More Hints for writing and winning Small Business Innovative Research Proposals

Last week I gave the top 10 pieces of advice I give my protégés concerning the small business innovative research (SBIR) program. There is a lot to this program and it can be very valuable to a small business but it can also be a large time-waster if not done correctly. I received several requests to say more so here are some additional things to think about as you prepare proposals. Continue reading “More Hints for writing and winning Small Business Innovative Research Proposals”

10 Tips For Winning Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Proposals

In the 27 years Bevilacqua Research Corporation has been in business I must have written over 100 SBIR proposals. I have won 16 (1 was never funded) and have gone to Phase II on 7 and Phase III on five. This may not seem like much but as competitive as the SBIR program is, this is a pretty good record. In fact the DOD Techlink office has written an article on our success that will be published as soon as the DOD public affairs office approves it. Although we are not considered a SBIR company (i.e. a small business that makes its living from responding to and winning SBIR’s) I conservatively estimate that ¾ of all of the revenue that we have made since we opened our doors in 1992 are a direct result of our participation in the SBIR program.  When I mentor small businesses I always give them a free SBIR proposal template and the following advice: Continue reading “10 Tips For Winning Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Proposals”

The Real Effect of The Government Shutdown on Small Businesses and Their Employees

People often are surprised to hear that I rarely (if ever) watch TV “news” channels. (In fact I rarely watch TV at all-I prefer to do my own thinking!). I am from the Walter Cronkite generation where news organizations were trusted and were believed to be the defenders of the truth (and therefore ultimately our freedom) in America. What I see today is that neither side of the liberal-conservative split in this country gets the truth from any news organization. Rather both sides get talking points designed solely to discredit the other side at the expense of the truth. Continue reading “The Real Effect of The Government Shutdown on Small Businesses and Their Employees”