Voting people helping people

 

Dear Calvin,

 

Thanks for the details on your research project. The topic you described sounds like it is in an area that would be of interest to the NSF SBIR program. Note that the next solicitation will be released in September 2009 with a submission deadline of December 2009. For reference, you can view the most-recent, expired solicitation at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf09541&org=NSF. Note that the new solicitation may have different instructions.  Be sure to follow the new solicitation instructions when preparing a submission.

 

If you choose to go ahead with a proposal submission, be aware that the Phase I panels contain both technical reviewers and commercial reviewers. Therefore, the organization of the proposal should include both a strong description of the technical innovation and research plan as well as an extensive evaluation of the commercial potential and path to market. Information that delineates the following should be included:

 

Technical:

1. What are the key technology risks/problems? The effort cannot come across as systems integration or straightforward development work.

2. What is the proposed innovation and how does it address the above technical risks?

3. What is the feasibility project plan that clearly describes the research objectives?

4. What set of metrics will you use to assess the outcome of the innovation research described in the plan?

 

Commercial:

1. What is the background of the team, why is this the right team to pull off the commercialization of the proposed innovation?

2. What is the size and scope of the market opportunity? You must identify how you plan to make a scalable, sustainable business from this effort.

3. Who is the customer for the innovation? What is the value proposition for your customer?

 

When deciding to submit a proposal as well as during the writing of the proposal, keep in mind that the NSF SBIR/STTR program is designed to support high-risk technology innovation. Both significant market opportunity AND technology risk are required in order to warrant support. NSF SBIR program is a risk-tolerant investor supporting innovative technologies and companies. We do not support straight-forward development/integration projects and low risk technology development. Such projects, if they warrant investment, should be supported by the risk-averse private sector (boot strapped, angel or VC).

 

Please go to http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/sbir/ for more detailed information about the required format of the proposal. The guidelines described there should be followed closely. Bear in mind that proposals responding to this NSF solicitation will be reviewed by an external review panel using two key criteria -- Intellectual Merits and Broader Impacts. More details about these review criteria can be found at the above link. Also the commercial potential of your technology is a critical component of the review -- this is so because NSF places emphasis not only on the innovation itself, but also the commercialization potential of the innovation.

 

 

Regards,

Cindy

 

 

 

Dear Mr. Leman,

You have contacted several people in our office.  I am the contact for this type inquiry and all have asked me to respond to you. I spoke with you at length yesterday.  I’m sorry if you were not satisfied with our conversation.  We are a small office with limited resources.  I am the only staff to handle renewable energy and biofuels.  There is also significant interest in these areas from individuals and organization throughout the state.  We do not get funding from the general state fund to run our office.  Our funding largely comes from grants we apply for.  I will, however, do my best to answer your question.ould asked

 

I do have problems with your proposal.  First, I am not aware of any biofuel plants that have been built with public money – certainly none in Idaho .  The federal government has recently offered grants for cellulose to ethanol facilities – but not for ethanol technology that is well understood.  The government’s approach to get this stuff going is with incentives – like you said – the 51 cents.  We will be administering stimulus money and for that you need to watch our website.  Right now it’s too early to give you advice on how to go after that money.  In any case it will be competitive and likely require match.  In other words if you asked for $50,000 – you need to put in at least $50,000.  This is one-time money and, like I said, you can watch our website for how those programs will develop.  However, you will need to do a lot of convincing to show how you can grow an expensive crop like sugar beets for ethanol – it simply costs farmers too much to grow that crop for you.  I did some checking and at  http://www.ag.uidaho.edu/aers/crop_EB_05_e.htm and I just can’t see where it comes close to penciling out.  I used 27/tons/acre, 24 gal/ton so you get 650 gallons/acre.  Say you get $2.15 per gallon from your ethanol you get $1,400 per acre but it costs you $1,200/acre to grow (see reference).  Can you make your ethanol and get it to the station with what’s left? 

 

You also indicated you will not make a fuel that meets ASTM specs.  One thing I can tell you for sure – EPA will have a problem with that.  Please understand I don’t necessary agree with the EPA but they will say they can’t have folks burning a fuel that has not past appropriate emissions tests.  That alone will make it difficult to get grant money.

 

I truly appreciate your efforts and wish you good luck.

 

Respectfully

John Crockett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Leman,

 

I’m forwarding your request on to John Crockett in our office.  

 

Thank you,

 

Diane