span>Authorization for 6 years (through 2017)</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal;font-size:7pt;" > </span></span>Majority ownership by VC, private equity and hedge funds allowed up to 25% for NIH, DOE and NSF, and up to 15% for the others.</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal;font-size:7pt;" > </span></span>Increasing the SBIR allocation from 2.5 to 3.2 percent and the STTR allocation from .3 percent to .45 percent incrementally over the 6 years of reauthorization.</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal;font-size:7pt;" > </span></span>Allows 3% of SBIR funds for the agencies to use for administration, outreach, and increasing participation from "have not" states, and minorities.</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal;font-size:7pt;" > </span></span>Does not include House section 505, limiting awards to companies, but develops guidelines to measure success of a firm's participation.</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal;font-size:7pt;" > </span></span>Does allow (at an agency's discretion) skipping of phase I (limited to DoD, NIH, and ED).</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We will provide the details once it all comes into focus.</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in; font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica;font-size:85%;color:000000;"><span class="fsnormb">Rick Shindell<br />SBIR Gateway<br />Zyn Systems<br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir">www.zyn.com/sbir</a><br /></span></span></p><br />So, we still have a sprint to the finish to go. Stay with us by monitoring <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/" target="_blank">Rick's SBIR Insider</a> and our SBIR reauthorization update page: <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a>.<br /><br />On a personal note, I've been rather silent on this forum for a while, due to some very pressing health issues concerning my wife, Kay, and myself.<br /><br />She's been courageously fighting ovarian cancer for many years and we're now in the end game with that. Overtime, even - month nine of home-hospice and I'm her primary care-giver. (Note: Median time of a patient in hospice care is less than one month!) She asked me yesterday what I wanted for Christmas, and I replied that she'd already given me the best gift she ever could - having her with me for another Christmas.<br /><br />Then just since Labor Day, I began to fight my own personal Reauthorization Battle: Throat cancer. Stage IV out of nowhere. I've already had some surgery, and am currently in chemotherapy. I'm writing a Journal of my experiences on this journey via <a href="http://caringbridge.org/" target="_blank">CaringBridge.org</a> - a wonderful website deserving of support. Read my Journal and keep up with my progress on <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.CaringBridge.org/visit/FredPatterson/" target="_blank">www.CaringBridge.org/visit/FredPatterson/</a>. Please do leave me notes there. They lift my spirits.<br /><br />I see each course of therapy with this fight as a Continuing Resolution on my life's reauthorization. To stretch a metaphor, God signs the Bills on Fred's Life that get passed. Jesus is my Committee Chairman, and His Plan will be what gets passed to the Heavenly Desk for signature. If you'd like to offer testimony to His Committee, no invitation is necessary, and I understand He accepts knee-mail 24/7. I'm not privy to the negotiations, but can only pray that I've done what He expected me to as I've made my journey through this life. (Thank goodness Nydia isn't in that loop. God only knows what she'd expect of me!)<br /><br />I'm continuing to work as best I can. Scaling back a bit while taking treatments, of course, but serving my long-term clients as usual, and even taking on some new clients with truly innovative game-changing technologies having a dyn-o-mite Business Model to support their eventual commercialization. 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We did make a difference.<br /><br />We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah. And, of course, our very best wishes for a Happy New Year.<br /><br />Fred and Kay Patterson<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-85983421162610143562011-06-01T05:43:00.011-05:002011-06-01T08:14:50.131-05:00SBIR LIVES, despite Nydia's best efforts to kill it!.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekTjdJ_70hhx1-MLh4Df8hCpdwiH1qafZWXkGkL_2HPL51ZxFkgunjfc3piDkX_eRWBuy0Ya5YgsyMG6wSUla8V0arzIeidqjDkiJDdfBdd2CypqMmfwKsVAYQkAwtIu01Iib-u20DYc/s1600/Nydia+U-Tube+picture.JPG"><br /></a>The current incarnation of SBIR has more lives than a cat. Twelve and counting. (Details <a href="http://sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>) This SBIR CR life segment will be four months long. Then what? Will small business innovation be sold out to the bigger better funded entities?<br /><br />If Nydia has her way it will. She's so dedicated to that sell out that she even campaigned to kill SBIR rather than continue it as is. Yes, the Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee sent out a Dear Colleague letter to her fellow Democrats in the House urging a NO vote on S.1082. She wanted SBIR to die, rather than continue "as is" to allow open debate.<br /><br />She even addressed the House at the time the vote was called, and appealed for its defeat. <span style="font-weight: bold;">But in that appeal, she carefully never mentioned that it was SBIR she was killing.</span> Very clever Nydia!<br /><br />Don't believe me? Here's the proof - a YouTube video of her calling for S.1082's defeat:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxH12E1fuZk" target="_blank"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekTjdJ_70hhx1-MLh4Df8hCpdwiH1qafZWXkGkL_2HPL51ZxFkgunjfc3piDkX_eRWBuy0Ya5YgsyMG6wSUla8V0arzIeidqjDkiJDdfBdd2CypqMmfwKsVAYQkAwtIu01Iib-u20DYc/s200/Nydia+U-Tube+picture.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613200987114326722" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxH12E1fuZk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxH12E1fuZk</a><br /></div><br />Then she called for a recorded vote, and only 33 NO votes were recorded!<br /><br />THANK YOU NYDIA! Now we know who needs remedial education.<br /><br />Here's the list of those who voted NO:<br /><br /><a href="http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/112/house/1/378" target="_blank"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 341px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnTQ_OcsrxSg260DzGObIEPouN_IE_iuqqucsp-ZhdpjfhWQ7cvNA3H3uPNdmPXbtgB9hTc_kziXsVMq4oOEKOdecO1LQ5-v9ZP66RTS97o1LWJI-OfMDacVFMcVlqzdvk0M1wmNGLFo/s400/No+votes+all.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613203718329572242" border="0" /></a>Is your Congressional representative on this list? If so, YOU have work to do. The <a href="http://sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a>, <a href="http://www.smallbiotech.org/" target="_blank">SBBC</a> and others will be providing materials to ensure that when the actual SBIR Reauthorization Bill is passed, it improves the Program, not destroys it.<br /><br />Watch <a href="http://sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">SBIRreauthorization.com</a> for updates and information you can use to educate your Congressional Representatives and Senators. The current posting there is a detail map and demographics on the recorded vote on S.1082. Check it out.<br /><br />If you'd like to keep up with things in an active way, join the SBIR Advocacy. We have a Google-Group. Here's the link to join:<a href="http://groups.google.com/group/sbir-advocacy/subscribe?hl=en%C3%82%C2%ACe=1" target="_blank"> http://groups.google.com/group/sbir-advocacy/subscribe?hl=en¬e=1</a><br /><br />I've been rather silent in the past few months in this column. But expect some noise from me in the coming months. I don't know about you, but I've about had it with the political posturing. Huggem-Muggem must stop!<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-74371668753199740022011-01-27T06:55:00.004-06:002011-01-27T07:18:29.524-06:00SBIR Still Alive - Obama Misses Opportunity.<br />We're still alive! The Congress approved the 10th Continuing Resolution (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-0366" target=_blank>H.R. 366</a>) in this now 28-month-long drama on SBIR Reauthorization, and SBIR, STTR, and the DOD's Commercialization Pilot Program (CPP) have all been extended four more months, until May 31st.<br /><br />Hopefully, more of FY2011's SBIR funds will be released soon to the Agencies, and contract and grant processing can resume in those Agencies who have had to suspend those activities after their money for this ran out.<br /><br />I watched the President's State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. For a moment my heart began to race with anticipation. Here's (verbatim) what he was saying:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">"Now, the true engine of job creation in this country will always be America's businesses. (Applause.) But government can create the conditions necessary for businesses to expand and hire more workers. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We should start where most new jobs do -- in small businesses, companies that begin when -- (applause) -- companies that begin when an entrepreneur -- when an entrepreneur takes a chance on a dream, or a worker decides it's time she became her own boss. Through sheer grit and determination, these companies have weathered the recession and they're ready to grow. But when you talk to small business owners in places like Allentown, Pennsylvania, or Elyria, Ohio, you find out that even though banks on Wall Street are lending again, they're mostly lending to bigger companies. Financing remains difficult for small business owners across the country, even those that are making a profit.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So tonight, I'm proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. (Applause.) I'm also proposing a new small business tax credit -- one that will go to over one million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages. (Applause.) While we're at it, let's also eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment, and provide a tax incentive for all large businesses and all small businesses to invest in new plants and equipment. (Applause.) "</span><br /></span><br />He then moved on to another subject, and my heart rate slowly went back to normal. RATZ! What I REALLY wanted to hear and wished he would have said next was,<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“And, while we’re at it, let’s expand and improve the successful Small Business Innovation Research Program, to give those entrepreneurs who have good ideas the opportunity to build a company and create high-paying jobs, by asking them for more proposals on how to solve some of the toughest technological problems our Government Agencies face, and then funding the best of those proposals. And the good news is that this doesn’t take any new spending. SBIR is included as a portion of those R&D budgets already.” </span><br /><br />Betcha that would have gotten some bi-partisan applause and a standing ovation too!<br /><br />Unfortunately, he didn't say that. What a missed opportunity!<br /><br />But he did give us precisely the platform we needed to drive the message home to our elected Representatives.<br /><br />So that’s got to be our message. Let’s get it out there! The Small Business Technology Council (<a href="http://sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a>) will be providing guidance on fact sheets and letters to send. The NSBA's "capwiz" system will help you with sending it. Plan to send a letter to your House District's Representative, your two Senators, and to every member of the Small Business Committees in the House and Senate.<br /><br />We'll have full support for the letters, contact info for all members of the 112th Congress, and links to the systems on <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a>, so be sure to monitor that website.<br /><br />So, here we go again. Maybe this time they'll actually get it done. I don't know about you, but, for me, this continually being on life support is exhausting!<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-89458984538025933732010-12-20T05:39:00.003-06:002010-12-20T06:29:57.860-06:00Camouflage! An Innovative but Crappy Use for SBIR Reauthorization.<br />Just when you thought you’d seen everything. The lengths our limping quackers will go to make their Lame Duck session productive is absolutely stunning. But you’ve got to give them credit for innovation.