SBIR Impact
- June 2006
SBIR Impact is a quarterly newsletter for
small businesses interested in the USDA-SBIR
program and for institutions and organizations
that support the small business community
and rural America.
In This Issue
Program Update
Topic Focus
Impacts
From the Field
Reminders and Deadlines
Meetings
SBIR Staff and Responsibilities
Feedback
Subscription Information
Program
Update
The USDA-SBIR program has gone electronic!
All FY 2007 proposals must be submitted electronically
through Grants.gov. Companies considering
a FY 2007 proposal submission should register
with Grants.gov immediately. The registration
procedure for companies or individuals
intending to submit a grant application through
Grants.gov involves several steps and registration
must be finished prior to submitting a proposal.
Although registration is a one-time process,
it can take as much as one month to complete.
It is therefore critical companies begin
this process as soon as possible. A quick
reference guide detailing the registration
procedure is available as a two-page PDF
document.
Successfully navigating the electronic submission
process and the new Grants.gov forms requires
applicants to be familiar with two documents-
the Grants.gov
Application Guide and the FY
2007 Request for Applications (RFA).
Both documents provide information critical
to the completion and submission of a proposal.
CSREES provides more information about Electronic
Submission including a Finding
Help page.
FY2007 Request for Applications (RFA)
The final, complete version of the USDA
SBIR FY 2007 RFA is now available
as a PDF document on our Web site. Please
note: if you had accessed the earlier version
of the RFA, you will need the final version
of the RFA to be able to successfully navigate
and complete the electronic Grants.gov
forms.
The FY 2007 SBIR RFA contains significant
changes, and it is important for all potential
applicants to read this document thoroughly,
even if they have previously received USDA
SBIR grants. The changes include removal
of the Wildlife topic from the program and
a narrowing of the focus of several other
topic areas such that previously supported
proposals may no longer adequately address
topic areas published in the current RFA.
Contact the appropriate SBIR National Program
Leader listed near the end of this newsletter
if you need clarification on whether or not
your proposal is applicable to one of the
SBIR topic areas.
DOE/USDA SBIR Energy Summit July 6-7, 2006
Please note: The registration deadline
for this event is June 28th for U.S. citizens.
The registration deadline for non-citizens
has passed. On-site registration is not
permitted for this event.
The USDA SBIR program, led by CSREES, is
joining the Department of Energy's (DOE)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for
the first DOE/USDA SBIR Energy Summit at
ORNL in Tennessee on July 6-7, 2006. The
event will provide a forum to help engage
the small business community in the development
of renewable energy technologies.
Specifically, the meeting's agenda is to:
- highlight alternative and renewable energy-related
research and energy efficiency-related
funding opportunities through USDA and
DOE SBIR programs;
- enhance the ability of public and private
researchers to conduct research on cost
efficient alternative and renewable energy
technologies;
- showcase the research and collaboration
opportunities available at ORNL and regional
university partners; and
- engage interested small businesses to
facilitate the transfer of publicly supported
research results to real world applications.
Visit the DOE/USDA
SBIR Energy Summit page for more information
on this upcoming summit including information
on how to register.
FY 2006 Proposals
Small businesses from 37 states have received
more than $7.2 million in grants from Phase
I grants from the USDA SBIR program during
FY 2006. Abstracts for the funded projects
are available at www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/sbir/sbir_abstracts.
The Phase II review process is now complete
and funding recommendations have been made.
Project directors who submitted proposals
should have received word via phone or e-mail
about their recommendations. If you submitted
a FY 2006 Phase II proposal and do not know
the status of your proposal, contact us at sbir@csrees.usda.gov.
Information about the recommendation status
of a proposal will only be made available
to project directors and/or authorized organizational
officials. Information about new grantees
will be posted on our abstracts
page as soon as awards are made official,
around September 1. We caution companies
that have been recommended for an award about
publicizing this information before the grant
is made official. Grants are not official
until a thorough administrative review of
each recommended proposal is complete and
the official award letter has been signed
by the Authorized Departmental Officer.
