Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Programs at the U.S. Department of Education

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1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Programs at the U.S. Department of Education Phillip Beatty, Ph.D., Research Sciences Division National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) U.S. Department of Education Overview Summary of SBIR Program SBIR Programs in the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) How Can Colleges and Universities Work With Small Businesses to Develop Successful Projects? Where to Go for Further Information 2 Summary of SBIR Programs 3 1

2 SBIR Program Summary The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program was mandated as part of the Small Business Innovation Development Act of The SBIR program is administered by the Small Business Administration. The act s intent: To encourage small businesses to explore their technological potential. To stimulate high-tech innovation. To meet research and development needs in the U.S. To fund the critical start-up and development stages and encourage the commercialization of the technology, product, or service, which, in turn, stimulates the U.S. economy. 4 SBIR Program Summary (cont d.) SBIR Grants: Three Phases Phase I is the start-up phase. Awards of up to $150,000 for approximately six months support exploration of the technical merit or feasibility of an idea or technology. Phase II awards of up to $1 million, for as long as two years, expand Phase I results. During this time, the R&D work is performed and the developer evaluates commercialization potential. Only Phase I award winners are considered for Phase II. Phase III is the period during which Phase II innovation moves from the laboratory into the marketplace. No SBIR funds support this phase. The small business must find funding in the private sector or other non-sbir federal agency funding. 5 SBIR Program Summary (cont d.) Only small businesses are eligible to apply for SBIR grants: American-owned and independently operated. For-profit. Principal i i lresearcher must be employed dby business. Company size limited to 500 employees. For Phase I grants, a minimum of two-thirds of the research and/or analytical effort must be performed by the proposing small business. For Phase II grants, a minimum of one-half of the research and/or analytical effort must be performed by the proposing small business. 6 2

3 SBIR Program Summary (cont d.) Each year, 11 federal departments and agencies are required to reserve a portion of their R&D funds for awards to small businesses: Department of Agriculture Department of Commerce Department of Defense Department of Education Department of Energy Department of Health & Human Services Department of Homeland Security Department of Transportation Environmental Protection Agency NASA National Science Foundation 7 SBIR Programs in the U.S. Department of Education 8 SBIR Programs in the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) National l Institute t on Disability and Rehabilitation ti Research (NIDRR) 9 3

4 SBIR Programs in the U.S. Department of Education ED s SBIR program funding levels, fiscal years : FY 2006 $8.7M FY 2007 $10.5M FY 2008 $9.9M FY 2009 $10.0M FY 2010 $10.1M 10 SBIR Programs in the U.S. Department of Education: Institute for Education Sciences (IES) 11 SBIR Program at IES IES makes Phase I awards of up to $150,000 and Phase II awards of up to $900,000. FY 2010 Grants: 14 Phase I awards Six Fast Track awards, which combine Phase I and Phase II funding IES solicits SBIR proposals in the areas of general education and special education. 12 4

5 SBIR Program at IES (cont d.) Sample of IES SBIR Phase I Awards (FY 2010): HandHold Adaptive, LLC Shelton, Conn. Title: Handheld technology for students with autism spectrum disorder Polyhedron Learning Media, Inc Wheeling, W. Va. Title: Virtual physics laboratory for high school students Teaching Research Institute, LLC Baton Rouge, La. Title: The Social Shape Up System (SSUS): A framework for educators to teach and monitor class-wide social behavior Virtual Learning Technologies, Inc. Chandler, Ariz. Title: An online intelligent tutoring system to advance learning in math games 13 SBIR Program at IES (cont d.) Examples of IES SBIR Program Accomplishments: Nimble Assessment Systems developed tools to accommodate for disabilities in standardized assessments of students. These tools will be used in research in more than 10 states as part of ED s Race to the Top program. Polyhedron Learning Media developed a virtual physics laboratory for college students. This product was purchased by Cengage Learning to be used as a supplement to their college physics textbook. 14 SBIR Program at IES Future SBIR Solicitations: IES anticipates the release of a Phase I RFP in regular education around Dec. 1, 2011, for awards up to $150K for six months. IES anticipates a due date for proposals in mid January, IES anticipates the release of a Phase I RFP in special education around Dec. 1, 2011, for awards up to $150K for six months. This solicitation will also include an option for a Fast Track to Phase II, with an additional award of up to $900K for two years. 15 5

6 SBIR Programs in the U.S. Department of Education: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) 16 NIDRR s Organization Details Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) includes: Rehabilitative Services Administrative (RSA) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitative Research (NIDRR) Legislative authority: Title II, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 17 NIDRR s Mission To generate new knowledge and to promote its effective use to improve the abilities of individuals with disabilities to perform activities of their choice in the community; and To expand society s s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for its citizens with disabilities. 18 6

7 NIDRR s Research Domains Focus on outcomes in three major life domains: Employment; Participation and community living; and Health and function. 19 Scope of NIDRR Mandate Cross-disability Work: Physical and mobility impairments; Sensory impairments; and Cognitive C i i impairments i and psychiatric i disability. Cross-life-span Work: Children and youths; Working-age adults; and Individuals aging with lifelong and early-onset disabilities, and those aging into disability in mid- to later life. 20 NIDRR Grant Mechanisms Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Fellowships Field-Initiated Projects (Research and Development) Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers Model Systems Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Grants ADA Technical Assistance Centers 21 7