<br /><br />I use <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/" target="_blank">GovTrack</a> to keep me informed of activities on bills in process with regard to SBIR. One I was tracking was <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2965" target="_blank">H.R.2965</a> – the House version of SBIR Reauthorization. When it showed action last week, I eagerly went to see what was up. The Title hadn’t changed. But the bill’s Text had changed – to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”! Huh?<br /><br />I made some quick inquiries, and was given a quick brief on the tactic being employed – using H.R.2965 as camouflage because it was far enough along in the process to avoid having to be further discussed by either chamber and could be immediately voted upon. The title of the bill wasn’t changed, just the text. We know our legislators don’t read the bills they vote on. It was to be a sneak attack. And, it worked.<br /><br />I was asked to not rattle the cage yet, as some behind-the-scenes action was simultaneously happening with the Senate’s version (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-1233" target="_blank">S.1233</a>) along with discussions with BIO that just might get things settled, and we were to “stay out of the way”. OK. I’m a good soldier. I put the “pen” down and waited.<br /><br />Last night Rick Shindell published an SBIR Insider about this monkey business. As they used to say: READ ALL ABOUT IT: <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/sb-insider12-19-10.htm" target="_blank">SBIR Insider of December 19, 2010</a>. The cat’s out of the bag, so I got out the pen.<br /><br />I know this is how things get done in Washington, but I don’t have to like it. Resorting to camouflage and subterfuge to sneak things by is just wrong. I don’t care what the issue is. Not that this is anything new to us -- the NIH's sneaky <a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2009/02/hidden-in-fine-print-sbir-explicitly.html" target="_blank">ARRA SBIR exclusion</a> is a case in point.<br /><br />Frankly, I’m fed up with political posturing, pouting, pontificating, and prevaricating. No one tells the truth about anything. They tell the politically expedient story and use perception management to make it seem like the truth.<br /><br />Yes, I have mixed emotions. On the one hand I’m delighted to see the guts ripped out of H.R.2965. It was a bad bill. But I know one thing for sure. The deliberate use of SBIR’s name for unrelated political expediency was distasteful. The crappy tactic of not changing the title when the bill has been totally changed should be illegal, but the Congress makes its own rules, and holds itself to a different standard, both legal and ethical. <br /><br />I guess I wouldn’t make a good politician. I know how to play the SBIR game, and I think I’ve played it well. But this game is another story. To have used a small business bill in this way is flat out dishonest. No one asked me, but I’m telling!<br /><br />Now what? Will this be another instance of <a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2010/11/lets-end-huggem-muggem.html" target="_blank">Huggem-Muggem</a>? Now that they've used us for their own nefarious purposes, will SBIR be summarily cast aside and handed off to the next Congress to start over?<br /><br />Or will the Senate, the House, BIO, NVCA, SBTC, and the NSBA all agree to do what's best for small business and emerge yet this session with an SBIR Reauthorization compromise we can all live with?<br /><br />Will the egos of our legislators, especially those in the House, be soothed to where they’ll act responsibly instead of selfishly? Will Nydia put her purse away? Will pigs fly?<br /><br />Don't let my disgust with the process and those who would use it for their own selfish purposes make you think I've given up. I'm basically an optimist. And a realist.<br /><br />Maybe pigs really will fly. Stay tuned.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-29741155001891491742010-12-08T11:08:00.007-06:002010-12-08T11:39:52.956-06:00Stakeholder Value from SBIR? Think Assets not Revenues!.<br />A client recently asked me to help him with a presentation that involved a chart that depicted the value derived by “stakeholders” in an SBIR project. The chart only considered the distribution of the funds provided by the grant. That made me think about the whole issue of stakeholder value in SBIR-funded ventures.<br /><br />Unfortunately, for most awardees, SBIR has little to do with market share or even market definition. It’s basically a Technology-Push facilitator. The Agencies define technology priorities or projects they’d like done. The small businesses propose a project to develop the technology to proof of concept. That’s not the same thing as a product. And most Agencies would never be the customer and buy the result of an SBIR project. They’re strictly being seed investors.<br /><br />Even for DOD, who does buy things for deployment, the resulting SBIR-developed technology innovation is not usable until it’s integrated into a solution they can actually deploy. They don’t buy technology, they buy complete and fieldable systems. That frequently requires integration and collaboration with a Prime contractor. The DOD market is what the Prime serves. It’s up to the small business to figure out who to team with to enable that integration. Their market is not the final customer of the solution – it’s the Prime. Their challenge is how to make money from what gets developed as a result of the SBIR funding.<br /><br />A grant revenue distribution diagram depicts how the money invested in the SBIR project by the Agency gets divided up among the project’s participants. That’s not what’s important. It’s all consumed by the project, so it isn’t an asset. What’s more, it shouldn’t be looked at as strictly working capital. Yes, it pays the bills, but only for this project. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A company that looks at its SBIR awards as invested capital, and considers its return on invested capital (ROIC) is more appropriately considering the asset value of the money received. </span><br /><br />What’s important from an asset perspective is how the results of the project turn into a strategic advantage for capturing market share. That rarely has anything to do with the Federal Agency that provided the SBIR seed funding. It has to do with the strength of the intellectual property position, and the ability of the company to make the deals necessary to leverage that IP position into cash. Figuring out with whom to make the deals and how that deal is structured is where the value lies. In the final analysis that has virtually nothing to do with how the SBIR award revenues were distributed.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the SBIR Program was never designed to even deal with this. It was strictly to be a way to give a small technology business a fair chance to get the seed funding. As SBIR was conceived by Roland Tibbetts back in the late ‘70s and implemented in the early ’80s, commercialization was NOT intended to be an Agency concern. While it did successfully open the door to small businesses, not including direct support for end-use deployment was probably short sighted, as, arguably, there’s no other good way to determine return on investment (ROI).<br /><br />The current reauthorization legislation is attempting to remedy this by providing some requirements for the agencies to fund Phase III and gather data on what SBIR funded companies do with the technology that gets developed. As it currently stands, virtually no consistent or reliable data on SBIR commercialization activities exists, other than ad hoc anecdotal reports.<br /><br />Marketing and market research of technologies which have some IP protection are clearly keys to figuring out how to make money from what’s been developed. Business success is most quickly (and sometimes ONLY) achieved when selling to a Market-Pull. But, the Agencies are quite specific about allowable costs in SBIR projects, and marketing, market research, and patent prosecution are explicitly NOT allowed to be included in SBIR budgets. <br /><br />This is a classic Catch-22. The ROI of an SBIR project is measured on what money the company can make from selling the developed technology, but they’re not allowed to use SBIR money to figure out how to do that. What other money do they have? And the reauthorization’s inclusion of required Agency commercialization support may not be able to overcome this without significant paradigm modifications to what the government allows its money to be used for, as it’s the Federal Acquisition Regulations that define allowability of costs. <br /><br />So, for “stakeholders” in an SBIR related venture, there’s nothing to be gleaned by simply looking at award revenue distribution.<br /><br />Who are the “stakeholders” in a venture anyhow? I see them as everyone who has something to gain or lose by associating with the venture. This includes the venture’s founders, owners, employees, suppliers (of all goods and services including consultants), investors (who may or may not be owners), subcontractors, and customers. It may also include those who are building a “culture” (e.g., a professional association) where the venture plays a supportive role. <br /><br />A “Stakeholder Value from SBIR” chart is, therefore, much more complex than a simple revenue from the grant depiction.<br /><br />Sadly, there are many “SBIR companies” out there incapable of thinking strategically from a market-driven perspective. They do nothing more than win SBIR awards, proudly looking at the Phase I/II grant/contract revenue as their “bottom line” end game. These “lifestyle companies” (some call them "SBIR Mills") are, for the most part, not sustainable in the long term and doomed to eventual failure. They don’t start out that way, but find that making that transition to commercialization is not automatic.<br /><br />Phase III is not an entitlement. It requires an entirely different focus and talent for execution not attainable by the founders or technically oriented staff. So, to survive, they stay in their comfort zone – winning SBIR awards. For them, ROI is moot.<br /><br />Value is characterized by, among other things, ROI expectations. Who has them? How do we measure them for the companies and their stakeholders – including their investors? For the Agencies? For the Taxpayer? Lots of questions. <br /><br />How we frame the answers may determine whether the SBIR program flourishes and grows as an innovation driver, languishes as an “entitlement”, or even survives. Any thoughts? <br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-47575045589669674312010-11-04T09:34:00.002-05:002010-11-04T09:54:19.563-05:00Let’s End “Huggem-Muggem”!.<br />An open letter to the Republican House Leadership:<br /><br />Legendary SBIR advocate, Milt Stewart, said it best in observing how Congress treats small business, “In public they hug them, in private they mug them!” I call this the Huggem-Muggem syndrome.<br /><br />As the House of Representatives changes leadership, and with Republicans once again controlling Committee Chairmanships, perhaps we can get the legislative agenda changed back to enabling free market growth. Crucial to this will be what policies are driving enacted legislation that truly enables small businesses to fulfill their historical position of driving the innovation economy and making major contributions to US economic growth. Unfortunately, small business currently gets Huggem-Muggem: lots of lip service but very little <u>productive</u> legislative action that facilitates their creation of non-government jobs.<br /><br />The new Chairmanship of the House Small Business Committee will be key to successfully fulfilling that job-creation goal. The incumbent, Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), has steadfastly blocked all efforts to openly debate many SBA initiatives, including the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program before her committee. Instead she has openly demeaned the small businesses she is supposed to support in favor of advancing the agendas of larger special interests which fund her re-election campaigns. Unfortunately, the heir apparent to the SBC Chair, Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), has, time and time again, supported her outrageous behavior. Lots of Muggem without any Huggem!<br /><br />Regarding the very successful 28 year-old SBIR Program, which has languished with Continuing Resolutions for two years due to Velazquez’s refusal to consider the Senate’s reasonable compromise to the differences between Senate and House versions of a reauthorization bill, having a House SBC Chairman who will take small business interests into consideration is of extreme importance. Please exert whatever influence you can to ensure that this happens.