Top
Topic
Focus
Topic Focus - Marketing and Trade (Topic
Area 8.9)
Beginning in FY 1995, Marketing
and Trade became a separate topic area
in the USDA SBIR program to support innovative
research on marketing strategies in order
to increase sales of agricultural, forestry,
and aquacultural products, both domestically
and abroad. The importance of this topic
area is evident by the potential contribution
projects provide to further growth and
development of agricultural production
and value-added processes. Despite the
importance of this topic area, the number
of applications remains low.
The FY 2006 research supported five areas:
- Assess and evaluate the type,
size and location of domestic and international
market opportunities for U.S.
produced food, agricultural, forestry
and aquacultural products and services.
- Develop innovative marketing
strategies to gain entry into
new markets or expand sales in current
markets.
- Develop integrated management
systems that would enhance
efficiencies in manufacturing, handling,
processing, packaging, transporting,
wholesaling and retailing products and
services.
- Develop advanced information
systems that provide complete,
relevant, and timely information on marketing
opportunities for an industry or producers
in a state, region, or country.
- Design or establish market-based
mechanisms for enhanced environmental
benefits.
In the past 11 years, the Markets and Trade
topic area has funded 44 Phase I awards and
15 Phase II awards. The investment of approximately
$6.8 million allows small businesses to enhance
economic opportunities for agricultural producers
as well as support increased economic opportunities
and improved quality of life for rural America
. Many awardees have successfully commercialized
their project results or are in the process
of doing so. View some of the successes on
our SBIR Success
Stories page.
Top
Impacts
In the News
Research funded by the SBIR Program (Origen
Therapeutics) was published in the
June 8 issue of the prestigious journal Nature.
The research examined primordial germ cells
(PGC) in chickens. Germ cells segregate
from somatic lineages early in development
to form the sperm and egg cells later in
the organism's life. Researchers confirmed
that the PGC from chickens can be isolated,
cultured, and genetically modified while
maintaining their commitment to the germ
line. In addition, the chicken PGC can
be induced in vitro to differentiate into
a germ line that contributes to the somatic
line. This research provides a new developmental
biology model and creates new opportunities
to manipulate the genome of chickens for
agricultural and pharmaceutical applications.
The Pacific Business News Web site recently
featured Kini Po-Po Creations, Inc. of Hilo,
HI, with information about the progress of
their project to develop an organic Hawaiian
herbal tea industry.
The Institute of Physics' Measurement Science
and Technology editorial board published
a list of articles that comprise the best
papers and review articles published in the
last year. This year, the board named the
research of Dr. Kumar Patel of Pranalytica,
Inc., one of the “Highlights
of 2005” for his article, 'Agricultural
ammonia sensor using diode lasers and photoacoustic
spectroscopy.' An abstract of
the project-related article is available
on the journal's Web site with links to the
full article.
Up and coming
Although the goal of all SBIR projects is
commercial success, we recognize that the
road between the end of an SBIR grant and
significant commercialization can be a long
and sometimes difficult process. However,
any company that has made some progress towards
moving their product, process, or service
into the marketplace deserves recognition. Below,
we have highlighted several companies that
have begun the journey to commercial success.
Heartland
Fields has received several SBIR grants
for designing processing systems for high
protein textured soy (HPTS®) products.
As a result, four single-serve, all-natural
frozen entrees featuring HPTS® were
manufactured under the Heartland Fields'
brand name. These products are now being
distributed through several West Coast
and Midwest retail chains and have recently
completed tests with Costco in the Denver
market.
D'Antonio
Consultants International, Inc., has
begun marketing its LectraVet® injection
system through Prima
Tech USA. The LectraVet® system
is a high-speed, battery powered device
that assures delivery of injectates to
an accurate, predictable depth in a variety
of livestock species, including cattle
and pigs. Tests show that LectraVet has
great utility in administering injections
into companion animals, poultry, horses,
sheep, fish, and even lobsters. The
LectraVet has been sold into the U.S. market
as well as into Denmark, Germany, Spain,
Australia, Japan, and Egypt, and there
is a developing interest in uses for the
LectraVet in vaccinating against possible
avian flu outbreaks.
