DoD SBIR/STTR: Missile Defense Agency's 5th Annual Industry Day

The Missile Defense Agency's 5th Annual Industry Day is being held August 11-12, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Long Beach, CA (200 South Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802). The conference is expected to draw representatives from small and large businesses in the high technology R&D sector. Attendees will have the opportunity to sign up for one-on-one sessions with key MDA technical representatives and industry personnel as well as hear overview presentations from key MDA technology leaders.

By establishing this event, it is the goal for the MDA SBIR PMO to allow small businesses the opportunity to schedule one-on-one appointments with technical representatives where they can learn as much as they can about the technical aspects of the SBIR/STTR Program and the upcoming solicitations topics and research areas. A better informed small business community is more likely to submit stronger, more focused proposals and minimize duplication and mistakes - enhancing the SBIR/STTR process for MDA and the Small Business Community.

The Industry Day will focus on enhancing the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Small Business Community. Research Area Leads will give briefings on the following technology areas:

Interceptor Technology
Manufacturing, Producibility & Field Sustainability
Radar Technology
Space Technology
Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC)
Directed Energy
Modeling & Simulation
Innovative Concepts & Special Focus Projects*

*Represents SBIR only

This is an opportunity to interact directly with key agency and industry personnel. Direct communication between potential bidders and topic authors is not allowed after August 23, 2009 - the last day of the SBIR pre-solicitation period. After the solicitation opens on August 24, 2009, all questions regarding topics must be addressed through the online SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS). For more information, visit http://www.mdasbir.com. Registration is available at www.ndia.org/meetings/9160.

Senate Offers Compromise Bill to Keep SBIR/STTR Alive (Source: SSTI)

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship has marked up S. 1233, a bill to reauthorize and expand the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Both programs are within weeks of expiring on July 30. SBIR, first authorized in 1982 and credited with providing startup and early-stage financing for several thousand technology and research-related firms across the country, has enjoyed broad, bipartisan support for each of its previous reauthorizations. The current effort has proven more problematic despite several positive evaluations by the Government Accountability Office and most recently the National Academies of Science.

The House and Senate were unable to craft a compromise bill before adjourning last year. Instead, Congress extended SBIR and STTR in their current forms until July 30, postponing discussion for a new Congress and new Administration. Currently, SBIR is a single program with 11 federal agencies more or less following the same rules spelled out in the authorizing legislation and the policy directive set down by the Small Business Administration. S. 1233 would alter the playing field, allowing the National Institutes of Health to make more awards to VC-backed firms than the other agencies. NIH, the venture capital community, and trade groups representing biotech and life science firms have been the most vocal advocates for more lax eligibility rules.

To date, the House version of SBIR reauthorization would be more generous - allowing VC-owned businesses full access to SBIR funding across all participating agencies. Opponents to that proposal argue the move would dilute the definition of a small business to the point of being meaningless (any large corporation could establish a SBIR shill, they argue) while also potentially putting small businesses without the financial and technical resources of VC-owned firms at a competitive disadvantage for winning awards. States without significant venture capital activity are among those seeing changes to the eligibility definition as potentially harmful to their efforts to stimulate tech-based economic development. (6/18)

Courtesy FLORIDA SPACErePORT

Augustine Panel Plans Florida Meeting on Jul. 30 (Source: SPACErePORT)

The "Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee" (AKA the Augustine Panel) will spend July 30 on Florida's Space Coast for their next-to-final meeting. The specific location and time for the meeting has not yet been set. The panel is expected to submit their final report to President Obama in August. Click here for information on the panel's schedule. (6/19)

Courtesy SPACErePORT

Two Florida Lawmakers Lobby for NASA Bucks (Source: Orlando Sentinel)

Two lawmakers from Florida’s Space Coast urged Congress to increase funding for NASA’s human spaceflight program, warning that proposed budget cuts would mean job losses and a lengthy reliance on the Russians to get American astronauts into orbit. “Tens of thousands of jobs are at stake in our state and across the nation,” wrote U.S. Reps. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, and Bill Posey, R-Rockledge. Click here to view their letter to appropriators. (6/8)

Courtesy FLORIDA SPACErePORT

Optical equipment for sale

The Florida Photonics Cluster was contacted by Mr. Harold Smith (see below) to inform us that LaSys Inc., a Las Cruces, New Mexico firm, has ceased operations and is interested in selling a large array of optical equipment. A detailed list of the equipment that is available for sale with the current manufacturer's catalog prices shown can be obtained from Mr. Smith, who says all of the equipment for sale is in very good condition and that they plan to sell these items at 50-60% discount to the current catalog prices. I don't know the company or Mr. Smith, so this is just information and not a recommendation.

If you have interest in purchasing any of these items, contact Harold Smith (see below) by phone or e-mail. I have sent an email to the FPC members and also to the CREOL faculty and researchers about this.

Harold V. Smith
Nantal Inc., Genesis Center MSC 3ARP
Box 30001
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
(575) 524-3664 E-Mail: hvsmith@nantal.com
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Jim Pearson
FPC Executive Director

Join OP-TEC at HI-TEC 2009

OP-TEC is a strong supporter of the FPC and our efforts to develop technician training programs. Since OP-TEC is serving as an Executive Producer of this year’s High Impact Technology Exchange Conference (HI-TEC), scheduled for July 19-22, 2009, at the Fairmont Scottsdale Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, the FPC is helping publicize the event.

HI-TEC offers a wealth of practical information to help technicians further develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities, while providing valuable networking opportunities. HI-TEC workshops allow technicians to gain hands-on experience with current and emerging technologies, while conference sessions and keynotes provide an up-close look at the ever-advancing tools, training demands, and recent developments in emerging and converging technology fields.

OP-TEC will be hosting a pre-conference workshop and conference session and will be exhibiting in the Technology Showcase. OP-TEC’s pre-conference workshop, Enhancing Technician Employment Opportunities in Photonics-Enabled Technologies, will describe photonics, the technical fields enabled by photonics and the curricula and courses needed for employment in these high-demand areas. Photonics retraining programs and courses for technicians employed in other fields will also be described. OP-TEC will also be participating in two renewable energy sessions - Technician Roles in Renewable Energy Fields and Technician Roles in Energy Conservation.

HI-TEC also explores emerging and converging fields including: advanced manufacturing; agricultural and environmental; biotechnology and chemical; engineering; information and security; learning and evaluation; micro- and nanotechnologies; and, optics and photonics!

To learn more about this conference, view the program or register online, please visit www.highimpact-tec.org.

If you have any questions or need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us! We hope to see you at HI-TEC 2009!

Dan Hull
Executive Director
OP-TEC: National Center for Optics and Photonics Education
324B Kelly Drive
Waco, TX 76710
Office: 254-741-8338 (x332)
Fax: 254-399-6581
E-mail: hull@op-tec.org
Web: www.op-tec.org

FHTCC’s Virtual Entrepreneur Center

The Florida High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC) has just announced the Virtual Entrepreneur Center (http://www.flvec.com/), which provides the latest information on services available to owners of small businesses categorized locally, regionally, and globally. The services on the VEC website are intended to help entrepreneurs find information to help them start, grow, or relocated their business.

The FHTCC is a member and strong supporter of the Florida Photonics Cluster. Photonics entrepreneurs should find the new website and resources very valuable.