<br /><br />SBIR has enjoyed considerable bi-partisan support over the years, and frankly, some of its most faithful supporters have been Democrats. Passing an SBIR Reauthorization bill acceptable to all sides of the issues is certainly possible. Just think of the positive message this will send to the country. All it takes is the willingness of both sides to be reasonable.<br /><br />As it stands at the moment under the current CR, the SBIR Program will expire at the end of January, 2011. While it’s not impossible that a compromise SBIR Reauthorization bill could be approved in the upcoming Lame Duck session, it’s very unlikely that will occur. What must be prevented is Lame Duck SBC Chair Velazquez getting her way, performing another Muggem, and sneaking the current House version into law against, among other things, the will of the Senate.<br /><br />I would be pleased to fully brief any House Member and his or her legislative aides on the issues at play with SBIR. One source for information is the website<a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank"> www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a>. Others are the Small Business Technology Council (<a href="http://www.sbtc.org/" target="_blank">www.SBTC.org</a>), the SBIR Insider (<a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/" target="_blank">www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/</a>) and my SBIR Coach’s Playbook opinion column (<a href="http://www.sbirplaybook.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRplaybook.com</a>).<br /><br />Thanks for paying attention to this. With new leadership and the proper resolve, let’s make ending Small Business “Huggem-Muggem” syndrome a top priority for the 112th Congress! 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locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]-->- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-37403763561266896842010-09-29T04:06:00.003-05:002010-09-29T04:27:48.761-05:00Velazquez Caves Under Pressure -- SBIR Extended.<br />We did it! Hundreds of calls and letters produced an overwhelming level of bipartisan peer pressure that even the most stubborn Committee Chair couldn't stand up against.<br /><br />A special issue of Rick Shindell's <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/sb-insider09-28-10.htm" target="_blank">Insider</a>, written from the scene of the almost crime, reports on some of the details:<br /><br /><blockquote>HOUSE PASSES SBIR/STTR/CPP EXTENSION THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2011<br /><br />Borrowing the title of a song from My Fair Lady, "You Did It!" There was thunder on Capitol Hill today as hundreds of you responded to an emergency call to action (from many people and organizations) to save the SBIR program from lapsing, and that you did it!<br /><br />Around 7:00pm this evening, Nydia Velazquez under pressure from her peers and the House leadership, accepted the Senate's SBIR and SBA extender bill, she and moved to suspend the rules to pass S.3839 without amendments. That has now happened and the SBIR program will be extended through January 31, 2011, pending signature of the President (virtually automatic), who supports the bill.<br /><br />This is the 9th continuing resolution for SBIR, which in and of itself is an outrage, but perhaps Velazquez & Day are now wounded and certainly embarrassed, having been rolled over by the House leadership twice in as many weeks. The Senate has worked strenuously in bipartisan fashion to construct a compromise that Nydia & Day would accept, but they showed little interest.<br /><br />We will provide a postmortem of this escapade in a future issue to show how close we came to a programmatic lapse. Your voices played a major role in getting the support to overrule Velazquez.<br /><br />Nowhere were the cries for passing S.3839 stronger than from the great state of Massachusetts. Not only are they the second largest SBIR award winning state, but also the most organized. To that end, two of their congressionals played major roles in this victory, Ed Markey (D-MA) and Niki Tsongas (D-MA). Tsongas wrote a powerful "Dear Colleague" letter (signed by supporters) that truly made a difference. There are many more heros and we'll cover that next week. </blockquote><br /><br />So, we can stop holding our collective breath for a little while, but there's much to do. Rick continues:<br /><br /><blockquote>WHAT'S NEXT<br /><br />This fight is far from over, but the tide is turning. The big challenge for you is to get out and educate the candidates running for election. Do it not only for the candidate of your choice, but to the opposition as well. Attend their rallies, talk to their staff, and to the press. Undoubtedly there will be many new freshman congressmen and senators coming in to the next congress and you'll want them to know about the importance of the SBIR/STTR programs to your business and the economy. Also, step up to the plate and publicly thank those who have supported your programs, and don't be afraid to criticize those who didn't. </blockquote><br /><br />So thanks to all of you who jumped on this and turned around the hostage situation with a favorable outcome.<br /><br />Jere Glover's Small Business Technology Council (<a href="http://sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a>) has promised to provide some good educational information for us to use in this educational effort. I urge you to please join the SBTC and help support Jere and the others who volunteer their time for SBIR advocacy. If you're an SBIR supporter, it's the right thing to do.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-6571616651765568002010-09-28T06:35:00.006-05:002010-09-29T06:01:02.801-05:00Velazquez Holding SBIR Hostage for Lame Duck Ploy<span style="font-size:85%;"><span id="{79227F13-1C9C-4238-8E00-8AEC965735E3}" style="font-style: italic;">. <br /></span></span><div id="{B81210D0-FDE9-4AFC-9E5E-D7FCF25801D9}" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span id="{79227F13-1C9C-4238-8E00-8AEC965735E3}" style="font-style: italic;">[UPDATE 9/29: Nydia Caved Under Pressure! </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span id="{79227F13-1C9C-4238-8E00-8AEC965735E3}" style="font-style: italic;">Read this and then click <a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2010/09/velazquez-caves-under-pressure-sbir.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> for the update.]</span></span><br />__________________________________<br /></div><br />Incredible! And I wish I could say unbelievable! But, sadly, I'm not really surprised.<br /><br />The illustrious Chairlady of the House Small Business Committee, Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), evidently holds herself above the will of both the Senate and the House. Is this a manifestation of self-importance (with a touch of petulance) or just selfish personal pocket-book protection? Or maybe both. I have my opinion, but you can draw your own conclusions. <span id="{406C75ED-442B-4FD9-ABEA-12F51470A86B}" style="font-style: italic;"> (Rumor has it she was recently seen shopping at Macy's for a bigger pocket-book.)</span><br /><br />In an obvious ploy to sneak into law her provisions for opening up the SBIR program to unrestricted VC controlled company access to these funds, with jumbo awards to boot, she is defying the will of the Senate and many of her own Party in the House to get her way. The intent is to use the post-election Lame Duck session to tack her version of SBIR Reauthorization onto otherwise untouchable emergency legislation.<br /><br />In his usual inimitable and eloquent style, Rick Shindell blew the whistle on this in his <a href="http://zyn.com/sbir/insider/" target="_blank">SBIR Insider</a> of September 27:<br /><br /><blockquote>SBIR/STTR/CPP EXPIRATION LOOMS<br /><br />The SBIR/STTR/CPP now appears likely to expire on Thursday night, September 30. Some will deny it but here's what's happening.<br /><br />Allegedly the Senate and House were close to a compromise complete with an 8 year reauthorization of SBIR/STTR/CPP but each time it goes back to the House (Nydia & Day), they change the VC language to masquerade 100% VC involvement as a compromise.<br /><br />Because time is so short, the Senate passed a bill (S.3839) to simply extend SBIR/STTR/CPP through January 31, 2011. The House was going to pass it on Wednesday with the President signing Thursday. However, the word on the street is that Nydia Velazquez, chair of the House Small Business Committee, and her illustrious second, Michael Day, are rejecting the bill and are poised to let SBIR expire if necessary, at least in the short term.<br /><br />It seems that Velazquez's hope is to move the SBIR reauthorization into the lame duck session and incorporate all her Wall Street investors' 100% non-compromise VC ownership and jumbo award support into a must pass, end of the year omnibus bill that can't be touched by her detractors.<br /><br />This sounds like a script for TV, but several years ago we had a similar year end omnibus situation involving Nydia (as ranking member) and Sam Graves (subcommittee chair) and BIO/NVCA, but the main difference was that the small business committee chair was Donald Manzullo who nipped it in the bud. In our scenario today we have to look to the House leadership to do it, but it will take your involvement.<br /><br />Many senior people in the democratic party called for the House to support the Senate compromise bill H.R. 2965, but Nydia ignored those calls, as did Jason Altmire, the creator of this infamous Altmire Quagmire. Now Nydia's really "miffed" because last week she tried to "scrub" H.R.5297, the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, but the Obama administration and Speaker Pelosi rolled her over and passed it.<br /></blockquote><br />Rick includes a <span id="{33D15229-5A93-43BE-9F31-1AFD46816FD1}" style="font-weight: bold;">Call To Action</span> to marshal support to prevent this Velazquez ploy from succeeding. You can read about it on the <a href="http://zyn.com/sbir/insider/sb-insider09-27-10.htm#two" target="_blank">SBIR Insider</a> itself, or on <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a>.<br /><br />Rick concludes his comments with a discussion of what happens if SBIR lapses, even for a short time:<br /><br /><blockquote>Theoretically those projects (grants and contracts) that are already in place should be okay, but some not. All new unsigned agreements would stop. Agency comptrollers may start adjusting their budgets to put the overall 2.8% SBIR/STTR back into their own research pools. Administrative funding for SBIR could be severely cut back. Remember, all of your grants and contracts are "subject to the availability of funding."<br /><br />On the other hand, SBIR can be voluntary, so some agencies may choose to keep their SBIR doors open, hoping for, or expecting the reinstatement of the program. </blockquote><br /><br />I agree with Rick. For SBIR to lapse, even for a short time, is bad for you and the agencies.<br /><br />Please join our <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://zyn.com/sbir/insider/sb-insider09-27-10.htm#two" target="_blank">Call to Action</a> and stop Nydia in her tracks.<br /><br /><span id="{41EC76D1-DBAE-4768-A3EA-3569AA1E9B58}" style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">REMIND EVERYONE YOU CONTACT THAT THEIR INACTION IN LETTING A SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM DIE WILL NOT PLAY WELL IN THEIR RE-ELECTION CHANCES!</span><br /><br />Monitor what happens on <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a>.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-34102388869901735892010-09-22T08:45:00.010-05:002010-09-26T14:12:10.707-05:00Re-inventing SBIR?.<br />They've been meeting for almost a year with good intent: make SBIR more "effective and efficient". They're calling it <a href="http://indus.sba.gov/sbir2/index.html" target="_blank">SBIR 2.0</a> - borrowing on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0">Web 2.0</a> lexicon that heralded the shift from passive viewing of web content to active interaction among all elements of the web community (from content creators to content users) in a collaborative fashion.<br /><br />Don't be fooled. It's not the same thing. Not even close. They're talking the talk. But not walking the walk.<br /><br />Collaboration? Among newbie Agency SBIR Directors (the content creators) - maybe. Are SBIR funded companies (the content users) involved? Nope. Were past and retired SBIR Program Directors consulted? Nope. Were SBIR's founders consulted? Nope. <span id="{9B3F585C-0D10-4A9D-AACA-75BE5630E33E}" style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > (I'm certainly not in the loop -- not that I should be, although I do have ideas that could have merit -- so if some of the "Nopes" are erroneous, I apologize. But I bet the Nopes are pretty accurate.) </span><br /><br />The SBIR 2.0 effort is being spearheaded by Sean Greene, the SBA's Associate Administrator for Investment and Special Advisor for Innovation. (Don'tcha just love government titles?) He's a good guy, a true friend to SBIR, and, as I said, well intentioned. But the naivete here is disturbing.