Air Force (SBIR) Commercialization Pilot Program (CPP) A Strategy to Accelerate Technology Transition Richard Flake Partnering Division Plans and Programs Directorate Air Force Research Laboratory 1
Small Business Innovation Research/ Small Business Technology Transfer Federally Mandated Program requiring 25% (SBIR) and 3% (STTR) of Air Force Extramural RDT&E Budget $370M (2010) 2
AF SBIR/STTR Process Overview Topic Generation Topic Solicitation Proposal Submission Evaluation Annual Averages Topics ~ 230 Phase I Proposals ~ 3500 Phase I Contracts ~ 500 Phase II Proposals ~ 450 Phase II Contracts ~ 270 Annual Workload Proposals Evaluated ~ 4000 New Contracts ~ 800 Continuing Contracts ~ 400 Total Active Contracts ~ 1200 Award 3
SBIR/STTR Phased Approach PHASE I Feasibility Study $100K*, 9-month (SBIR) 9-month (STTR) Award PHASE II Full Research/R&D $750K*, 2-year Award (SBIR/STTR) Enhancement/extension as warranted PHASE III Commercialization Stage Use of non-sbir/sttr Funds Phase I SBIR/STTR Topics Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase I *Air Force will begin implementing new Ph I Award thresholds ($150) in FY 2011 and new Ph II ($1M) thereafter 4
SBIR Participation Firms are typically small and new to the program About 1/3 are first-time Phase I awardees Small hi-tech firms from across the country 5
SBIR/STTR s Role in Air Force Acquisition Phase I Concept Feasibility $100K, 9 months STTR Phase I Phase II Concept Feasibility $100K, 9 months Concept Development $750K, 24 Months Phase III SBIR Production Insertion (Non SBIR Funds) Phase II Concept Development $750K, 24 Months 6
SBIR/STTR s Role in Air Force Acquisition Phase I Concept Feasibility $100K, 9 months STTR Phase I Phase II Concept Feasibility $100K, 9 months SBIR Concept Development $750K, 24 Months Phase III Phase II Concept Development $750K, 24 Months 7
Commercialization Pilot Program (CPP) Created in Sec 252a of FY06 Nat l Defense Auth Act Promotes transition of SBIR-developed technologies Allows 1% of SBIR budget to administer CPP AFRL placed 2 Transition Agents in each PEO XR Build connections among PEO PMs & AFRL S&Es Facilitate SBIR topic generation & tech transition Supports Industry Technology Interchange Workshops Individual prime ktrs host workshops at their plants Transition agents mine data to ID SBIRS of interest Transition plans signed by prime/small ktrs, AFRL, PEO 8
AF SBIR Transition -- Root Cause of the Problem Symptoms SBIR is taxing acquisition programs with very little return on investment Program offices not fully engaged in SBIR processes AFRL executes SBIRs as tech development with insufficient center coordination AF not identifying major contractors or program office POCs to small businesses Major Contractors lack thorough SBIR internal management structure Stakeholders are not adequately aligned or connected 9
Establishing Connectivity -- SBIR CPP Core Transition Support Team Air Force CPP Manager Richard Flake Tech Assistant Kristy Westbrook Workshop Coordination Team Roxanne Summers (OAI) Don Williams MacB Program Manager Darryl Stimson Technical Director William Seward Tech Assistant Jami Wyatt Process Analyst & Strategic Communications Rich Jerdonek ESC PEO Support Joe Minior (Vacant) AAC PEO Support Gavin Tovrea Marsha Palmer ASC PEO Support Walt Fenstermacher Brett Miller SMC PEO Support Dr Martin Kampe Mike Bowker ALC Support Dr Lance Chenault Electronic Systems Center (ESC), Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC), Space & Missile Center (SMC), Air Armament Center (AAC), & Air Logistics Centers (ALCs) 10
SBIR Technology Transition -- Process & Implementation Guides (Internal Alignment) SUPPLEMENT 11
Air Force SBIR CPP -- A Virtual Organization Core AF SBIR CPP Transition Support Team COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT Industry Needs PEO Needs STTP STMP Total of 17 Major Contractors Participating RB RD RH RI RV RW RX RY RZ SBIR Phase II Portfolio 12
