SBIR & STTR ReauthorizED THROUGH 9/30/2017
As many of you know, SBIR expired more than 3 years ago and has been operating under an embarrassing 14^th continuing resolution that was scheduled to expire on December 16^th.  I am delighted to tell those of you who have not yet heard the great news that SBIR and STTR were reauthorized last week for six years, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA).  I want to thank those of you who responded to the request in my last update to sign on to the letter prepared by the Small Business Technology Council (SBTC) for the House & Senate leadership urging them to keep the SBIR and STTR reauthorization language in the NDAA, as initiated by the Senate.  Nearly 1,000 signatures were received from the SBIR community in less than 2 days and the letter proved influential in helping the House of Representatives to get on board.

The legislation gives the SBA 180 days to implement new policy directives for SBIR and STTR. As those are being developed, public comments will be solicited. Known highlights of the new legislation are as follows:

• 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,

• Majority ownership by VC, private equity and hedge funds allowed, for up to 25% of awards for NIH, DOE and NSF, and up to 15% for the other agencies

• Shortening the time for final decisions on awards to 90 days,

• Shortening the amount of time between decision and release of funds, with flexibility for the NIH,

• Allowing the agencies to use 3 percent of SBIR funds to administer SBIR programs, increase oversight, and provide outreach and application assistance to address shortcomings in the low participation of women, minorities and states with few awards, and

• Allows (at an agency's discretion) skipping of phase I (limited to DoD, NIH, and ED).

To review a  107 page PDF of the SBIR legislation from the conference report visit:

http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/SBIR_Pages_from-HR1540conf.pdf

Rutgers MBA Team Consulting Program
Through this program both small and large companies and other organizations can engage a team of 6+ MBA students to work on a one semester business project.  Market research, business plans and marketing plans make for ideal projects.  The students on the team typically have a variety of concentrations within the MBA program providing a broad and diverse perspective.  The cost of a team is approximately $500, which covers students' expenses incurred in completing the project.  For more information and to complete an application visit: http://business.rutgers.edu/recruit-partner/mba-team-consulting

Upcoming events:
-NJTC Capital Conference, 1/27, The Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village
-BioNJ 2012 Annual Meeting, Awards Program, and Networking Event, 2/2, East Brunswick

See descriptions and links below.

New Tools to Prepare Your Venture for Angel and Venture Financing
See introduction in Section II. below.

SBIR on Demand Introductory Training Webinars
NJSBDC has developed three 10-15 minute webinars intended to introduce entrepreneurs and small businesses to the basics of the SBIR & STTR programs and proposal writing, as follows:

-Introduction to the SBIR & STTR Programs
-Introduction to Topic Identification
-Introduction to Proposal Writing

These webinars can be accessed at NJSBDC’s Technology Commercialization Program’s homepage: www.njsbdc.com/sbir or www.njsbdc.com/scitech

Proposal Preparation Assistance
All NJ entrepreneurs and small business owners who have attended an NJSBDC sponsored proposal writing seminar within the past 2 years are eligible to receive up to 15 hours of proposal preparation assistance at no cost.  This service consists of reviews and written critiques of draft proposals, as well as suggestions for strengthening them.  Reviews of additional proposals are available on a cost shared basis.  NJ Entrepreneurs and small business owners who have not attended an NJSBDC sponsored training seminar are eligible to receive proposal preparation assistance services on a cost shared basis.

Availability of this service may become limited as agency deadlines approach.  Proposals must fit their targeted topic, be readable and be able to be understood, or they may be returned without review.  For more information, visit www.njsbdc.com/sbir .  Assistance can be requested by sending an E-mail message to rgharmon@njsbdc.com

Technology Commercialization Assistance
In addition to providing SBIR/STTR training and proposal preparation assistance, the NJSBDC Technology Commercialization Program serves NJ entrepreneurs as a no cost, one-stop resource for financing science and technology based businesses and commercializing new technologies.  Funding strategies including state financing programs, angel investments and venture capital are identified to fit with a company’s technology, goals and stage of development.  The Program then helps companies identify their best prospects and will assist them in preparing and strengthening the required funding proposal, business plan, or investor presentation.

