Grantsmanship and Entrepreneurship: A Partnership Opportunity under the Small Business Innovation Development Act
介绍《小企业创新发展法案》下SBIR项目的第一阶段，帮助小企业主了解如何与学术顾问合作，有效提交资助申请，以获取联邦资金支持技术创新。
GRANTSMANSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP: A PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY UNDER THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT ACT As a result of the Small Business Innovation Development Act (Public Law 97-219, 1982), twelve government agencies will continue to solicit proposals from small businesses for the purpose of awarding contracts. The purpose of this article is to aid the reader in submitting an effective proposal under Phase I of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Within the act, the meaning of research and is any activity which is (a) a systematic, intensive study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the subject studied; (b) a systematic study directed specifically toward applying new knowledge to meet a required need; (c) a systematic application of knowledge toward the production of useful materials, devices, and systems or methods, including design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet specific requirements (Public Law 97-219, 1982). The Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 provides funding to small firms for leading to commercial development of technological innovations. The rationale of the act is twofold: (a) to reserve a portion of a federal agency's and development allocations for awards to small business concerns, and (b) to simplify the usual procedures for securing money for government-funded research. Nevertheless, funds can be obtained only by successfully surmounting the review process of a federal agency. The very characteristics which lead to innovativeness in an entrepreneur may also lead to a distaste for dealing with the federal bureaucracy. Small businesspersons may, therefore, be able to compete more successfully for funds in partnership with an academic consultant with and grant application expertise. HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS The SBIR program has three phases. Phase I is an assessment period to determine the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas submitted under the SBIR program. Awards of up to $50,000 will be given for a contract period of approximately six months. Phase II involves the actual and development of projects selected from Phase I which show promise. Awards in this phase range from $200,000 to $500,000. (It is important to realize that Phase I is the entry point in the SBIR program. Only those ideas submitted and approved under Phase I will be considered for Phase II awards.) Under Phase III of the program, federal agencies may award non-SBIR follow-on contracts for products or processes developed under Phases I and II. In addition, non-federal capital may be used to develop commercial applications of the product or process. In return for obtaining a government contract, the usual patent protections do not apply to government use of the product (or process). Patent rights on any commercial use of the product, however, are retained by the inventor. During fiscal year 1983, approximately $40 million was awarded to small firms under the SBIR program. An estimated $136 million was awarded during 1984. Awards approaching $500 million are expected when the program is fully impemented in 1987. In order to successfully compete for an agency's funds, a small business must match a topic identified by a participating SBIR agency with an interest and expertise of the small business. The technology which the business proposes to develop should jointly satisfy: (a) a goal of a participating federal agency for a product or process and (b) a commercial application using the firm's existing knowledge and/or potential technological capability. A proposal with potential commercial application will be given some priority over other proposals of comparable tehnical quality. PARTICIPATING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES According to the SBA, the following agencies were expected to participate in Fiscal Year 1985: Department of Agriculture Department of Commerce Department of Defense Department of Education Department of Energy Department of Health and Human Services Department of the Interior Department of Transportation Environmental Protection Agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Science Foundation Nuclear Regulatory Commission INITIATING THE PROCESS A good way to being the SBIR process is to request the SBIR presolicitation announcements. …