The ultimate goal of the Department of the Navy (DON) SBIR and STTR programs are to commercialize SBIR/STTR-developed technology to benefit our Warfighters.
Commercialization is the process of developing products, processes, technologies, or services and the production and delivery (whether by the originating party or others) of the products, processes, technologies,
or services for sale to or use by the Federal Government or commercial markets (SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 3(f)).
Explore the information below to better leverage DON programs, authorities, resources, and best practices that support the commercialization of SBIR/STTR-developed technology.
DON Programs
Navy SBIR Transition Program (STP) [view details]
- DON-funded 11-month program to assist Phase II awardees with transitioning SBIR/STTR-funded technologies via business mentoring, training, marketing material creation, business development activities, and promotion.
- Services provided by Business Consultants and Market Researchers:
- Mentoring on Government / Prime contractor relationships.
- Conduct market research appropriate to transition targets.
- Identify leads for potential transition opportunities.
- Promote technologies on the Virtual Transition Marketplace (VTM) an online, searchable showcase accessible to Government and private sector.
- Assist with exhibiting at Forum for SBIR / STTR Transition (FST) Focused Technology Events.
- STP participants, on average, have commercialization rates 17% higher than non-STP participants.
- Eligibility: DON Phase II awardees who have NOT elected to receive Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) in Phase II.
- How: Invitations to participate in STP are sent to eligible Phase II awardees annually; awardee may accept/defer/decline the invitation.
- More information at navystp.com
NAVY Launch [view details]
- Opportunity and growth beyond the traditional defense market.
- 10-month DON-funded program to Educate + Accelerate + Scale.
- Open low-stakes opportunity to learn about pathways to commercialization and in-depth 1:1 coaching and advisement for companies ready to launch.
- Entrepreneur-first approach: Startup strategies for defense-oriented companies seeking commercial markets.
- Action oriented: Companies identify and prioritize the market, explore private funding, discover customers, and engage for new growth.
- Market driven fit: From government supported technologies to commercially adopted businesses.
- Eligibility: DON Phase II awardees who have NOT elected to receive Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) in Phase II.
- How: Invitations to participate are sent to eligible Phase II awardees annually; awardee accepts or declines invitation.
- More information available at www.h4xlabs.com/navylaunch
DON SBIR/STTR Experimentation Cell (DON-SEC) [view details]
- DON-funded program to connect SBIR/STTR innovators with the DON experimentation community to deliver innovative solutions for the warfighter.
- Support includes facilitation, mentoring, and training in all aspects of experimentation.
- Eligibility: Any active DON Phase II awardee with an experimentation requirement in the Phase II contract.
- How: Contact your government Phase II technical point of contact to discuss the need for experimentation support. If the TPOC supports including your prototype in an upcoming event, have the TPOC contact Mr. Scott Bartlett, [email protected] or Mr. Chris Dillman (contractor support), [email protected].
- More information available at navysbir.com/sec
Authorities
Commercialization Readiness Program (CRP) [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 12(b)] [view details]
- Authority to accelerate the transition of technologies, processes, products, and services that have the potential for rapid transitioning to Phase III and into the acquisition process.
- Support activities include completion of risk assessments, coordination of activities required for participation in exercises and demonstrations, facilitating meetings with Primes, manufacturing readiness planning, preparation of Technology Transition Plans/Agreements, and development of Phase III contract packages.
- Utilization of this authority varies by SYSCOM.
- Eligibility: All Phase II awardees with active contracts
- How: Government technical point of contact or Program Office recommends Phase II projects to SYSCOM SBIR/STTR Program Office annually.
Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 9(b)] [view details]
- Funding for Phase I/II awardees to enter into agreements for business and/or technical assistance: up to $6.5K in addition to the Phase I award; up to $50K per project as part of the Phase II award.
- Requests for TABA must be included in proposals and approved by the Program Office.
- Accepting TABA may restrict awardees from participation in other Agency-sponsored programs.
- Eligibility: Any firm proposing to Phase I and II.
- How: Include TABA request in Phase I and II proposals; follow TABA request guidelines provided in the DON Broad Agency Announcement. Requests reviewed for approval at time of contract award.
Phase II.B/Expansions [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(b)(6)] [view details]
- Funding added to an existing Phase II contract to mature technologies and accelerate transition.
- Shared SBIR/STTR and Program Office investment and risk mitigation.
- May require Program Office matching funds and a formal Technology Transition Plan/Agreement.
- Eligibility: Phase II awardees with active contracts.
- How: Sponsoring Government technical point of contact or Program Office provides justification and requests action from SYSCOM SBIR/STTR Program Office. Can include SBIR/STTR and/or Program Office funding.
Matching Funds/Cost Sharing [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4] [view details]
- Non-SBIR/STTR funds on a Phase II project to express interest or commitment from a Program Office.
- May be required for (1) CRP; (2) Phase II.B/Expansions; (3) Second Option on a Phase II; (4) Sequential Phase II; (5) Subsequent Phase II.
- Eligibility: Phase II awardees with active contracts.
- How: Sponsoring Government technical point of contact or Program Office requests permission to include funding on the Phase II contract from the SYSCOM SBIR/STTR Program Office. Funding source for matching/cost share is exclusively non-SBIR/STTR sources.
Second (Sequential) Phase II [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(b)(5)] [view details]
- Additional Phase II contract awarded under the same topic, and to the same small business, and for the same project.
- Continues work on the initial (1st) Phase II project and must be within scope of original topic.
- Awarded without competition.
- Has the same guideline amounts and limits as an initial Phase II award.