<br /><br />Here's a quick outline of what's included in the <a href="http://indus.sba.gov/sbir2/index.html" target="_blank">SBA's SBIR 2.0</a> initiative:<br /><br /><u>Simplification and Streamlining</u><br />- Shortening the contract/grant initiation period after award<br />- Building a web portal to search for available open topics<br />- Clarify and simplify SBIR Data Rights<br /><u>Shared Best Practices</u><br />- Expanding bridge financing programs (between Phases)<br />- Expanding SBIR to facilitate tech transfer (ala NIST)<br />- Issuing joint agency solicitations<br /><u>Better Performance Management</u><br />- Implement common performance metrics across agencies<br />- Share performance data publicly<br /><br />Ambitious for sure! It would be marvelous to get all of that to work. But, folks, it ain't gonna happen quickly. Some aspects may not happen at all. The challenges are daunting. Some of the issues have been debated for years without consensus!<br /><br />Every one of the agencies can improve the efficiency of project initiation after award. All it takes is money allocated to pay for administration. They haven't got any for this. Current SBIR law doesn't allow use of SBIR apportioned funds for admin. Unfortunately, last I knew, SBIR reauthorization which may fix that provision, hasn't happened yet.<br /><br />And, at least for DOD, the SBIR Program Managers have NO CLOUT WHATEVER with component contracting authorities, who completely control the contract initiation process. I've seen contracting delays of as much as two YEARS! And, if they did have some clout, the current Army default of Phase I payments every two or three months (instead of monthly) wouldn't be the practice. Can you spell "cash flow"?<br /><br />A "one-stop-shop" portal with a topic search feature? Gee, don't we already have one? It's called <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir" target="_blank">The SBIR Gateway</a>. Not a penny of government money funds it, by the way. The "official" SBIR website (<a href="http://www.sbir.gov/" target="_blank">SBIR.gov</a>) certainly could use some work - and a topic search engine - but why waste taxpayer money re-creating something that already works? Or is it simply a control issue?<br /><br />Getting agencies to work together for improved SBIR efficiency? Don't make me laugh. The agencies are too different and too bureaucratically rigid to make any "one style fits all" approach work. Just the difference in competition compliance requirements between contracting and granting agencies alone makes the whole effort quite unlikely.<br /><br />Clarifying SBIR Data Rights? PLEASE DO! But this involves getting lawyers to agree. Good luck with that. <a href="mailto:ronald.cooper@sba.gov">Ron Cooper</a>, another good guy from the SBA, is at the point for this. If you have ideas, he'd like to hear them.<br /><br />They're trying a working-together experiment - a five-agency (NIH, DARPA, DHS, NSF, and USDA) joint solicitation on Robotics. Just announced. Here's the info: <a href="http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-279.html" target="_blank">http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-279.html</a>. <span id="{139E3799-888B-458F-83E1-FD038DD83EAB}" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Warning: Take two aspirin before reading, and call me in the morning. </span> Heaven help us, the NIH SBIR application system will be used to collect all five agencies' Robotics proposals!<br /><br />The NIH's system? Yikes! Y'all know what I think about it: <a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2010/04/nih-sbir-proposal-submission-process.html" target="_blank">It Sucks!</a> For those of you who are used to doing DOD SBIR proposals, be prepared for EXTREME frustration! I've even put out an <a href="http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs082/1102224430530/archive/1103714724541.html" target="_blank">SBIR Coach's Newsletter issue</a> about what to expect.<br /><br />Regarding expanding bridge and commercialization funding, Kristina Johnson, the person at DOE who got their first of its kind Phase III funding initiatives in place, is <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/119423-energy-department-loses-two-top-officials" target="_blank">apparently</a> and suddenly leaving the agency. And the NIST "<a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2009/11/clever-clara-seeks-to-close-research.html" target="_blank">SBIR TT</a>" program cited as the example for innovative SBIR tech transfer just lost it's creator, Cara Asmail, who's moved on to another NIST post. We have a leadership gap.<br /><br />The turnover issue also extends to agency SBIR Program Director/Manager roles, as many newcomers are sitting in those chairs this year. I wonder how many of them have actually read the <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/sbres/sba-pd/" target="_blank">SBIR Policy Directive</a>? Probably about as many as our legislators who actually read the bills they vote for.<br /><br />Finally, common performance metrics? Oh, please! The agencies don't currently have ANY meaningful SBIR performance metrics. At the <a href="https://www.beyondphaseii.com/" target="_blank">Beyond Phase II Conference</a> last week, we were shown some (I thought suspicious) statistics on alleged SBIR performance, but there's no consensus on what constitutes SBIR success and no data gathering that has integrity or accuracy. I'm sure the SBIR funded companies have quite a different view of "success metrics" than do the agencies. Who provides the data? Who collects it? Who is to analyze it? What's to be done with the results? All still undefined.<br /><br />I'm not usually pessimistic, but it's hard to have optimism about SBIR 2.0. Just being well intentioned doesn't cut the mustard. Maybe I'm jaded. Maybe I'm tired of being told to "trust" and "have hope" for "change" we can count on.<br /><br />Change huh? This Administration's idea of "change" makes me shudder. (And make no mistake about it, the SBA is an arm of this Administration.) Will "simplification" mean adoption of the NIH's horribly complex SBIR collection and evaluation system? Will "best practices" for laying SBIR eggs (and making them into omelets) be defined by the eggs rather than the chickens? Will "performance metrics" have anything to do with creating jobs and producing innovative technology by giving small businesses access to Federal R&D opportunities?<br /><br />Until SBIR is reauthorized, much of this is moot. Any efficiency changes will be limited and intra-agency. And, Lord knows, intra-agency efficiency changes are sorely needed! Effectiveness changes? Who knows what that even means?<br /><br />I do applaud what Sean Greene and the Agency SBIR Program Directors (with a special nod to Chris Rinaldi at DOD) are trying to do with SBIR 2.0. They're sincere and trying hard to do what's best for SBIR. I just entreat them to do it smart and not ignore the user community and what's been tried in the past. Involve Roland Tibbetts, Ann Eskesen, and Jere Glover in the dialog and listen to what they have to say. Involve small business and their advocacy arm, the <a href="http://www.sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a>, too. Make SBIR 2.0 truly collaborative.<br /><br />If you're going to talk the talk, please walk the walk.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-34375023059335282432010-09-06T09:19:00.008-05:002010-09-06T13:43:54.754-05:00SBIR Reauthorization? Hit the Reset Button..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjjYg2Q6pMixkmNCsH1Cqi5Pu5jravQoMF8y0QofRPJBMYVFgojQUX5C2AolKKGtykkRZhoR1-AZ6N-_pXU2LDOLkA9nVLQObcxD3e3XCE8fJmXH-aAD-ef46JfAVg1ZgnfTHtHf9Geo/s1600/Reset+Button.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjjYg2Q6pMixkmNCsH1Cqi5Pu5jravQoMF8y0QofRPJBMYVFgojQUX5C2AolKKGtykkRZhoR1-AZ6N-_pXU2LDOLkA9nVLQObcxD3e3XCE8fJmXH-aAD-ef46JfAVg1ZgnfTHtHf9Geo/s200/Reset+Button.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513872731804756738" border="0" /></a><br />It ain't gonna happen this year folks. The 111th Congress will be remembered for many things. Reauthorizing SBIR won't be among them.<br /><br />But, don't worry, they won't let it die. No one wants to be accused of killing a small business program. So it'll be extended as is, with yet another Continuing Resolution, and the 112th will have to start over. With a clean slate. All unresolved legislation is trashed, ya' know.<br /><br />Hit the Reset Button. It'll be a brand new game.<br /><br />If the polls are even close to being accurate, there will be a lot of new faces in both the House and Senate. Many of these new legislators are likely to have never even heard of SBIR. So we must start over again with educating, persuading, persisting.<br /><br />And we'll have new Congressional leadership, both at the top and on Committees. In the case of the House Small Business Committee, that's a good thing. Nydia needs a vacation. She works so hard on behalf of her constituents and supporters' pet projects. Too bad SBIR has never been one of them.<br /><br />Those of you from Missouri -- get ready to "show me" some style. If the Republicans gain control of the House, Sam Graves is likely to be the new SBC Chair. At least his district of north Kansas City and St. Joseph may actually have some SBIR funded companies in it! Make sure he knows how you feel.<br /><br />It's also a brand new game at many of the SBIR Agencies. The three biggest in terms of SBIR budgets, DOD, NIH and DOE, all have new leadership at the Program Director level.<br /><br />Defense, the Big Gorilla with over $1 Billion of SBIR and STTR projects annually, has had Chris Rinaldi at the DOD SBIR helm for just a few months. He's still getting his feet wet. And he's got a bunch of new faces at the twelve DOD component desks as well, as DOD's had a bunch of recent SBIR office retirements including Connie Jacobs (DARPA) and Steve Guilfoos (AF). New game here for sure.<br /><br />Energy still hasn't officially settled on the replacement for Larry James and has Vince Dattoria serving as Acting SBIR Program Director. No telling what's going to evolve there. But, DOE has done more than any other agency to use their Stimulus Funds for small business R&D projects, so there's hope.<br /><br />But the biggest new game is at the NIH, where Jo Anne Goodnight recently announced that she is retiring from government service this month. No announcement yet as to who will be replacing her as NIH SBIR Program Director, but Kay Etzler is certainly qualified and capable of handling that job! Heck, she did it most of last year when Jo Anne was on temporary assignment to the Senate. I haven't asked her if she's even put her hat in the ring, but if they don't give Kay the job, watch out. That could very likely portend a significant shift in NIH SBIR policy.<br /><br />Jo Anne will really be missed, especially by me. She and I haven't always agreed on SBIR policy implementation, but she's been a respected friend. SBIR Conferences just won't be the same without her. Her "SBIR 101" presentations are classic and legendary. She and Joe Hennebury from DOT (also recently retired) were mainstays as the primary cheerleaders for the Program. Now who's going to pick up that slack?<br /><br />Another SBIR office that's lost a star is NIST. Clara Asmail, in my opinion the most creative thinker among the SBIR Directors, has moved to another NIST post. Hopefully what she started at NIST (see my column on this: <a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2009/11/clever-clara-seeks-to-close-research.html" target="_blank">Clever Clara...</a>) won't be allowed to fade away.<br /><br />So, it's pretty much a brand new game. On all fronts. Hit the Reset Button.<br /><br />I predict this eighth SBIR CR will likely be for seven months, taking us to April 30th of 2011.<br /><br />We'll have a few months of nothing doing while Congress re-boots and the 112th gets started. New SBIR Reauthorization bills will be introduced by the House and Senate Small Business Committees. Probably similar to the current ones, but hopefully a bit closer together in concept.<br /><br />Here we go again. Monitor <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a> for updates.<br /><br />Meanwhile, there are three important events coming up this fall that The SBIR Coach will be participating in as a sponsor or speaker:<br /><ul><li>The DOD's <a href="https://www.beyondphaseii.com/" target="_blank">Beyond Phase II SBIR Conference</a> in San Antonio (Sep 13-17),</li><li>The National Association of Seed and Venture Funds (<a href="http://nasvf.org/" target="_blank">NASVF</a>) <a href="http://nasvf.