NASA’s SBIR-STTR Program

1. NASA’s SBIR-STTR Program Presented by: Kate Gerfin Small Business Partnership Team NASA Langley Research Center April 27, 2006

2. NASA’s SBIR-STTR Program

3. The Investment • Government-wide over $2.5B annual investment • One of the largest government-industry partnerships in terms of its annual budget • NASA’s SBIR-STTR Program is approximately $130M annually • 300 SBIR and 40 STTR Phase 1 proposals are selected for funding each year • 40% of these contracts subsequently selected for Phase 2 follow-on funding

4. The Focus • Investments (Solicitation and awards) are aligned with the Agency’s Mission Directorates and are focused on meeting their needs • SBIR companies take on the fundamental and often high risk research that the program would not otherwise have the time or funding for • Accelerate the development of innovations available to the government

5. NASA’s Solicitation • Opens on July 7, 2006 • Closes on September 7, 2006 • Contract Negotiation & Awards November 2006-January 2007 • Program Areas include Exploration Systems, Aeronautics, Science, and Space Ops • To find the current solicitation when it is available (and previous years for information purposes): • http://sbir.nasa.gov

6. TRL and the Innovation Creation Cycle * - Technology Readiness Level

7. SBIR-STTR Phases • Phase I - Determine Feasibility of Innovation • SBIR - $100 K - 6 months • STTR - $100 K - 12 months • Phase II - Develop a Prototype or Working Model • SBIR - $600K - 24 months • STTR - $600K - 24 months • Phase III - Take to a Commercial Product • Sole source procurement • NASA or non-NASA funds (but not SBIR-STTR funds) • Federal agency can initiate any time in Phase 1 or Phase 2

8. Phase III Benefits • A unique way to meet NASA mission needs and program innovation requirements • Foster new strategic supplier-buyer relationships • Provides return on NASA’s SBIR investments • Competition for Phase I and II awards satisfies any Competition in Contracting Act requirement • Phase III work may be for products, production, services, or additional R&D • There is no limit on the number, duration, type, or dollar value of Phase III awards • The funding comes from any non-SBIR source

9. Vetting Companies Select Firms Assess CompanyMentoringTrack Need Help? Yes No Industry-led Infusion Forum Track Gov’t-led Infusion Forum Track

10. Mentoring Events • A first step in facilitating the transformation of technology from SBIR companies to the commercial level. • Brings SBIR companies face-to-face with mentors from large technology companies, as well as mentors with investment, business development, and management expertise. • May lead to an invitation to a future Infusion Forum

11. Infusion Forums • Forum through which a systems integrator (NASA, other agency, prime contractor) can explore the nexus between their innovation requirements and the innovations of small businesses • Invited SBIR-STTR Firms have the opportunity to present their business case directly to decision makers • Unique features of the forum • Invitees tailored to address the host’s specific needs and interests to increase the likelihood of a partnership being established • Conducted at host’s central location to optimize participation by key people as well as exhibits

12. Benefits to Participants • Addresses commercial and R&D interests of the System Integrator and the invited SBIR-STTR firms • Fosters new strategic supplier-buyer partnerships • Provides new commercial opportunities for younger business (Mentor-Protégé) • Provides System Integrator access to technology, products and service capabilities of small businesses • Assists System Integrator in meeting small business subcontracting guidelines • Increases value of NASA-funded technology for the private and public sectors

13. Mission Infusion of SBIR and STTR-Developed Innovations

16. SBIR Technologies on Mars Exploration Rovers Yardney Technical Products of Pawcatuck, Connecticut developed lithium ion batteries with long cycle life and have supplied batteries for the Rovers. Starsys Research of Boulder, Colorado developed several paraffin-based heat switches that function autonomously and control radiator for electronics package, as well as gearboxes used for a variety of functions on the Rovers. Maxwell Technologiesof San Diego, California fabricated and tested an ASCII chip with single event latch up protection technology that enables the use of commercial chip technology in space missions and supplied A to D converter for Rovers.

17. NASA SBIR Contributions to the AURA Mission Composite Optics Provided light weight, large aperture reflector of graphite reinforced composite material with high surface accuracy for the MLS DeMaria Electrooptics Under a $6.5 million contract with JPL, the company provided a terahertz radiometer for the MLS Spaceborne Supplied two correlator chips that make the analog-to-digital signal conversion and clean up the signal received by MLS Seaspace Corporation Developed low cost system that makes it possible for universities and other purchasers to receive the data transmissions from AURA

18. SBIR Technologies on Deep Impact Mission Scimeasure Analytical Systems Developed wavefront sensor cameras that help produce the highest quality images from a ground observatory Barr Associates Provided optical filters for filter wheels and a dichroic beam splitter located in mission instruments on the flyby spacecraft. Instruments gathered images that will be used to analyze results of material ejected by the impact and the crater created by the impact. Composite Optics Provided three telescope structures constructed from light weight, thermally stable composite materials. The structures were for medium and high resolution imaging instruments on the flyby spacecraft and the telescope (not shown) on the impactor. High Resolution Instrument Medium Resolution Instrument

19. Points-of-Contact • NASA Langley Research Center’s Small Business Partnership Team • Robert Yang, 4-8020, Robert.L.Yang@nasa.gov • Sheri Beam, 4-9104, s.f.beam@larc.nasa.gov • Kate Gerfin, 4-2060, k.e.gerfin@larc.nasa.gov