- An initial Phase II at one Agency may have a sequential Phase II at another Agency if the Agencies make the determination that the work under the sequential Phase II is the same as the work performed under the initial Phase II.
- Eligibility: All Phase II awardees holding only an initial Phase II award on a topic.
- How: Sponsoring Government technical point of contact or Program Office requests a sequential Phase II from the SYSCOM SBIR/STTR Program Office and provides any requested justification.
Subsequent Phase II [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(b)(7)] [view details]
- Phase II award by an Agency or organization other than the original topic owner.
- Must follow originating Agency's competitive Phase II selection requirements.
- Resulting Phase II award must be within scope of original topic but not duplicate any previous Phase II tasking (initial award).
- Eligibility: All awardees who have met the originating Agency's Phase II competitive requirements and who have not more than one Phase II award on the topic.
- How: Sponsoring Government technical point of contact or Program Office requests a subsequent Phase II from the SYSCOM SBIR/STTR Program Office and provides any requested justification. SYSCOM SBIR/STTR Program Office will request permission from the originating Agency to issue a subsequent Phase II award.
Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF) [View 10 U.S. Code � 4061 - Defense Research and Development Rapid Innovation Program] [view details]
- DoD-wide program to stimulate innovative technologies, reduce acquisition or lifecycle costs, address technical risk, and improve the timeliness and thoroughness of test and evaluation outcomes.
- Created by Congress in FY11 and made permanent in FY20. Funding for the RIF Program is expected to resume in FY23 or FY24.
- DoD RIF program is managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E) RIF Director.
- DON RIF activities are managed by the Office of Naval Research in conjunction with SYSCOM RIF Leads and PEO/PM representatives.
- RIF is a small business preference program. Small businesses must perform 51% of the effort to be considered a small business submission.
- RIF funding is not SBIR/STTR funding and can be used for Phase III contracts if appropriate.
- While successful completion of an SBIR/STTR Phase II award is not required, RIF projects are expected to start at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or above.
- Eligibility: Small Businesses (NAICS Codes 541715, 541714), Industry and Academia. See annual Broad Agency Announcement for additional details and restrictions.
- How: All projects are a result of full and open competition. This is accomplished by an annual DoD-wide RIF Broad Agency Announcement published on SAM.gov
- More information available at www.dodrif.us
Phase III Authority [view details]
- Phase III is any work that derives from, extends, or completes an effort made under prior SBIR/STTR Funding Agreements, but is funded by sources other than the SBIR/STTR programs. [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(c)]
- Small business size limits do not apply. [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(c)(6)]
- A Phase III awardee may have received a prior Phase I or Phase II award, been novated a Phase I or Phase II award, or be a successor-in-interest entity. [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 6(a)(5)]
- May be any type of contract, including a subcontract, for products, production, services, R/R&D, or any combination. [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(c)(4)]
- Competition is not required for a Phase III award [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(c)(3); however, Justification and Approval (J&A) may be required by some agencies.
- May be non-Federally funded: Commercial application including R/R&D, testing/evaluation of products, services, or technologies for use in technical or weapons systems. [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 2(e)(3)]
- May be Federally funded: Non-SBIR/STTR funding for SBIR/STTR-derived, products, or services intended for use by the Federal Government and/or to continue SBIR/STTR work, including R/R&D. [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(c)(1)]
- No limit on the number, duration, type, or dollar value of Phase III awards.
- Agencies shall issue Phase III awards to the awardee that developed the technology under an SBIR/STTR award, to the greatest extent practicable, consistent with an Agency's mission and optimal small business participation. [View SBIR/STTR Policy Directive 4(c)(7)]
Resources
Technology Transition Plan/Agreement [view details]
- A plan and/or agreement to document the fiscal, technical, and transition commitments of participants to develop, deliver, and integrate a technology/product into an acquisition program.
- Eligibility: All active Phase II awardees
- How: Talk to your Government technical point of contract or Program Office to determine if a Technology Transition Plan or Agreement would help facilitate transition activities.
Transition Support Teams [view details]
- Liaisons between the SBIR/STTR office and technical organizations to provide a variety of transition support services to awardees.
- How: Reach out to your SYSCOM SBIR/STTR Program Manager to identify the transition support team member to best meet your needs.
Phase III Guidebook [view details]
DON SBIR/STTR Awards Search [view details]
- DON SBIR/STTR database of awards.
- Provides small businesses with potential small business partners and DON Technical Points of Contact in those technology areas.
- Provides Prime contractors and Venture Capitalists (VC) with potential investment opportunities and partners in specific technology areas.
- Provides the government with a searchable resource of current and past technology developed by the DON SBIR/STTR programs.
- Explore awards at navysbirsearch.com
Virtual Transition Marketplace [view details]
- Platform to identify and review technology developed through the DON SBIR/STTR programs and participated in DON's SBIR/STTR Transition Program (STP).
- Thumbnail and abstract available for all projects; most projects also provide links to a quad chart, capabilities brochure, and video Tech Talk.
- Explore projects at vtm.navyfst.com/
- Research transition potential of the topic before proposing - what is the transition end-point?
- Talk to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) during BAA pre-release - understand the requirement and explore transition end-point.
- Request Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) - can be used for customer discovery.
- Develop a relationship with TPOCs and/or Sponsors.
- Obtain feedback from public and private sector markets. Is there potential for dual use?
- Engage with different types of buyers (i.e., user and purchaser).
- Understand the VALUE of the technology, not just the features.
- Determine funding necessary to advance & transition. Do not rely on SBIR/STTR funding!
- Assemble the right team (i.e., personnel and partners).
- Avail yourself to DON transition support programs offered (STP, NAVY Launch, and DON-SEC).
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