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=48" target="_blank">Annual Conference</a> in Baltimore (Oct 13-15), and </li><li>The <a href="http://www.sbirok.org/">Fall 2010 SBIR National Conference</a> in Oklahoma City (Nov 8-10). </li></ul>If you're attending be sure to look me up and we can talk about your SBIR commercialization game plan. You'd better have one. Companies don't get the luxury of having Reset Buttons!<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-72319403892283220342010-08-15T07:32:00.008-05:002012-04-17T10:00:04.683-05:00Sometimes it does take a Rocket Scientist!.<br />I decided a couple of months ago that beating the SBIR drum was just making noise that no one (but a few of us in what's loosely called the Advocacy) cared about. I was getting a headache and decided I'd had enough. I wasn't going to write any more about SBIR reauthorization until something significant happened.<br /><br />Well, nothing significant (or at least that's made any difference in getting a bill passed) has occurred, except for some behind-the-scenes (don'tcha just love the transparency) maneuvering to get the Senate's compromise worded so both the House and Senate can agree on something. They couldn't get it done by the end of July, so it's now September 30th before we'll, probably at the last minute, see a bill. Hopefully. But, frankly, after what's gone on this year, nothing our legislators do will surprise me. (Monitor <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a> and Rick Shindell's <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/" target="_blank">SBIR Insider</a> for updates.)<br /><br />This isn't rocket science. It shouldn't be so hard to come up with an SBIR compromise if everyone involved really was interested in defining a program that worked better than what we've got. Wishful thinking perhaps, but ya' know, maybe they need to engage rocket scientists to work on this instead of lawyers. At some point, everyone needs a rocket scientist to get past a really tough problem and make things work better.<br /><br />Hmmm... Don'tcha wish you could call up a "hire a rocket scientist" service and quickly get one to work on a tough problem you've got? No strings attached? And that service be free? ... Actually you can. Really!<br /><br />I had coffee last week with Shaun Tinoco of The Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP). I thought I knew just about everything available to small technology businesses, especially the free (and non-dilutive) support opportunities, but the SATOP opportunity had eluded my ken.<br /><br />As Shaun enthusiastically explained:<span style="font-style: italic;"> "The SATOP program helps those small businesses and entrepreneurs that have hit a bump in the road during their product development. By simply submitting a short Request for Technical Assistance (RTA) via our website:</span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.spacetechsolutions.com/" target="_blank"> http://www.spacetechsolutions.com/</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, they will be put in touch with the brightest engineers and researchers to solve their specific issue within 40 hours. This gets them back on the road to future revenue generation in a short time-frame and <u>at no financial cost</u>."</span><br /><br />While this is a NASA supported program, no NASA connection is necessary. Any small business may apply. And the technologies involved need not be just ones NASA might be interested in. Just take a gander at their "<a href="http://www.spacetechsolutions.com/success.asp" target="_blank">Success Stories</a>". A couple dozen industries have been helped, including consumer products and food processing.<br /><br />And did you catch that this "rocket scientist" (likely to be an employee of one of the big NASA prime contractors) you'll be engaging with comes <span style="font-weight: bold;">absolutely free of charge</span>? In fact, more than 50 different aerospace companies, universities, and NASA centers have committed in excess of 30,000 hours to providing this free assistance to small businesses via SATOP. In the famous words of NASA legend Wernher von Braun, "It verks!"<br /><br />Want an informative 2-page SATOP flyer? Click on the Astronaut to download it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sbircoach.com/files/SATOP_Promo-Rocket%20_Scientist.pdf" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 168px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTaRZwvy_VY0PTPh8_7f_eNS8OS6K1f58WACmPG2XTAHxCHryYZgTq-hsTi0Zn_WPn206ezq2puCzwBjSMGDWwmx8_0FIxF6v1WzAGMhwQLlXBD-dERqYiLSutrdDfNk8iYfq6pyaxpI/s200/Astronaut+poster.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505614582673301458" border="0" /></a><br />Shaun's final word: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Small businesses should not pass up this opportunity for free NASA support while federal funding is in place."</span> I agree, Shaun!<br /><br />There's so much more to talk about than reauthorization. I got in a rut about it, but have climbed out, and picked up the "pen" again. Expect more from me on a more regular basis. Thanks to the many of you who have encouraged me to write.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-83007847781589843632010-04-29T09:42:00.007-05:002010-04-29T20:44:53.721-05:00Greed Drives Continued Campaign to Hijack SBIR's Funding Base.<br />We're getting it from all sides. Small business is being pushed by big bullies. What we get from SBIR funding is tantamount to lunch money -- just enough to keep us from starving. But they want it. Want it all. Want it bad enough to lie and cheat to get it.<br /><br />Yes, lie.<br /><br />The bullies make statements asserting that VC funded businesses can't participate in SBIR. Of course they can. The companies just can't be controlled by VCs and still be eligible. And they tearfully make statements asserting that VC controlled company SBIR eligibility was "taken away" in 2002. Bullfrogfeathers. It was never allowed. Tell a lie often enough and people begin to believe it. Trouble is, it's our elected officials who believe the lies. Or (tucking campaign fund envelopes in their pockets or purses) choose to ignore the truth.<br /><br />And, yes, cheat.<br /><br />Will someone please ask Representative Jason Altmire (D-PA-4) why he keeps trying to cheat the system by sneaking the House version of SBIR Reauthorization (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-2965" target="_blank">HR. 2965</a>) into other legislation? This is a bad bill. Viewed by everyone other than the NVCA/BIO bullies as being destructive to true small business innovation. <br /><br />Altmire tried a couple of months ago to sneak it into the first Jobs Bill. Word is it was stopped by the Speaker after a rather rapid and loud outcry by small businesses all over the country. Altmire's on the House Small Business Committee. Isn't he supposed to be looking out for small business interests? Why is he taking the side of the bullies?<br /><br />And, he's trying again. In a "dear colleague" letter sent out a few days ago, Altmire asked for support for including HR 2965 in the new "Jobs" bill, asserting that this was a "compromise" and good for small business. More bullfrogfeathers! In fact, the House Small Business Committee has steadfastly refused to negotiate with the Senate's Small Business Committee and hasn't even considered a compromise version of their much more reasonable SBIR reauthorization bill (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-1233" target="_blank">S.1233</a>) that was presented to it last October! <br /><br />What's more, Altmire's letter was not signed by a single true small business. Lots of Universities and Big Businesses signed it though. This hijacking attempt is both a lie and a cheat! <br /><br />We're appealing to the Speaker to again quash this attempt to cheat the system. (Join the <a href="http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs082/1102224430530/archive/1103347831346.html" target="_blank">Stop Altmire campaign</a>!)<br /><br />The bullies have gotten $1.5 BILLION in new funding from a combination of provisions in the recently enacted Health Care Reform Bill and the Jobs Bill. You'd think that would make them happy and they'd leave us alone for a while. All it's done is make them more greedy, emboldened to go and get it all. They're well funded and determined. And did I say greedy?<br /><br />Even the Finance Reform bill inadvertently threatens small business via an unintended consequence of redefining accreditation of Angel investors and the process of doing funding deals. (Join the <a href="http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs082/1102224430530/archive/1103340739074.html" target="_blank">Save the Angels campaign</a>!)<br /><br />There have been a few voices out there on behalf of small business. The <a href="http://sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a>, <a href="http://www.inknowvation.com/" target="_blank">Ann Eskesen</a>, and <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/" target="_blank">Rick Shindell</a>, for example, have tried valiantly to get out the word and counter the lies. And there are a host of other advocates who do their best to spread the word. Largely, these efforts have been ad hoc and woefully underfunded.<br /><br />A new group has formed to try and organize some truth and reasonableness into this mess. It's called the Small Biotechnology Business Coalition (SBBC). Check out their website: <a href="http://www.smallbiotech.org/" target="_blank">http://www.smallbiotech.org</a>. See everything they're into. If you're a biotech small business, join. If you're interested in supporting small biotech businesses, join. Any of you not covered by that? Join anyhow.<br /><br />And, finally, in my <a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2010/04/sbir-companies-futures-threatened-by.html" target=_blank>last column</a>, I mused about antibacterial lip balm for our legislators' excessive lip-service challenged chapped lips. Little did I know there actually is one. And, it's incredibly (some might say appropriately) branded:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TKtY658FNLpU_E2cvwhEjnbmy6WqVYRH7EdwI59DoUhkRdslxsWNFu_ox6Tojo-0b0lJj_O55s9o2UoQy_q9m6XJEaQfdjGpDEdq5lhLT_oeqqmkc1BDaRTuLXxS7CLunZsOhhLukck/s1600/Thieves+Oil.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 78px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TKtY658FNLpU_E2cvwhEjnbmy6WqVYRH7EdwI59DoUhkRdslxsWNFu_ox6Tojo-0b0lJj_O55s9o2UoQy_q9m6XJEaQfdjGpDEdq5lhLT_oeqqmkc1BDaRTuLXxS7CLunZsOhhLukck/s320/Thieves+Oil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465571317069311394" border="0" /></a><br />Nothing to add to this, folks. I rest my case.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-86848689588463619572010-04-26T04:28:00.004-05:002010-04-27T11:56:11.027-05:00SBIR Companies' Futures Threatened by Finance Reform Unintended Consequences.<br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">UPDATE: The Senate's Cloture Vote failed on Monday, but they'll try again. It's not too late to follow this guidance ...</span><br />.<br />It's so tiresome. Every time I hear one of our politicos, from the top guy on down, talk up the importance of small business I just want to puke. Not because what they're saying isn't true. Quite the contrary. It is true. It's the lip service they pay.<br /><br />Not only do they not find the time or take the effort to actually enact legislation that's beneficial to the growth of small business, but they don't even stop to think about the consequences to small business when they try and fix something they think is broken.<br /><br />This time it's Finance Reform. <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-3217" target="_blank">S.3217</a> to be precise. The Congress is hell bent on fixing Wall Street. We're not going to debate here whether they're doing it right, and God knows there are aspects that do need overhaul, but it's the unintended consequence to small business that I'm upset about.<br /><br />SBIR only takes you so far. To proof-of-concept. Right up to the edge of the Valley of Death. Then other funding is needed to get you to a marketplace. So what does S.3217 do? Cut off the most likely funding source. Angel Investors. That's right, S.3217 kills the Angels.<br /><br />The Small Business Technology Council (<a href="http://sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a>), led by my friend Jere Glover, began beating the drum on this as soon as the bill was made available for reading. (Yes, some of us actually do read these things.) Senator Dodd has assured Jere that they'll put in some amendments to save the Angels, but you'll pardon me if I don't just sit back and trust it to get done.