SBIR Insider Newsletter
November 13, 2011
Dear SBIR Insider,
We are rapidly approaching the end of our current continuing resolution (CR) that is keeping the government and the SBIR program funded through Friday, November 18, 2011. We've been given some clues as to what may transpire to keep things going, and I want to share those and some additional SBIR happenings with you.
To cut to the chase, it appears that SBIR/STTR/CPP will be part of a new CR to keep much of the government open through December 16, 2011. Read on and we'll discuss some of those details. We'll also have an SBIR Insider update for you as soon as the bill is passed (probably Thursday).
In this issue:
Senator Landrieu "Wows" the crowd at the National SBIR Conference in NOLA
Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), SBIR champion and chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, received not one, but two standing ovations from the crowd of 500 attendees at last week's National SBIR Fall Conference in New Orleans, LA.
It was very special to have a U.S. Senator come all the way from DC to speak at a National SBIR conference. The audience, comprised mostly of small high tech businesses from Louisiana and all over the country, showed the Senator their appreciation for her dedication in leading the fight for a fair and long term SBIR reauthorization.
Ms. Landrieu hinted that negotiations with the House were getting us closer to a reauthorization, most likely 5 to 8 years in duration. However, this can not be done before the current CR expires on Friday, November 18, but she expects SBIR to be a part of an upcoming CR that will extend the programs through December 16, 2011.
Whatever transpires on the Hill over the next several days, you can rest assured that Senator Landrieu (and staff) will be right there to insure SBIR is part of the next extension.
We will have additional coverage of the National SBIR Conference in our next issue, later this week.
What's Next for SBIR & the Government CR?
Word on the Hill is that the House is now motivated to strike a real compromise with the Senate on SBIR. Previous House attempts amounted to a virtual game of their way or the highway.
This time it seems that negotiations may be somewhat sincere on the part of the House (not the norm for the House Small Business Committee when it comes to SBIR). Whatever the case, there is not enough time to pass a reauthorization before the November 18 deadline.
Congress has been working on what is sometimes referred to as a "minibus" appropriations bill, this time in the form of H.R. 2112 that would fund USDA, Commerce, Science (including NSF, OSTP, NASA and others) Transportation, Justice etc for the rest of the fiscal year, ending September 30, 2012.
I'm sorry I haven't been able to read the latest of what is almost 500 pages, but the House & Senate are conferencing on this bill, and it is expected that a short term CR will be added to it, for the purpose of extending programs to December 16, 2011 that were not specifically addressed in the bill (including SBIR/STTR/CPP).
The rational for this move is to allow congress the time to develop another minibus rollup appropriations bill to fund the rest of the government through September 30, 2012. The hope is that SBIR reauthorization could be passed by that time as well (or perhaps included in the rollup).
The CR will come into focus this week, and passed by Friday, in one form or another. We'll keep you in the loop.
Plans for 2012 Tibbetts Awards Announced at the National SBIR Conference in NOLA
Sean Greene, Associate Administrator for Investment, and Special Advisor for Innovation at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced at the conference that there would be a Tibbetts Awards competition for 2012.
These prestigious awards, named for Roland Tibbetts, (acknowledged as the father of the SBIR), are presented to small businesses and individuals who represent excellence in achieving the mission and goals of the SBIR and STTR programs.
Mr. Greene stated that the nomination period will be starting in December, closing in January, and an awards ceremony will be held in April, 2012. The details will be published on the SBA's SBIR web site, SBIR.GOV. We'll let you know when that happens.
Sean Greene, known to many of us as the "Capo di tutti capi" (boss of all bosses) in the SBA's SBIR management, has made a tremendous difference in breathing new life and support to the SBA's long time orphan, the Office of Technology (that oversees the SBIR program).
One of Greene's many SBIR accomplishments was getting support from the SBA to move the Tibbetts Awards program back to the agency (quite a feat if you know how things work at SBA).
Of course, being a "Capo" may infer that Mr. Green can be a kind of a "wise guy," at least to your SBIR Insider�.
Fred Patterson, The SBIR Coach, Enters the Fight of his Life
At the National SBIR Conference, Fred Patterson (aka The SBIR Coach), friend, advocate and great SBIR resource, announced that he was recently diagnosed with Stage IV-A, "locally advanced" oropharyngeal cancer.
Fred has been a participant, supporter, and advocate of the SBIR program for many years, and has helped greatly in the fight for reauthorization.
More importantly, I think of Fred as a friend and colleague, one who has spent a significant portion of his life as a caregiver to his own family's battles with cancer. It's just unbelievable that he now must fight for his own life.
Fred has joined a web site called Caring Bridge, that allows him to communicate with friends and family. He would very much appreciate hearing from you. You can reach him at www.caringbridge.org/visit/fredpatterson or if you'd rather just drop a private note to him, you can use [email protected]
Fred told me that the survival rate for this type of cancer is 37%. Here's what I told Fred (on his Caring Bridge site)
Dear Fred,
I've already expressed my feelings to you privately and will continue to do that with you.
Publicly, to Fred's family and friends, I want to remind you that Fred has been extraordinary in most facets of life, and therefor the 37% survival rate should be very attainable for him.
Fred, this means that in order to pass this extreme exam that life has dealt, you can still get a passing grade with anything over a 63! I've never known you to be out of the 90th percentile in anything!
Humor and the effect of laughing is an important part of any therapy, and I will continue to try and provide some of that to you. Fred, you know I don't have connections in "high" places but you will remain in my thoughts and prayers.
You have been an important friend and advocate in our SBIR arena, now many of us will be doing that for you.
Wishing you the best,
Rick
Closing Thoughts
Later this week, when we get word of our short term extension to SBIR, we'll have another SBIR Insider for you. There's a lot to report on related to the political situations around the Hill. I only regret that I can't email you an antacid that I'm sure you'll need after reading that issue.
Sincerely,
Rick
Rick Shindell
SBIR Gateway
Zyn Systems
40 Alderwood Dr.
Sequim, WA 98382
360-681-4123
[email protected]
www.zyn.com/sbir
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