More thoughts on SBIR Strategic Breakthrough Awards
I keep getting lots of questions and requests about how to get one of these $30 million Strategic Breakthrough (SB) awards.
Well first, let’s break it down a few very pertinent facts:
SB awards are ONLY authorized (by PL 119-83) at the following SBIR agencies: DOD (DOW), HHS, NSF, DOE and NASA. None of the other SBIR agencies can even consider SB awards.
SB awards are FOLLOW-ON Phase II awards (based on the previously implemented Air Force STRATFI program). This means to be eligible, a company must already have an SBIR/STTR Phase II award.
Before finalizing an SB award, an eligible company must show evidence of a 1:1 match of the proposed award amount.
An SB award will come from the awarding agency SBIR budget. That is, PL 119-83 did not appropriate any new funds for SB awards, it simply allows SBIR dollars to be spent via SB without requesting permission.
MY THOUGHTS… (not facts!)
NIH & NSF have said they would likely use the new SB authority to expand their existing Phase IIB awards on a case by case basis. But both expected that IF they used the new SB authority, the award sizes would be more like < $5 million, not close to the $30 million maximum.
My personal view is that only the largest DOD components (AF, Navy, Army, MDA) will entertain anything near the $30 million maximum. Any SB award nearing $30 million would simply chew up too much of the overall SBIR budgets. Keep in mind that one $30 million award would be more than 10% of the individual NSF, NASA & DOE annual SBIR budgets.
So what should you do?
The four requirements will likely filter out most of those interested in pursuing an SB award.
If your firm DOES meet all the requirements above, then it is in your best interest to talk with your agency program staff to inquire how to pursue these larger awards.
Final thought:
This new authority gives the 5 agencies listed additional flexibility on how to use SBIR budgets to further their agency mission. I LIKE this new authority!! However, actual implementation of the authority will likely be limited in both scope (which agencies actually use the SB authority) and scale (the actual dollar amount of any resulting SB awards).
Connect with Jerry Hollister
BBCetc Website: https://bbcetc.com/
Additional Resources:
Public Law 119-83 DSIP (Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal): https://www.congress.gov/119/plaws/publ83/PLAW-119publ83.pdf
SBA FAST Program: https://www.sbir.gov/community/fast