Technology Commercialization Assistance services are limited to NJ based small businesses located outside the NJ Business Incubation Network.  Assistance can be requested at www.njsbdc.com/sbir or by sending an E-message to: rgharmon@njsbdc.com.

Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2012.

Randy G. Harmon,

Technology Commercialization Consultant,
NJSBDC/Rutgers Business School;
Entrepreneur in Residence,

NJIT Enterprise Development Center;
Principal, Foundations Business Development Group, LLC
phone: 908-754-3652
randygharmon@aol.com
rgharmon@njsbdc.com

CONTENTS:
I.          Solicitation Schedule
II.         Financing, Networking and Related Events and Information

I. Solicitation Schedule

The following agencies presently have open solicitations:

Department of Homeland Security SBIR 2012.1, Science & Technology Directorate
Proposals due 1/5/12. https://www.fbo.gov/download/023/023c14f3a21b67b078c853a76c276c5d/FY12_1_SBIR_DHS_SBIR-2012.1.pdf

Department  of Defense 2012.1 SBIR, proposals due 1/11/12, http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sbir/solicitations/sbir20121/index.shtml 

Department of Energy SBIR/STTR 2012 Release 2, letter of intent due 12/20/11,
Proposals due 1/31/12, http://science.energy.gov/sbir/   

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 2012 SBIR, proposals due 2/1/12, https://www.fbo.gov/utils/view?id=e884bfa7a779d9468a0a18d1f3bfcaa4

 Special NIH SBIR/STTR Initiatives (PAs & RFAs)
In addition to the main PHS/NIH SBIR/STTR grant solicitation and their fall contract solicitation, NIH issues numerous small solicitations throughout the year focused on specific health related areas.  They are listed at : http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir_announcements.htm

II. Financing, Networking and Related Events and Information

-BioNJ 2012 Annual Meeting, Awards Program, and Networking Event,
2/2/12, 5:00-10:00 p.m., Hilton, East Brunswick
http://www.bionj.org/news/2012am 

NJTC Capital Conference, 1/27/12, The Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village
Get the latest information about:
-Where’s the money?
-How do I get it?
-Valuations
-Exit strategies
-The global perspective – Why it’s more important now?
http://njtc.org/events/capcon12/index.htm

New Tools to Prepare Your Venture for Angel and Venture Financing
The NJSBDC Technology Commercialization Program has purchased a subscription to VentureCapitalTools.  This is a set of venture assessment tools developed by Dr. Randall Goldsmith designed to guide entrepreneurs in navigating their way through the technology commercialization process and preparing their venture for angel and VC financing.  NJSBDC is incorporating the individual tools into its technology commercialization consulting.

Perhaps the cornerstone of the tool set is the “Product Commercialization Model.” What is unique and valuable about this model is that it recognizes that there are important marketing and business development activities and milestones at each step in the development and production of a new technology.  The Venture Readiness assessment tool based on this model will help entrepreneurs assess where they are in the venture development process and what they have to accomplish to become investor ready.

The Venture Readiness tool is supplemented by several other venture assessment tools, which together can prove to be very useful in moving science and technology based businesses forward.  NJSBDC first learned about VentureCapitalTools from our colleagues at the NJIT Enterprise Development Center business incubator and immediately recognized their value in technology commercialization consulting.  It turned out that the tools evolved from the “Innovation Process Model” developed by Mohawk Research and the Department of Energy that NJSBDC has made available on its web site for years.  For more information visit www.njsbdc.com/sbir.  This service is limited to NJ entrepreneurs.

ENTREPRENEUR NETWORKING MEETINGS:

NJ Entrepreneurial Network: P4 – Posters, Pitches, and Prizes at Princeton -A poster session with a punch
Wednesday, 2/1, 12:00 PM – 3 PM, **Special location – Princeton University Friend Center
www.njen.com 

NJ Entrepreneurs Forum
www.njef.org

Venture Association of NJ
Tuesday 1/31, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Marriott Hanover, Whippany
www.vanj.com