Overview
Each year, 11 federal agencies must set aside a percentage of their budget, in recent years averaging more than $2 billion, to fund research and development (R&D) at small U.S. businesses. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) are highly competitive programs that encourage small businesses to explore their technological potential and travel a pathway to potentially profitable technology commercialization.
The SBIR and STTR programs are based on providing a solution to a problem identified by a federal agency. The small business writes a competitive proposal that identifies a way to solve the problem and submits it to the agency for approval. The difference between SBIR and STTR is that STTR mandates 30% to 60% of the work must be performed at a research institute of national laboratory.
Three-phase process
- Phase I is based on proposals solicited by participating agencies. Awards can be made for up to $150,000 for an approximately six-month feasibility study.
- Phase II covers the principal R&D effort. Awards can be made for up to $1,000,000 and cannot exceed two years in duration.
- Phase III is conducted by the small business to pursue commercial applications of the R&D conducted in Phases I and II. Non-SBIR/STTR funds support Phase III.
For Small Businesses
By teaming with Sandia you can:
- Tap into Sandia's broad SBIR/STTR experience. Sandia has participated in
SBIR/STTR projects with a variety of federal agencies in areas including
micro- and nano-technology, materials science, energy and advanced
computing.
- Gain a better chance of winning funding. Proposals are two times more
likely to be funded when small businesses partner with a national
laboratory or research institution. Sandia can provide a letter of support
to accompany the proposal.
- Bring more experience and knowledge to the table. With a staff of
more than 8,000, and world-class facilities and equipment, Sandia can
augment and support your company’s capabilities.
Qualifications
To respond to the SBIR/STTR solicitations, your company must be a small
business (by SBA definitions), be organized For-Profit, be not more than
49% entity owned and be U.S. owned and operated.
For Principal Investigators (PIs) at Sandia
By working with small businesses you can:
- Continue to develop skill sets.
- Have an opportunity to work on different types of projects.
- Gain project management experience.
- Participate in the technology commercialization
Qualifications
For Sandia to participate, the work must be unique in nature, as Sandia is not permitted to compete with private industry. The work must be consistent with and complementary to the missions of DOE/NNSA. Sandia must be eligible to provide support as a sub-respondent, in accordance with the terms and conditions of both the solicitation and Sandia’s contract with DOE. Participating PIs can draft letters of support for eligible businesses.
