With 11 different agencies, multiple deadlines, a choice between grants and contracts- how do you begin to search for the right SBIR/STTR opportunity for your company? Make your search a bit easier with the following how-to advice.
- Have you visited SBIR.gov? The updated website now includes an easy search engine giving you the option to search topics via key words. The search should reveal related open, future and closed topics for both grant and contract opportunities by agency. There are also helpful tools like the on-line tutorials that walk you through several topics on preparing and submitting an SBIR/STTR proposal.
- Search past awards by key words? Sometimes the best idea of what might be funded is to look at what has been funded. Each agency lists abstracts of past awardees. You may find sbir.gov useful here as well as NIH RePORTER.
- Look out for agencies with frequent topic changes. Some contracting agencies like DoD have more frequent topic changes as they seek companies with technologies that fulfill a specific need. Keep an eye out for these agencies as you may discover a new topic opportunity that didn’t exist in your last search.
- Use your best search engine skills. Try to cast a wide net when using SBIR/STTR search engines. Broad and general key words as well as synonyms may reveal topic opportunities you hadn’t discovered before.
- Contact CTC. Once you discover topics of interest, you still need to assess your fit. Read the solicitation carefully. Review additional literature. Have a meaningful conversation with the agency program managers. Plan for meeting the deadlines. The CTC intends to make these steps much easier for your team. Reach out to us early and often so we can help you find the right topic and prepare the best application for that agency.
