 Latest News on DoD SBIR Submission Problem
DoD Reopens SBIR 2003.1 Solicitation
Updated March 1, 2003
On Friday, February 28, 2003, the DoD issued Amendment 0001 which officially reopens their SBIR 2003.1 solicitation. Proposals must be submitted between March 4, 2003 and March 25, 2003. NOTE: The official closing time is 6:00 AM EST, March 25, 2003. Again, that is 6:00 AM!
Although the DoD has not made any representations that their submission site performance will be improved during this period, they have issued the following warning: "Offerors bear the risk of website inaccessibility due to heavy usage in the final hours before the solicitation closing time."
The SBIR Gateway offers the following Suggestions:
- Read the DoD's Amendment 0001 closely and call the DoD's SBIR helpdesk (866) 724-7457
if you have any questions.
- If there are problems/inconsistencies during your submission process, call the helpdesk. If possible, print any response messages you receive from the submission site, even if it is a successful confirmation. It is vitally important that you take corrective actions immediately after encountering a problem. DOCUMENT ANY SUBMITTAL PROBLEM and contact the DoD's agency component (Army, Air Force Navy, etc) SBIR program manager if you don't get satisfactory service from the helpdesk.
- SUBMIT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Allow a reasonable enough time (in our opinion at least a day or two) to recover from a fatal computer error regardless of who's at fault! The DoD has as much as guaranteed you that there will be problems on the last day. None of us want to fight this battle again, and it will take some time before the DoD makes significant improvements to their system.
- Disable any Ad Blocking and/or Pop Up/Under software that you are running when visiting the DoD site. Many web designers are still ignorant to the fact that tens of millions of internet users have added this type of software to avoid those annoying ads and pop ups. However, the DoD still tries to notify you of important SBIR information by using POP UPS! In fact, as of March 1, 2003, if you visit the DoD site and have your ad blocker on, you will not be notified about the reopening of this solicitation (because it's only visible as a pop up).
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