March 2008
National Science and Technology Council: Federal Manufacturing Priorities
Manufacturing the Future: Federal Priorities for Manufacturing R&D, developed by the Interagency Working Group on Manufacturing R&D and the National Science and Technology Council's Committee on Technology, "outlines three areas of opportunities for manufacturing R&D and describes critical manufacturing technology issues that need to be addressed in each area in order to make progress." The three critical need areas include: Manufacturing R&D for hydrogen technologies (aims for the reliable manufacture of hydrogen production storage solutions and fuels cell components and systems); Nanomanufacturing (directed toward enabling the mass production of reliable and affordable nanoscale materials, structures, devices and systems; and Intelligent and integrated manufacturing (encompasses work on the application of advanced software, controls, sensors, networks and other information technologies).
August 2007
National Research Council: Study on 5 Agency SBIR Programs
An Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research Program (2007), a study of the SBIR programs at the five agencies with the largest programs (DOD, DOE, HHS, NASA and NSF - combined account for 96 percent of the SBIR awards, focuses on two overarching questions. "First, how well do agency SBIR programs meet four societal objects of interest to Congress: 1) to stimulate technological innovation, 2) to increase private sector commercialization of innovations, 3) to use small business to meet federal research and development needs, and 4) to foster and encourage participation by minority and disadvantaged persons in technological innovation. Second, can the management of agency SBIR programs be made more effective?" According to the report's Summary, the "core finding of the study is that the program is sound in concept and effective in practice. It can also be improved. Currently the program is delivering results that meet most of the Congressional objectives." The study then highlights key findings and makes numerous recommendations, intended to "improve the operation of an already effective program. [The recommendations] seek to maintain and reinforce, positive features of program management, such as the flexibility in approach by different agencies. They also identify pressing needs, e.g., for better data collection and analysis and opportunities for improvements in program operations in areas such as award size, cycle time, and outreach to minorities."
May 2007
General Accountability Office: Federal Programs for Small Business Manufacturers
Science and Technology: Information on Federal Programs and Interagency Efforts That Support Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing (GAO-07-714) notes that small business manufacturers comprise nearly 90 percent of all manufacturers in the U.S., with over 6 million workers. They face challenges such as obtaining financing, lack of familiarity with new business practices and difficulty accessing skilled labor. The GAO identified 254 Federal programs that assist the business sector generally (and which small business manufacturers have access to). Of the 254, 1) 5 provide services specifically to small businesses engaged in manufacturing, 2) 15 target manufacturers regardless of size, 3) 127 are available to all small business, regardless of their business type, and 4) 107 are available to the business sector in general (including small business manufacturers). These programs run the range from technical assistance to financial assistance. The five focused explicitly on small business manufacturers include, Outreach to Small and Very Small Plants Program (USDA, FSIS), MilTec (DOD/OS - partnership between DOD TechLink and Montana Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center), Defense Small Business Technology Readiness Resources Program (DOD/Navy), Manufacturing Technical Assistance Production Program (DOD/Air Force), and the Technology Insertion and Evaluation Program (DOD/Air Force).
March 2007
State Science and Technology Institute: SBIR Awards by State
The State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI) has compiled statistics on SBIR proposals/awards for 2005. According to their site, "[N]ineteen states that applied for assistance under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program in fiscal year 2005 saw an award-to-proposal conversion rate greater than the national average of 16.4 percent. Of those states, five experienced rates of greater than 20 percent - Nebraska (29%), Maine (27.3%), District of Columbia (25%), Montana (21.8%), and Washington (20%). The top 10 states with the most awards in FY 2005 were California (816), Massachusetts (508), Virginia (242), Colorado (205), Maryland (204), Texas (198), Ohio (191), New York (186), Pennsylvania (176) and Michigan (111)." See the SSTI 2005 SBIR Phase I Data Table on their web page. They also have data tables for FY 2004, FY 2003, FY 2002 and FY 2001.
October 2006
Government Accountability Office: SBIR Program
Small Business Innovation Research: Agencies Need to Strengthen Efforts to Improve the Completeness, Consistency, and Accuracy of Awards Data (GAO-07-38) focuses on general data collection efforts by the SBA for program evaluation, among other issues, and notes that the SBA "is five years behind schedule in meeting the Congressional mandate to implement a restricted government-use database for the SBIR program."