<br /><br />The deadline for introducing amendments to S.3217 is TODAY, Monday, April 26th, as the Senate will call for a Cloture vote at around 5PM EDT. So it's time to marshal the troops, warm up the fax machines, and be proactive.<br /><br />I sent out an URGENT ALERT Newsletter to my clients and friends list yesterday. Here's a short link to the Newsletter:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://budurl.com/SaveTheAngels" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://budurl.com/SaveTheAngels</span> </a><br /></div>It has the Call to Action with links to resource materials and a template of a letter you can send to your Senators urging inclusion of the "Save the Angels" amendments.<br /><br />Read the information in the Newsletter carefully. Follow all the links and get informed. Send a letter or two or twenty. Then, spread the word. Forward this info around to anyone who can help us.<br /><br />I've already heard from some of my contacts that they're re-broadcasting the Alert to their lists, doing Tweets and recruiting Facebook friends to help Save the Angels. One of these is my friend <a href="http://fiscalclinic.com/2010/04/25/urgent-call-to-action--finance-reform-bill-has-unintended-consequences--guest-blog.aspx" target="_blank">The Fiscal Doctor</a>. (Thanks, Gary! Much appreciated.) Check him out -- he has good advice for emerging companies.<br /><br />All that lip service has to be quite chafing. I wonder if they have trouble keeping lip balm in stock at the Capitol commissary? Hope they offer an anti-bacterial version for use with lobbyists!<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-91045076169233017292010-04-06T05:58:00.003-05:002010-04-06T06:44:59.471-05:00The NIH SBIR proposal submission process SUCKS!.<br />There. I said it. And I meant it.<br /><br />Over the last few weeks I coached five companies through the intimidating, arduous, and demeaning NIH SBIR proposal submission process for the April 5th deadline. A few of them may need therapy, but by and large, they all survived the process. The jury's still out on me! What's the treatment for "craniac arrest"? I'm getting too old to work this hard!<br /><br />Why does the NIH's SBIR process have to be so difficult? Required registrations on THREE websites, with multiple registrations on two of them. Just that alone may take a week or two. One of the websites, the NIH's eRA Commons, requires a faxed signature page! Even the IRS eschews that now.<br /><br />Then, if that wasn't enough, one has to deal with an Adobe Form system with eleven major subforms (one mandatory subform marked "optional") and at least a dozen PDF attachments needed for those subforms, some with page limits, others not. There are dozens of fields and buttons to be filled in and selected, and you'd better do it just so. Or else.<br /><br />Yes, the NIH provides an <a href="http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/SF424_RR_Guide_SBIR_STTR_Adobe_VerB.doc" target="_blank">Application Guide</a>. Only 234 pages. Shallow Table of Contents. No index. <br /><br />Once you get the registrations done, all the forms filled out, and the various and sundry documents attached, you still have to endure the submission process. Take a deep breath...<br /><br />First, upload the completed Adobe Form to Grants.gov (my favorite website...NOT!). Pray you've registered properly and that they'll pass it on to the eRA Commons. If not, fix the AOR credential, and upload again. Don't forget to use the Grant Tracking Number -- but it's called the Federal Identifier in the form. Huh? If it's passed on to the NIH, then the SO and PI can go to the eRA and check the eSub. Alphabet soup anyone?<br /><br />And, better not have Firefox as your default browser. Grants.gov uses JavaScript. Firefox doesn't. You need JavaScript enabled to "Sign" the application. Aaargh! If JavaScript isn't enabled, you just sit and watch a screen that doesn't change. No message. Nada happens.<br /><br />Then the eRA Commons does what I call the Nit-Pick Check. If everything's not perfect, you get ERRORS, and have to go back to the start, fix the Adobe Form and resubmit through Grants.gov. You may only get WARNINGS, which do not require a re-submit, but scare the bejezus out of you.<br /><br />The most ridiculous field that can trip you up is the "Congressional District". Collected for statistical purposes only, it's needed on two different subforms. The format is XX-nnn where XX is the state abbreviation and nnn is the District as a 3-digit number. The use of 3 digits is required even for Wyoming which only has one district. Come to think of it, California has the most Congressional Districts of any state - 53. Why do they require a 3-digit number? That's what I call a Walter Cronkite - "That's the way it is." Put it in wrong? ERROR! Fix and re-submit!<br /><br />But the Walter Cronkite that really frosts my cookies, is the question that requires you to LIE to answer it right. Yes, LIE. I wanted to do a Joe Wilson when I first read it. It's in the Vertebrate Animals Use section. Here's the quote from page I-69 of the Guide: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Applicants should check “Yes” to the question “Is the IACUC review Pending?” even if the IACUC review/approval process has not yet begun at the time of submission."</span> Then they want you to put "None" in the field for the Animal Welfare Assurance Number. (Isn't that obvious?) If you don't -- go all the way back to the start, put it in, and re-submit. (I know this because we had to do it yesterday!) A button for "Not yet" would make it so much clearer - and truthful!<br /><br />The DOD's Spring SBIR solicitation will be out in a couple of weeks. Their Guide is only ~40 pages. One website with a 5-minute registration process. You write your proposal and upload one (1) PDF file. Three forms: a cover page, a budget, and a company information form. If you've had prior Phase IIs there's one more form. That's it. And NO submission process! They close the website at the deadline. Anything there gets evaluated. Period. So clean. So simple. Thank you DOD!<br /><br />So, I'll say it again:<span style="font-weight: bold;"> The NIH's SBIR proposal submission process sucks.</span> It's so tied up in administrivia it's easy for the applicants to neglect paying attention to the objective: clearly articulate an innovative solution to an important health-related problem. And the agency is so wrapped up in its process that it seems more time (and taxpayer money) is spent on bureaucratic enforcement of policies than on enabling innovation for solving serious health-related problems.<br /><br />And now, the NIH is campaigning to eliminate the "Error Correction Window", the five extra days (used to be only two but they had to increase it because of recent policy/procedure changes) they give you to fix all the Nit-Pick problems they find.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> DON'T LET THEM DO THIS!</span> You can weigh in until April 19th at this weblink: <a href="http://grants.nih.gov/cfdocs/era_process_changes_rfi/add.htm" target="_blank">http://grants.nih.gov/cfdocs/era_process_changes_rfi/add.htm</a>. Read the NIH's view on why they should be allowed to do this in the <a href="http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-5474.pdf" target="_blank">Federal Register (page 11889, 12 March 2010)</a>. Again: <span style="font-weight: bold;">DON'T LET THEM DO THIS!</span><br /><br />Remember, the NIH is part of HHS -- our National Health Care agency. They'll be administering ObamaCare. And the IRS will be enforcing it.<br /><br />Oy Vey! What are we in for?<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-25651756341199830902010-03-31T02:57:00.005-05:002010-03-31T11:41:14.468-05:00SBA Raises SBIR Award Caps.<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">NOTE: STTR was not changed by this move -- only SBIR (for now).</span><br />.<br />The SBA announced the intent back in 2008. They sought comments. They sat on it for almost two years and did nothing. Until now.<br /><br />The SBA decided not to wait for Reauthorization and kicked the cap for Phase I awards up to $150K and Phase IIs up to $1M. It's been published in the Federal Register (<a href="http://budurl.com/SBAraisesSBIRcaps" target="_blank">http://budurl.com/SBAraisesSBIRcaps</a>) so it's official.<br /><br />Rick Shindell has some background in the March 30th Issue of his SBIR Insider. Check it out on the <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/" target="_blank">SBIR Gateway's Insider page</a>.<br /><br />This doesn't mean that an agency must raise their award levels, nor does it mean that they can't exceed these caps. The agencies can (and do) do what they please. What changes is the level at which they have to explain themselves.<br /><br />It remains to be seen which agencies will immediately change their funding policies. Note that the NSF actually made this change (at least for Phase Is) last fall.<br /><br />Making SBIR awards that exceed the authorized caps means the agency must include a justification in each case in their Annual Report to Congress. Making awards below the caps requires no justification.<br /><br />Some agencies (notably NIH) frequently make awards in excess of the caps. Now they'll have less work to do writing justifications! That should make our hard working public servants happy!<br /><br />I expect we'll find out what the agencies will do at the SBIR National in Hartford (April 21-23). It'll be a hot topic of conversation. Another reason for you to join me in attending. Check out the agenda for this important Conference and register <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=7700&" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br /><br />So what about Reauthorization? Does this affect the likelihood of it getting done by April 30th?<br /><br />Yes it does, and my feeling is: NO, it won't get done. It actually takes the pressure off Congress to act quickly.<br /><br />Given this development, I now predict another Continuing Resolution, probably to September 30th. Unless <a href="http://www.house.gov/smbiz/" target="_blank">Nydia</a> gets her usual way and makes it shorter. Or just lets it die. After all, remember, she thinks SBIR awardees are just "marginal small businesses" on "corporate welfare", and don't matter much.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-11252822450615390692010-03-23T11:20:00.005-05:002010-03-23T11:36:43.091-05:00ObamaCare "Cures" SBIR Controversy - CAN it be true?.<br />Yes, you're reading that right. The "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" aka the Heath Care Reform Bill signed by President Obama today includes a provision that may affect SBIR. Maybe even CURES the controversy surrounding SBIR eligibility!<br /><br />The provision is called the "Cures Acceleration Network" or CAN. It's Section 10409 of <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-3590" target="_blank">HR.3590</a>. Look it up. <span style="font-style: italic;">(An SBIR awardee who's been one of the program's strongest advocates found this and alerted me to it's existence.)</span><br /><br />CAN is an NIH funded initiative to provide a new grant mechanism open to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies of all size to receive NIH grants of up to $15 million. A pot of $500 million has been allocated for the remainder of FY2010. It will be administered by a CAN Review Board of which at least 4 of the 24 members must be VCs.<br /><br />If the bill avoids the upcoming procedural minefields and this provision survives, it completely obviates the need to include VC controlled companies in SBIR. For years many of us argued that VC controlled companies should be eligible to receive NIH grants - just not from the 2.8% SBIR/STTR allocation. BIO always replied that companies could never get funding outside of SBIR. The CAN program would completely turn their argument on its ear!<br /><br />Now that Health Care won't necessarily hog the front-burner we might get some attention to other things -- like SBIR! And, maybe with CAN we have a way to keep SBIR from being hijacked by VCs and Big BIO.<br /><br />Dare we hope this indeed "CURES" our impasse and allows SBIR to be reauthorized without drastically altering the program? Stay tuned.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-12170203120204091052010-03-05T05:21:00.003-06:002010-03-05T05:46:00.424-06:00SBIR dodges a bullet -- for now. But they'll reload, so let's get busy!.<br />The House <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100304/ap_on_bi_ge/us_congress_jobs_bill">passed</a> the so called Jobs Bill (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-2847" target="_blank">HR.2847</a>) on Thursday with only minor changes from the Senate version. SBIR Reauthorization does NOT appear to have been one of those changes. We haven't seen the actual wording of this bill yet, however, and we do know how sneaky they can be. But apparently Speaker Pelosi wasn't willing to back the Altmire/Velazquez maneuver to fold the House version of SBIR Reauthorization (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-2965" target="_blank">HR.2965</a>) into this bill.