2. Environmental Protection Agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
April Richards, Program Manager
2017 SBIR Workshop – Villanova University

3. SBIR Mission & Goals
The mission of the SBIR program is to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy.
The program’s goals are four-fold:
Stimulate technological innovation.
Meet Federal research and development needs.
Foster and encourage participation in innovation and entrepreneurship by socially and economically disadvantaged persons.
Increase private-sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development funding.

4. Federal SBIR Program
Set-aside program for small businesses to engage in federal R&D
SBIR Budget = % of Agency’s Extramural R&D Budget
Approximately $2.5 Billion
Information at:

5. 11 Federal Agencies have SBIR Programs
Department of Defense (DOD)
Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
National Aeronautics & Space Admin (NASA)
Department of Energy (DOE)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Department of Education (ED)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

6. SBIR ROAD TOUR
11/12/2018

7. EPA-SBIR Mission EPA: Protect human health and the environment
EPA SBIR: Support development and commercialization of innovative technologies to meet Agency’s mission

8. EPA SBIR Budget & Awards
Award Budget for FY17 ~ $4.0 M
Awards are contracts
Award Amounts
Phase I: Proof of Concept
$100,000
6 months
Phase II: Develop & Commercialize Technology
$300,000 (+Commercialization Option of $100,000)
2 years

9. EPA’s SBIR Program One of the “small” SBIR Programs
Provide awardees with EPA technical connection
Focus on commercialization
Offer commercialization technical assistance of $5000 in both Phase I and Phase II
Offer commercialization option of $100,000
Will help communicate successful projects
We are helping save the planet

10. Next EPA SBIR Solicitation
Anticipated Issuance Date – Summer 2017
Closes ~45 days later
Information at:
Apply at: FedConnect

11. PROPOSED Solicitation Topics
Manufacturing
Building Materials
Water
Air and Climate
Land Revitalization
Homeland Security
The full final topic descriptions will be released in the official solicitation.

12. Proposal Evaluation and Selection
Applications Received
External Peer Review
EPA Internal Programmatic Review
Awards

13. EPA External Peer Review
Phase II Commercialization Criteria
Commercialization Plan
Company/Team
Partners/Investors
Phase II Technical Criteria
Technical Soundness
Demonstrations and Performance Evaluation Criteria
Life Cycle Impacts and Quality Assurance Plan

14. EPA Internal Relevancy Review
Those proposals highly rated in peer review go onto an internal review
Three Criteria:
EPA Needs and Program Priorities
Significant Environmental Benefits (Sustainability)
Broad Application and Impact

15. Other SBIR Agencies that Support Environmental Technologies
Department of Energy (DOE)
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

16. Ecovative (Albany, NY)
Developed MycoBondTM technology, a replacement for hydrocarbon- derived synthetics in packaging, insulation, and structural cores
Utilizes fungal mycelium grown on agricultural waste
Biodegradable/Compostable
Featured on July 2011 cover of Packaging World and May 20, New Yorker
Launched new furniture line

17. PittMoss (Pittsburgh, PA)
Received an EPA SBIR Phase I Grant in 1996
Developed a sustainable alternative to potting soil using materials that would be landfilled
Introduced on Shark Tank
Won a 2016 Tibbets award for excellence in the SBIR Program
Integration of hard phases and lubrication phases for dry machining of austenite steels for the automotive and aerospace industries. Unlike existing hard phase and soft phase combination coating techniques, in which the soft phase wears away (leaving just the hard phase), this novel technology eliminates cutting fluids and relieves environmental loading from other sources.
This novel coating is synthesized using a combination of electrostatic spray coating, chemical vapor infiltration, and plasma etching.
Unique biomimetic-inspired domes plus the reservoir surface morphology of the coating constantly refresh the surface of contact with lubricants, leading to significantly reduced friction and wear.

18. For More Information… EPA SBIR SBA SBIR website: www.sbir.gov Contacts
website:
factsheet:
SBA SBIR website:
Contacts
SBIR Team:
April Richards
Paul Shapiro
Patrick Lau