8 SBIR Program at NIDRR NIDRR makes Phase I awards of up to $75,000 and Phase II awards of up to $500,000. FY 2010 Grants: 15 Phase I awards Five Phase II awards 22 SBIR Program at NIDRR NIDRR invites SBIR proposals toward the following outcomes: Increased independence of individuals with disabilities in the workplace, recreational settings, or educational settings through the development of technology to support access and promote integration of individuals with disabilities. Enhanced sensory or motor function of individuals with disabilities through the development of technology to support improved functional capacity. Enhanced workforce participation through the development of technology to support access to employment, promote sustained employment, and promote employment advancement for individuals with disabilities. 23 SBIR Program at NIDRR (cont d.) NIDRR invites SBIR proposals toward the following outcomes: Enhanced community participation and living for individuals with disabilities through the development of accessible information technology including Web access technology, software, and other systems and devices that promote access to information in educational, employment, and community settings, and voting technology that improves access for individuals with disabilities. Improved interventions and increased use of health-care resources through the development of technology to support independent access to health-care services in the community for individuals with disabilities. 24 8

9 SBIR Program at NIDRR (cont d.) Sample of NIDRR SBIR Phase I Awards (FY 2010): Anthro Tronix, Inc. Silver Spring, Md. Title: Using robotics to promote social cognitive skills in the inclusive classroom Vcom3D, Inc. Orlando, Fla. Title: Mobile signing earth science dictionary for deaf/hard of hearing students, grades 9-12 Corpora Systems, Inc. Malden, Mass. Title: Small, cheap, smart, and simple - An electronic travel aid for the blind 25 SBIR Program at NIDRR (cont d.) Sample of NIDRR SBIR Phase I Awards (FY 2010): Presence Telecare, LLC San Francisco, Calif. Title: Using speech therapy telepractice to improve treatment of students with communication disorders Motion Control, Inc. Salt Lake City, Utah Title: A new electro-hydraulic foot prosthesis AbleLink Technologies, Inc. Colorado Springs, Colo. Title: Money-Coach: A Money Management System to Facilitate Independent Living for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities 26 SBIR Program at NIDRR (cont d.) Examples of NIDRR SBIR Program Accomplishments: Touch Graphics, Inc. has developed and evaluated the Talking Tactile Pen (TTP) and a series of related educational applications for students and other individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The technology allows students to have efficient access to complex scientific information, which is generally difficult to convey in Braille. The TTP and its related applications are now available to the public at the Touch Graphics Web page. 27 9

10 SBIR Program at NIDRR (cont d.) Examples of NIDRR SBIR Program Accomplishments: The Marshall Elevator Company developed a RAIL-ramp device to bridge the gap between the rail platform and an accessible entrance of a railcar. There is a need for a ramp assembly that can bridge varying vertical and horizontal gaps, and provide access to either of the doors on opposite sides of a railcar. Such a ramp must be low profile, and should be easily retrofitted into existing railcars. Marshall Elevator Company has designed and developed a ramp that meets these needs, with Phase I and II funding from NIDRR s SBIR program (H133S050136, H133S040161). The prototype has been successfully demonstrated in the New Jersey Transit (NJT) system. Marshall Elevator Company has submitted a detailed application for a patent for this device. 28 SBIR Program at NIDRR (cont d.) Future SBIR Solicitations: NIDRR anticipates the release of a Phase I RFP in the late autumn of Proposals will be due 60 days following the publication of the RFP. 29 How Can Colleges and Universities Work With Small Businesses to Develop Successful SBIR Projects? 30 10

11 College / University Involvement in SBIR Projects For Phase I grants, a minimum of two-thirds of the research and/or analytical effort must be performed by the proposing small business. So up to one-third by college/university. For Phase II grants, a minimum of one-half of the research and/or analytical effort must be performed by the proposing small business. So up to one-half by college/university. 31 College / University Involvement in SBIR Projects (cont d.) NIDRR currently has 13 active SBIR Phase II grants: Six of these grants have no involvement with colleges or universities. Two of these grants have university faculty as unpaid consultants. Five i of these grants have subcontracts with university i faculty as paid consultants. Two of these grants have subcontracts with universities, for the use of laboratory facilities. 32 College / University Involvement in SBIR Projects National Research Council survey of businesses with SBIR awards indicates that: 27 percent of projects had university faculty as consultants. 17 percent of projects subcontracted directly with universities. 15 percent employed graduate students. More than two-thirds of businesses with SBIR awards had at least one founder who was formerly an academic. National Science Foundation, 2007, An Assessment of the SBIR Program

12 College / University Involvement in SBIR Projects (cont d.) Your faculty have knowledge and expertise that is attractive to small businesses that are engaged in research and development activities. Their participation in the SBIR program can promote innovation and small business development, and facilitate the development of products that fulfill the mission of sponsoring agencies. Your facilities have lab space that is valuable to small businesses. Encourage your faculty to become knowledgeable about SBIR programs that are relevant to their fields. Be flexible with your faculty. Allow them to engage directly with small businesses as expert consultants, or to use reduced indirect cost rates. 34 Where to Go for Further Information Department of Education s SBIR website NIDRR website: IES website: 35 Where to Go for Further Information IES SBIR Program Manager Edward Metz, Ph.D. Phone: edward.metz@ed.gov NIDRR SBIR Program Manager Thomas Corfman Phone: thomas.corfman@ed.gov 36 12