SBIR proposals are presently restricted in length to 25 pages. A quality proposal has three generic components each targeted towards addressing one of the following questions:
What is the significance of the problem? What problem are you going to solve (or what are you going to produce) and what difference will your efforts make?
How you are going to go about resolving the issue identified in component 1? What are your specific technical objectives and what are their roles in proving of feasibility? What are the details the work plan for accomplishing the objectives?
Why you are the right firm to perform the work? What evidence can you provide to establish your firm’s credibility, including your awareness of the state-of-art, your firm's previous experience in the conduct of related R&D, and the qualifications of key personnel, of consultants, and of your facilities?
In evaluating SBIR proposals, agency reviewers assign points to criteria which generally parallel these components. In order to determine the precise weights of the criteria for a given agency, you should carefully read each agency solicitation for specific statements on the weighing of criteria. For most agencies, each of the above components accounts for about 20% of the total score. The remaining 40% is assigned to a fourth criteria:
4. The scientific/technical quality, innovativeness, and originality of the proposed project. This criterion is not addressed in a distinct part of the proposal. Rather you must keep your attention on this criterion as you prepare the above three components, especially the first two.
In summary, there are two “tricks” to alleviating common mistakes and preparing a winning proposal: 1.) Follow Instructions, and 2.) Remember the evaluation criteria! A great number of small businesses do not follow the detailed instructions included in the solicitation. It is extremely important to read and re-read the solicitation and follow the instructions exactly as they are presented. Proposers who do not do this have little chance of success. The SBIR program does NOT accept unsolicited proposals. Each proposal must respond to a specific topic outlined in the solicitation or it will not be considered for award. Note that you are allowed to send similar proposals to more than one agency. This is a viable strategy for increasing your chances of being funded. However, make it clear to each agency that the proposed effort is responsive to their needs. The majority of proposals must be submitted electronically (although, there are a few exceptions) on, or before the deadline date (no exceptions!). Be sure to account for potential technical difficulties in your timeline. If you do not win an award, it is worthwhile to write or visit the program manager for a debriefing for purposes of assessing resubmission potential. Additional guidelines, and writing and presentation tips can be found in the SBIR Manual (see link).