APL
Sciences, Inc., has recently begun
running ‘fee-for-service' samples
for several large crab companies. Correctly
identifying crabmeat by species allows
importers to minimize payments for incorrectly
marked products and to maximize their ability
to market high-value products.
We highlight companies that have achieved
substantial commercial success on the USDA
SBIR Success Stories page, at www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/sbir/sbir_success.html.
Top
From
the Field
SBIR Tibbetts Awards
Submitted by Jere Glover – Small
Business Technology Council
The Small Business Technology Council (SBTC),
a council of National Small Business Association
(NSBA), is sponsoring the eighth Tibbetts
Awards. Named for Roland Tibbetts, the national
awards are given annually to those small
firms, projects, organizations, and individuals
judged to exemplify the very best in SBIR
achievement. Tibbetts began the SBIR program
as an experimental program at the National
Science Foundation. Today, the SBIR program
has developed more than $17 billion worth
of research by more than 15,000 firms, resulting
in more than 45,000 patents since the program
began in 1983.
07/25/2007 award given to SBIR awardees in recognition
of their outstanding performance as a SBIR
grant recipient. This recognition can
be used to help leverage additional support for
the technology being developed by the small
business grantee.
Through their work, awardees demonstrated
the economic impact of their technological
innovation and business achievement. Their
work results in effective collaborations,
impacts at the state and regional level as
well as proven support.
Winners will be recognized on September
26 at the Wyndham Washington Hotel, located
at 1400 M Street, NW, in Washington, DC.
SBIR companies employ more than 400,000
scientists and engineers, making the program
the largest concentration of scientific and
engineering talent in the United States,
exceeding the combined total of all American
academic and non-profit institutions. Each
year, 10 Federal agencies award more than
$2 billion in research contracts as part
of the SBIR program.
Current sponsors for the Tibbetts Awards
include Boeing, NASA, the United States Department
of Defense, the U.S. Navy, the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, the National Institutes
of Health, and the Association for Manufacturing
Technology.
More information about the Tibbetts
Awards, including nomination information,
can be found at www.tibbettsawards.org.
SBIR awardee are eligible to make nominations,
however all nominations must be submitted
by July 15.
Top
Reminders
and Deadlines
The submission deadline for USDA SBIR Phase
I proposals is September 1, 2006. All proposals
must be submitted to Grants.gov by 5:00 pm
Eastern Time. However, it is important to
realize that all potential applicants must
be registered with Grants.gov prior to submitting
their application. This process can take
up to one month, therefore we strongly
suggest that prospective applicants begin
the registration process as soon as possible.
FY 2006 Phase I Grants
FY 2006 Phase I grants were made official
in May. Interim technical reports for these
grants are due at the mid-point of the project.
There is no calendar deadline for the submission
of interim reports; however, Phase I interim
reports are typically submitted in August
and September. These reports must be sent
electronically to sbir@csrees.usda.gov in
order for grant funds to be authorized beyond
the initial 50 percent of the grant amount.
For more information on reporting requirements,
please see SBIR
Grantee Resources.
Quarterly Financial Reports (SF-272)
These reports are required even if you have
not spent any grant funds during a given
quarter. Failure to submit reports in a timely
manner will result in a hold placed on your
Payment Management System (PMS) account and
you will not be able to withdraw funds until
you submit the delinquent report(s) and the
hold is lifted by the Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS). USDA SBIR program
staff does not have access to this system
and cannot remove any holds placed on the
system by DHHS. If you have questions about
these reports, or need help in completing
them, you may contact Vivian
Hughes (301-443-9181) at PMS who handles
the USDA SBIR account. Questions can also
be sent to the general PMS
help desk.
Acknowledging SBIR Funding
Proper acknowledgement of CSREES funding
in published manuscripts, presentations,
and press releases is critical for the success
of the USDA SBIR program. We specifically
ask that you use the following language to
acknowledge this support:
“This project was supported by the
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
program of the USDA Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service (CSREES),
Grant Number (Insert Grant Number Here).”