SBIR Tech Transition Plan (STTP) Transition Agents (TAs) support SBIR managers in building an STTP which identifies: All critical stakeholders (roles & responsibilities) Current TRL/MRL of SBIR Phase II Required TRL/MRL levels to transition Financial strategy Unfunded requirements TAs help identify needed funding mechanisms NOT a contractual document or an application for funds 13
Candidate Identification --DoD SBIR Phase II Projects PEO Technology Based Needs Data mine DoD SBIR databases Match to supply chain contractors Conduct one-on-one (B2B) interviews at Industry Interchange Workshops AFRL TD Technology POCs & Major Ktr candidates Case by case basis Candidates enter same transition process as PEO tech needs approach Industry Technology Based Needs AF relevant 3 Pilot Workshops in 2008/09, 7 in 2009/10, and 10 scheduled AF, Navy, Army* & MDA participating 14
Air Force SBIR CPP Successes Eight SBIR technologies transitioned to the warfighter 39 transition plans are funded 40 more are in process SBIR funds added via CPP attracted $173M in additional funding Seventeen major industry partners are participating SBIR technologies will provide significant benefit to AF systems in - Improved performance - Cost savings, - New capability - Sustainability Fourteen SBIR technologies are on Center s technology road maps Key stakeholders are adopting Air Force SBIR tools and processes to identify, align & connect technology transition partners Note: Data in this presentation is current as of 1 May 2010 15
CPP Transitions & Expected Benefits GATR Technologies deployable antenna enables soldiers, mobile medical, or emergency response teams to receive high-speed internet/phone communications The 8 inflatable dish fits in two small cases and sets up in an hour 13 have already been deployed and Inccom named it one of 2009 s hottest products STTP 2008-57 Aerius Photonics, Inc delivered laser illuminators to a special UAV operation in seven weeks that were successfully employed Small, light, efficient, low-cost, and high power; they enable full motion video in any lighting without alerting subjects STTP 2008-38 Silicon Space Technology (SST) Corp developed the patented Buried Guard Ring (BGR) to dramatically improve rad-hard CMOS performance for space based systems SST and Texas Instruments are readying BGR products including 16 Mbit SRAM chips STTP 2008-84 16
SBIR CPP Operating Construct SBIR Extension $$ Phase I Phase I Phase II CPP Phase III Phase I Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Industry Matching $$ Planned O&M $$ F-35 SMC AFNWC 17
CPP Operating Construct AF SBIR CPP Transition Support F-35 SMC Topic Generation 18
FY10 AF SBIR Topic Allocation 192 total topics (51) (5) (15) (30) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) (4) F-35 (25) SMC (40) AFNWC (2) AFRL allocates over 60% of SBIR topics to PEOs 19
AF SBIR Topic Generation Topic Generation Topic Solicitation Topics are Generated through internal processes across AF (PEOs, TDs, ALCs, & Test Centers) Major contractor input is highly encouraged Directly to AF Transition Agents (TAs) Proposal Submission Evaluation TAs take to Chief Engineers for consideration Virtual corporate IR&D Helps mitigate High Risk development Award 20
DoD SBIR & STTR Solicitations DoD Solicitation Solicitation Pre- Release & FEDBIZOPPS Announcement Posted Solicitation Opens Solicitation Closes DoD Components SBIR 101 Thursday 11/12/2009 Thursday 12/10/2009 Wednesday 1/13/2010 Air Force, Army, Navy, CBD, DARPA, DTRA, SOCOM STTR 10A Monday 1/25/2010 Tuesday 2/23/2010 Wednesday 3/24/2010 Army, Navy SBIR 102 Wednesday 4/21/2010 Wednesday 5/19/2010 Wednesday 6/23/2010 Army, Navy, DARPA, DTRA, DMEA, OSD SBIR 103 Tuesday 7/20/2010 Tuesday 8/17/2010 Wednesday 9/15/2010 Air Force, Army, Navy, DARPA, DLA, MDA, OSD STTR 10B Tuesday 7/20/2010 Tuesday 8/17/2010 Wednesday 9/15/2010 Air Force, Navy, DARPA, MDA, OSD 21
Additional Information Resources Air Force wwwsbirsttrmallcom wwwselltoairforceorg DoD wwwdodsbirnet 22
Summary SBIR CPP is making a difference Establishing & implementing processes to align & connect stakeholders Establishing clear lines of communication Focusing SBIR program on Air Force & Major Ktr Tech-Based Needs Bottom Line The Air Force s new strategy is increasing the SBIR program s ROI 23