<br /><br />The Jobs Bill now goes back to the Senate for approval of those minor changes before getting signed. It's doubtful that the Senate will do anything to delay enactment, so we can breathe a sigh of relief.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">But make that a brief breath please.</span> We have only a few weeks to get the attention of our legislators to actually get a compromise together that will include the Senate's bill (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-1233" target="_blank">S.1233</a>) and improve SBIR, not harm it. And there's much work to do<br /><br />I spoke to Deb Santy earlier this week. She runs the Connecticut SBIR office as an arm of <a href="http://www.ctinnovations.com/funding/sbir/sbir.php" target="_blank">Connecticut Innovations</a>. Deb's group has stepped up to again host the <a href="https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=7700&" target="_blank">National SBIR Conference</a>. It will be April 21-23 in Hartford. We figure this will be right around the time that SBIR Reauthorization goes on the front burner on Congress before it's expiry date of April 30th. Here's Deb's message to y'all:<br /><br /><blockquote>"The SBIR Program is under attack. All of us are trying to figure out how to get our government to properly reauthorize the SBIR program. A demonstration of your commitment and support is to show up -- attend the 2010 SBIR National. If you have won awards over the years and want to continue winning them -- you need to show your support and get your "you know whats" over to the SBIR National in Hartford. Make this the best attended SBIR National ever -- because it really needs to be the best. If you want this program to continue, if you want the billions of grant dollars to continue, you need to come and make headlines. Hey, you might even make some great contacts and help commercialize your technologies -- because there is a great lineup of networking and "Partner for Profit" activities. I'll be there .. and so should you. No excuses. <a href="https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=7700&tabid=3749&" target="_blank">Just Register</a>"</blockquote><br />I'll be there too, Deb. We know our collective voices can make a difference. We just showed that to be true. <br /><br />The <a href="http://www.sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a> is leading this fight, and Jere Glover will be hosting a special meeting of the SBTC in Hartford. We had 100+ at the last such meeting in Reno. Let's double or even triple that for Hartford. Better schedule a big room, Deb!<br /><br />Make no mistake about it. Those who would hijack SBIR for their own bigger business Wall Street focused agendas will reload and take aim at Main Street's small business interests. We've raised the awareness of SBIR among our legislators to unprecedented levels, but we have to even do more.<br /><br />Pay attention to the strategies that will be suggested on <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a>. Pick up your pens (or Blackberries/iPhones/etc.) and keep the information flowing. We may be small business, but we have big voices.<br /><br />Come to Hartford. We'll get some national attention on our National Conference. Together, we will make a difference.<br /><br />And, a personal thanks to all of you who wrote me with expressions of support and copies of the letters you wrote to counter the Altmire/Velazquez maneuver. It's exhilarating to know that someone is actually reading what I write! Yee-Haw!<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-21987933167939174832010-03-02T05:53:00.005-06:002010-03-02T06:22:54.523-06:00SBIR Reauthorization compromise suggested -- but is it a ploy?.<br />It works! Raising our voices slowed the attempt to smuggle the House version of SBIR Reauthorization into the Jobs Bill.<br /><br />But they haven't given up. The train's going down a new track. And the new direction is so ironic: compromise with the Senate's version!<br /><br />Representative Jason Altmire (D-PA) has sent out a new Dear Colleague letter. Here's the new part:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"As Congress crafts legislative packages to stimulate the economy and create jobs, American small businesses should be first and foremost on our minds. SBIR Reauthorizations passed the House and the Senate in 2009, but have yet to be reconciled and signed into law (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-2965" target="_blank">H.R. 2965</a> and<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-1233" target="_blank"> S.1233</a>.) A compromise of these two bills to reauthorize SBIR would be an ideal job-creating addition to a jobs package."</span><br /><br />Compromise? Really? The House has steadfastly refused to even discuss compromise for quite some time. Why should we believe that's what's intended now? All of a sudden. And the term "reconciled" got my attention too. Uh Oh.<br /><br />Hmmm.... I seem to remember the Senate offered an SBIR reauthorization compromise almost six months ago. No one has seen it, and the House refused to even consider it. Why are they hiding it? Let's see it! It may actually be worth considering.<br /><br />Compromise means that both sides have to give and get something. What's the House going to give? What's the Senate going to get?<br /><br />And what's the darn hurry? We have until April 30th to get an SBIR Reauthorization compromise negotiated. WHY STUFF IT INTO THIS HURRY-UP BILL?<br /><br />Think about it -- even if SBIR is reauthorized via this Jobs Bill will any new SBIR projects be funded (or jobs created) immediately? Of course not! That's not the way SBIR works. And, the new rules wouldn't even apply until FY2011.<br /><br />Rick Shindell revealed the existence of the new Altmire letter today in his latest <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/" target="_blank">SBIR Insider</a> letter. As Rick points out, this "compromise" suggestion is very likely just a ploy to get us to lay down our pens while they do sneak the House version on the Jobs Bill train.<br /><br />I agree. <span style="font-weight: bold;">It's a ploy.</span> We'd be foolish to trust them.<br /><br />So please keep the pressure on. Send another letter to your Congressman. Thanks to the <a href="http://nsba.biz/" target="_blank">NSBA</a> there's an easy way to do it:<br /><a href="http://www.capwiz.com/nsbaonline/issues/alert/?alertid=14725141&type=CO" target="_blank">http://www.capwiz.com/nsbaonline/issues/alert/?alertid=14725141&type=CO</a><br />But make some edits in the template:<br /><br />1. Let's use Altmire's language to our advantage. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Insist that the suggested compromise discussion actually be held.</span> There's even an existing Senate compromise that's waiting for examination. Let's do that.<br /><br />2. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Be sure to point out the ridiculous assumption that this initiative would create small business jobs <u>immediately</u>. </span>Yes, it will spur small business job growth -- next year. We've got two months to do SBIR reauthorization right. No need to rush it through this week!<br /><br />See <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a> for guidance on how to contact your legislators and updates.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-78331631870043815762010-02-24T05:15:00.002-06:002010-02-24T05:26:05.729-06:00The Jobs Bill Train is Leaving the Station -- and SBIR is being smuggled aboard!.<br />Evan Bayh said it true. The process Congress uses is flawed. It's more about partisan deal making than the public interest. Back room deals. Sneaking legislative provisions into sometimes unrelated bills to serve private interests and avoid scrutiny and discussion.<br /><br />We have new evidence today, as they're at it again. With SBIR the victim! And they do it with smug satisfaction, unabashedly sanctimonious. They talk up the little guy (small business) but serve big money (VC) interests instead.<br /><br />Basically, the House, via Rep Jason Altmire (D-PA), is attempting to bypass the SBIR reauthorization negotiations with the Senate and force the House version of the bill (<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-2965" target="_blank">S.2965</a>) through the back door. If he succeeds in including it in the Job Stimulus bill, it will be difficult for the Senate to oppose it, especially since the President wants this legislation passed quickly.<br /><br />The alert was sounded yesterday by both Rick Shindell in his <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/sb-insider02-23-10.htm" target="_blank">SBIR Insider</a>, and by the Small Business Technology Council (SBTC) in a <a href="http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=7b612f61e94bba4fe98732ff8&id=10947afda6&e=51790496e0" target="_blank">Special Alert</a>. Follow the links, or just go to <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a> to see them in their entirety, along with an open letter from my good friend Gary Marsden of Trout Green Technologies (a savvy SBIR Awardee), who by asking a simple question at the Navy Opportunity Forum, created a small firestorm.<br /><br />It's not over until its over (thanks Yogi), but I fear this train is gathering speed. The Engineer (Pelosi) has blinders on, the Conductor (Velazquez) has had her pockets stuffed and refuses to look at (let alone punch) our tickets, and the Fireman (Altmire) is stoking the furnace with false fuel.<br /><br />Somehow we need to find the right switch, and divert this train to a siding. We need a bunch of Evan Bayhs to stand up and say ENOUGH! Any more of you out there?<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-7249147831067401222010-02-10T07:38:00.003-06:002010-02-10T07:47:58.349-06:00DC Snow Job - A metaphor for SBIR reauthorization?.<br />Washington DC is shut down this week, buried in a couple feet of snow! Nothing much happening in Congress this week. That's probably a good thing, over all. <br /><br />The only thing of interest this week is the SBIR Gateway's Matching Service for the new DOD STTR Solicitation. Read all about it on the Gateway: <a href="http://www.zyn.com/sbir/sttr_partnering.htm">http://www.zyn.com/sbir/sttr_partnering.htm</a>. This is a very effective way for small businesses and universities to find STTR partners -- always a challenge. Check it out!<br /><br />Nothing's happened with <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com">SBIR reauthorization</a> for months, so I guess we won't notice any difference there. Besides the snow job done by the VC lobby and their BIO compatriots still has the House Small Business Committee immobilized. Guess they gave away all of their shovels to the Stimulus -- remember "shovel ready" -- and just can't dig out of their offices to discuss the still secret Senate's SBIR reauthorization compromise. It does take two to compromise. So far it's just one-sided.<br /><br />Hmmm... Come to think of it the situation may not be an incongruity. If con is the opposite of pro, Congress must be the the opposite of progress!<br /><br />And speaking of incongruities, my lovely daughter-in-law, Kelly, gave me the biggest smiles this week with a list of them. Since there's nothing much else to talk about, I thought I'd share:<br /><br /><ul><li>Why do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front?<br /></li><li>Why do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a Diet Coke?</li><li>Why do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters?</li><li>Why do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage?</li><li>Why are hot dogs sold in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight? </li><li>Why do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering?</li><li>Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin? </li><li>Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed? </li><li>Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'? </li><li>Why 'abbreviated' is such a long word? </li><li>Why is it that doctors and lawyers call what they do 'practice'? <span style="font-style: italic;">(Lawyers I can understand, but doctors???)</span></li><li>Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dish washing liquid made with real lemons? </li><li>Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker? </li><li>Why do your feet smell and your nose run?</li><li>Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour? </li><li>Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food? </li><li>Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections? </li><li>Why don't sheep shrink when it rains? </li><li>Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together? </li><li>Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?