We strongly encourage you to acknowledge
CSREES funding in interviews and articles
that feature your company, as well as work
that was supported through our program. This
acknowledgement is beneficial for both the
USDA SBIR program and the companies with
whom we partner.
Finally, we ask that you use the CSREES
logo on your PowerPoint presentations or
posters at meetings. Please contact sbir@csrees.usda.gov for
a high quality image file of our logo.
Top
Meetings
Recent and Upcoming Meetings - SBIR Staff
An important element of the USDA SBIR program
is national, regional, and state meetings
in which SBIR national program staff participates.
These events help prospective applicants
learn more about the SBIR program and receive
guidance about developing a competitive SBIR
proposal. Companies with on-going USDA SBIR
grants often attend these meetings to provide
updates on project status and to obtain advice
on preparing Phase II proposals.
Dr. Charles Cleland, CSREES National Program
Leader for SBIR, participated in the Maine
SBIR Summer Meeting on June 13 in Portland,
ME. For more info about the sponsor of this
meeting, please visit the Maine
Technology Institute Web site.
Dr. William Goldner, CSREES National Program
Leader for SBIR, gave a presentation on the
SBIR program as it relates to agricultural
biotechnology at the:
Recent and Upcoming Meetings - USDA SBIR
Grantees
Armando Valdez, of Valdez and Associates,
will present a paper on their Phase II project, “An
Interactive, Self-Paced Training Tool for
Nutrition Education Paraprofessionals,” at
the upcoming 39th Annual Conference of the
Society for Nutrition Education in San Francisco,
CA, July 15-18.
Catalyst
Communications Technologies, Inc.,
presented at the International Wireless
Communications Exposition in Las Vegas,
NV, on May 17-19. Robin Grier, president
of Catalyst and project director for the
company's SBIR projects, also participated
in a panel discussion entitled “Case
Studies in Interoperability: Disparate
Systems.” Forum topics included
advances made in the land mobile radio
migration to a P25 standard and Radio over
IP-based interoperability.
Catalyst will also present at the Association
of Public Safety Communications Officials
(APCO) International, in Orlando, FL , August
6-10. Representatives from the Bexar
County, TX, Sheriff's Office will discuss
how their department improved radio communications
using Catalyst's technology, which was partially
developed through SBIR funding. The
title of the presentation is “Stretching
Homeland Security Dollars for Interoperability
and Back-Up Dispatch.” More
information about the APCO International
Conference can be found at www.apco2006.org.
In addition to providing information about
recent and upcoming meetings where SBIR staff
is present, we would like to include information
about trade shows, conferences, and scientific
meetings where USDA SBIR funded companies
are exhibiting or presenting work related
to their SBIR project. If you are or have
been a USDA SBIR grantee and would like to
share information about meetings where you
have presented or showcased project-related
work, please send this information to sbir@csrees.usda.gov.
Top
SBIR Staff and Responsibilities
Pete
Burfening
- 8.3 Animal Production and Protection
Charles
Cleland
- 8.1 Forests and Related Resources
- 8.4 Soil and Water Resources
- 8.7 Aquaculture
- 8.12 Small and Mid Size Farms
William
Goldner
- 8.2 Plant Production and Protection – Biology
- 8.8 Industrial Applications
- 8.13 Plant Production and Protection – Engineering
Richard
Hegg
- 8.11 Animal Manure Management
S.
Sureshwaran
- 8.5 Food Science and Nutrition
- 8.6 Rural and Community Development
- 8.9 Marketing and Trade
Top
Feedback
The USDA SBIR staff encourages feedback
concerning this newsletter and, more broadly,
the administration of the USDA SBIR program.
We are committed to being responsive to the
needs of applicants to the program and to
those companies who have received USDA SBIR
grants. Please send comments to sbir@csrees.usda.gov or
call (202) 401-4995.
Top
Subscription
Information
To receive email notification of future
USDA SBIR Newsletter releases, send a message
to: sbir@lyris.csrees.usda.gov
Leave the Subject line blank and type the
following message in the text area: Subscribe
sbir
Top
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of discrimination, write to USDA, Director,
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Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410,
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