WASHINGTON –The U.S. Small Business Administration released its highly anticipated Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) online tutorials to help small businesses navigate the SBIR program. The site provides users with a mobile-compatible site to learn about the program through a combination of videos and text. This platform will provide accessible program information and training resources to underrepresented areas. There is no registration or fee required and the courses are open to all.

“We are excited to introduce these tutorials. We know there are many small businesses in rural communities as well as young entrepreneurs that are unaware of this amazing program,” said Mark Walsh, SBA’s Associate Administrator for Investment and Innovation. “SBA has pulled together resources from across the federal government, providing them in a format easily accessible on mobile devices, while allowing users to select just the information they need.”

The SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, also called “America’s Seed Fund,” inject $2.5 billion every year into small, innovative and nimble firms across the nation. The mission of each program is to support R&D in technical areas that align with American priorities, and build a strong national economy to meet the pressing needs of the federal government. Currently, there are 11 federal agencies with SBIR/STTR programs.

“This new source should be invaluable to entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of our SBIR and STTR programs, which are the largest source of non-dilutive early stage R&D dollars available to small businesses,” Walsh added. “Further, these courses will help the SBA provide timely and accurate information about the programs to our entrepreneurs regardless of their geographic location or ability to attend one of our conferences or SBIR Road Tour events.”

With 52 modules housed within 10 courses, the platform addresses topics relevant to small businesses that are new to the SBIR/STTR programs and companies that have previously received SBIR funding. Topics include:

Agency differences
Registration requirements
SBIR Data Rights
Accounting and
How to find partners.

More topics are being developed for future tutorials. Tools, resources, links and quizzes accompany each tutorial to help users navigate the process of applying for and winning federal awards. To find out more about SBA’s Online Tutorials, or to begin your learning experience, please visit www.sbir.gov/tutorials.

About SBIR/STTR
The programs represent the nation's largest source of non-diluted early stage research and development funding for small businesses. The programs are administered by the SBA in collaboration with 11 federal agencies, which collectively support more than $2.5 billion in federal research and development funding annually. The program is ideal to help early stage firms obtain the needed funding to advance their technology, and was the seed funding for hundreds of now publically traded companies like Qualcomm and Biogen. Additional information about each program can be found at www.sbir.gov. Follow us @SBIRgov and #SBIR to stay updated on the latest SBIR news and announcements.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. www.sba.gov

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Release Date: Thursday, July 21, 2016
Release Number: 16-54
Contact: Tiffani S. Clements (202) 401-0035
nternet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news

NASA has selected 137 research and technology proposals from 117 American small businesses and research institutions that will enable NASA's future missions into deep space, while also benefiting the U.S. economy right here on Earth.

The agency received 323 proposals in response to its 2015 solicitation for its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. From those, NASA selected 134 SBIR Phase II General proposals, with a total value of approximately $100.5 million, and three Phase II Select proposals, valued at approximately $3.8 million, for contract negotiations under Phase II of the SBIR program. [Note from COBRT: twelve SBIR Phase II General proposals were chosen from ten Colorado-located companies: Composite Technology Development, Inc.; ExoTerra Resource, LLC; Extreme Diagnostics, Inc.; Pioneer Astronautics (two projects); Quest Thermal Group; ROCCOR, LLC; Sporian Microsystems, Inc.; TDA Research, Inc.; Tendeg, LLC; and Vescent Photonics, Inc. (two projects).]

Proposals were selected according to their technical merit and feasibility, in addition to the experience, qualifications and facilities of the submitting business. Additional criteria included effectiveness of the work plan and commercial potential.

"We are pleased to select more than 100 SBIR proposals again this year. These proposals represent the entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses that fuel our economy and create jobs on Main Street," said Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The dollar value of these innovation projects represents an investment in the American economy."

Selected proposals from these small businesses will support the development of technologies in the areas of aeronautics, science, human exploration and operations, and space technology. A sampling of proposals demonstrates the breadth of research and development these awards will fund.

Software for single-operator, multiple unmanned aircraft systems missions that could assist NASA and the commercial space industry in managing multiple rover and spacecraft missions.
The ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) process will directly print parts in one machine at one time, eliminating part movements from process to process and vendor to vendor. UAM offers the potential for lower-cost, more reliable systems over other 3-D printing techniques such as laser-based systems.
Development and commercialization of environmentally robust frequency combs that will enable the search for exoplanets. An optical frequency comb is a tool for precise measurement of color across the light spectrum.
Sensors for real-time cryogenic pipes monitoring that could be used not only for space launch facilities, but also for chemical refineries and production plants.

NASA's SBIR program is a competitive, awards-based program that encourages American small businesses to engage in federal research, development and commercialization. The program enables businesses to explore technological potential while providing the incentive to profit from new commercial products and services. Small businesses create about two out of every three jobs in the U.S. each year, and about half the American workforce either own or work for a small business.

SBIR Phase II General and Phase II Select projects will expand on the results of recently completed Phase I projects. Phase I projects received six-month contracts as much as $125,000. SBIR Phase II projects last no more than two years and receive contracts valued as much as $750,000 per award. Awards under the SBIR Phase II Select solicitation may be as much as $1.5 million per award. Phase III, or the commercialization of an innovation, may occur after successful completion of Phase II.

NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California, manages the SBIR Program for STMD. Each of NASA's 10 centers manage individual projects.

STMD is innovating, developing, testing and flying hardware for use in NASA's future missions. For more information about NASA's investment in space technology, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacetech

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Gina Anderson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1160
[email protected]

This news release originally appeared here at nasa.gov.