</li></ul><br />Thank you, Kelly! We needed the smiles!<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-61494286628431021642010-01-28T10:34:00.005-06:002010-01-28T10:42:48.865-06:00Congress Extends SBIR Program for 90 Days.<br />Jere Glover, Executive Director of the Small Business Technology Council (<a href="http://www.sbtc.org/" target="_blank">SBTC</a>), issued the following <a href="http://www.nsba.biz/content/2832.shtml" target="_blank">announcement</a> this morning:<br /><br /><p style="font-style: italic;"></p><blockquote><p style="font-style: italic;">"The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to extend the SBIR program for another 90 days. The program had been set to expire on Jan. 31, 2010, but the new continuing resolution now pushes the expiration date back to April 30. The Senate is also expected to pass this legislation in short order.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">This is the sixth CR passed since the SBIR program was originally up for expiration in 2008. Although reauthorization bills have been passed in the House and the Senate, the language in the two bills was very different, and the two Chambers have so far been unable to reconcile the differences in the two bills into a single bill that can be sent to the President for his signature. </p> <p style="font-style: italic;">While we are happy that Congress has not allowed this important program to lapse, it is important that the two sides can reach an agreement this year, before the new Congress starts next year and this process will have to start all over again.<br /><br />SBTC has endorsed the Senate’s language as an acceptable compromise, and urges the House to do so as well."</p></blockquote><p style="font-style: italic;"></p><br />Keep tuned to <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/" target="_blank">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a> for updates.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-36133228548870668482010-01-27T17:34:00.003-06:002010-01-27T21:26:21.816-06:00Senator Cardin Introduces Bill to Repeal NIH SBIR Exclusion.<br />It's about time! It's been almost a year since that abomination was perpetrated! As Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) said in a <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cardin-introduces-bill-to-promote-job-growth-in-americas-small-businesses-82819847.html" target="_blank">Press Release</a> from the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee today:<br /><br /><blockquote>"It was a severe blow to biotechnology firms across the country when NIH extramural research funding was exempted from their requirement to dedicate funding to SBIR and STTR awards. As a result, small businesses across the country, which the recovery package was intended to benefit, have been denied the opportunity to fairly compete for more than $200 million in grants." </blockquote><br />In addition, the bill provides small businesses with tax credits for health insurance and job creation expenses, and opens up new direct loans to small businesses using already allocated TARP funding.<br /><br />Recognizing the vital role small business has always had in the overall growth of our economy, the bill also encourages elevating the Small Business Administration to Cabinet-level status.<br /><br />Interesting timing, as the reauthorization of SBIR has still not been accomplished. Where are we on that Senator?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Late word is that the House Small Business Committee has chosen not to respond to the Senate's compromise proposal, and we'll have a sixth Continuing Resolution, this one for 90-days. Oh goodie. Three more months of torture! Don'tcha just love how our Congress works!</span><br /><br />We should hear something official by the end of the week. Stay tuned to <a href="http://www.sbirreauthorization.com/">www.SBIRreauthorization.com</a> for the latest news. <br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-44756751082974235202010-01-22T06:16:00.005-06:002010-01-22T06:34:34.835-06:00Senate Calls for FAST SBIR Action.<br />Well, not exactly. But it's a wonderful idea! We've only got a week before SBIR fades away or gets extended -- again.<br /><br />What the Senate did do this week is call upon the SBA to swiftly implement the allocated funds for the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership that provides funding for SBIR outreach support for the States. Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) co-signed a letter from the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee to Karen Mills, SBA Administrator, requesting a schedule by February 12th for the implementation of FAST. View the official Press Release about the letter <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/landrieu-snowe-encourage-swift-allocation-of-fast-funding-82119742.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br /><br />Now, why push for FAST implementation when SBIR's Reauthorization hangs undone? Is this a signal that we can expect some action next week before it expires? I think so. I hope so.<br /><br />There is the argument that the DOD has independently extended SBIR through the end of FY2010 and this FAST allocation is for FY2010 as well. With DOD having half of the SBIR pot, some FAST funding to support it would surely be put to good use. So, it's being pushed by folks behind the scenes. I support the push and the Senate's advice to the SBA.<br /><br />But I do see this as a bigger signal. We have ten federal agencies whose SBIR programs will fade away on January 31st without some legislative action. Lack of action would represent a congressional and Obama administration failure.<br /><br />After the Miracle in Massachusetts this week, our shell-shocked congress and the Obama administration needs something positive to accomplish. They don't need another failure. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Why not make SBIR Reauthorization a shining example of bi-partisan accomplishment? </span><br /><br />Best of all worlds? The House accepts the Senate's SBIR Reauthorization Bill and passes it. There was talk of this sort of action for the Health Care Bill, but they didn't have the votes. Nydia Velazquez' expected opposition notwithstanding, they just might have the House votes to do this!<br /><br />But the alleged compromise (whatever it is) would work too. Just PLEASE get something done by next Friday! Another Continuing Resolution would be better than nothing, but EVERYONE is tired of this.<br /><br />FAST action..... what a wonderful idea! Call/email/fax your Senators and Representatives today. Give them something productive to work on.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-770579694794072792.post-11803715150423852472010-01-01T16:17:00.006-06:002010-01-01T17:07:33.962-06:00Some SBIR Predictions for 2010.<br />Yogi Berra said it best: <span style="font-style: italic;"> "It's tough to make predictions -- especially about the future. The future ain't what it used to be!"</span><br /><br />What's going on in Washington sure underscores Yogi's insight. Things, they are a changing. I've been watching the SBIR reauthorization related activity in Congress and at the Agencies with bemused frustration. I've heard every argument and every rationalization of what should be done a countless number of times. I can even argue both sides on some of the issues.<br /><br />One thing for sure, SBIR will be different. But how? No one knows for sure. Especially not me. But I'm going to apply another of Yogi's observations -- <span style="font-style: italic;">"You can observe a lot by just watching."</span> -- and give a shot at some predictions for SBIR in 2010, based solely on what I've observed.<br /><br />Before I do, let's do a quick check of my <a href="http://sbircoach.blogspot.com/2009/01/some-sbir-predictions-for-2009.html" target="_blank">2009 predictions</a>:<br /><br />1. <span style="font-style: italic;">The SBA won't raise the award caps independent of congressional action.</span> CAME TRUE. They didn't.<br /><br />2. <span style="font-style: italic;">Grants.gov will make some major changes.</span> CAME TRUE. They introduced an Adobe-based template to replace the despised PureEdge software and improved the input submission capacity and user communications. All that didn't prevent a 3-hour melt-down during the NIH Challenge Grant submission however.<br /><br />3. <span style="font-style: italic;">The SBIR landscape will become more competitive.</span> CAME TRUE. All agencies reported increases in submissions. The budgets did not increase. So, award rates did decline for many of the Agencies.<br /><br />4. <span style="font-style: italic;">Reauthorization will be further delayed.</span> CAME TRUE. We're currently in our fifth continuing resolution.<br /><br />Four for four. Not bad! Now for 2010...<br /><br />Here are my fourteen predictions for how the Reauthorization will shake out:<br /><br /><ul><li>1. SBIR/STTR will be reauthorized this January.</li><li>2. Non-individual majority owned companies will get SBIR eligibility -- with some limitations and restrictions.</li><li>3. The funding caps will be increased, but not by as much as the House wants.</li><li>4. The funding base will also be increased, very slightly and over time, but not enough to compensate for the increased caps.</li><li>5. Phase I will still be required, but Fast-Track will be enhanced.</li><li>6. Proposal evaluation cycles will be shortened.</li><li>7. Multiple Phase IIs (and follow-ons for further development) will be permitted.</li><li>8. Support for Phase III (commercialization) will be expanded for all agencies -- and all agencies will place increased emphasis on commercialization potential as a criteria for award.</li><li>9. Required inclusion of projects for some critical technologies will be specified.</li><li>10. Special award preference for some non-technology demographic interests (including veterans) will be included.</li><li>11. The policy and oversight authority will be a Committee co-chaired by the NIST and the White House's OSTP.</li><li>12. The SBA's Office of Advocacy will continue to be able to comment on SBIR issues.</li><li>13. Money will be authorized for SBIR administration and award database maintenance.</li><li>14. Reauthorization will be for between five and eight years.</li></ul>I made most of these predictions back in October and haven't seen or heard anything to change my mind from what I said then.<br /><br />Why do I think it'll happen in January? Everyone is tired of the continuing resolution game. President Obama has promised that small business issues will be the next top priority once Health Care is a done deal. I believe that will happen as soon as Congress reconvenes.<br /><br />The OSTP/NIST policy committee likelihood was reinforced recently by a comment by Aneesh Chopra, the first-ever [are you ready for this title?] Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Director for Technology in the White House Office of Science and Technology in an <a href="http://blog.executivebiz.com/exclusive-14-questions-for-federal-cto-aneesh-chopra/6579" target="_blank">interview</a> he gave in December: <span style="font-style: italic;"> "[Pending] House and the Senate agreement, we think a modernized version of the SBIR program will more tightly integrate the work that’s been done there to meet the operational needs of the agency and could spur economic growth." </span> Sounds to me like he's clued in and ready to effect SBIR "modernization". I don't expect the Senate and House compromise being worked on to go in a different direction. The line will be toed.<br /><br />On the eligibility issue, the likelihood that the Senate will relax its stance on SBIR eligibility was enhanced by the little talked about recently concluded temporary assignment of my friend Jo Anne Goodnight (the NIH's long-time SBIR guru) to the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee for the past six months. She's been an unwavering advocate for allowing VC controlled companies to compete for awards. I expect she persuaded some of her fellow Senate committee staffers to support a more relaxed eligibility position. C'est la vie.<br /><br />Much of what's being proposed for non-innovation or non-technology related award preferences meets the politically correct litmus test, and that's all it will take to have these provisions included. Pah.<br /><br />So, we shall see. SBIR will continue. It will change. The future won't be what it used to be. (Thanks Yogi.) And however it shakes out, I'll continue to be the SBIR Coach. Maybe I need to come up with some of my own Yogi-isms.<br />.- Fred Patterson -http://www.blogger.com/profile/11611001882358615220noreply@blogger.com1