Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

Air Force to host first small business pitch day, with $40 million up for grabs

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Like departments and agencies throughout government, the Air Force is tuning its acquisition methods to get closer the speed of technology, and will be holding its first live pitch day in March, with an available funding pool of $40 million.

The Air Force’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program has issued a call to start-ups and small businesses—those with fewer than 500 employees—to offer pitches on innovative technologies for secure communications, down-range battlefield operations and digital technologies.

“Mind-blowing ideas are being birthed in U.S. start-up companies, but the Pentagon largely misses out on them,” Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, said in a release announcing the pitch day. “We have to do business at the speed of ideas so we can both inspire and accelerate start-up creativity towards national security challenges. The only way we’re going to do that is by making sure partnering with the Air Force is easy and energizing.”

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2019/01/air-force-host-first-small-business-pitch-day-40-million-grabs/154114/

Defense Innovation Conference less than a week away — Register now!

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Note: The Defense Innovation Conference referenced in this article was held on Jan. 14, 2019.  For reference, you can find copies of presentations and other resource materials from the conference posted at: https://gtpac.org/training-video/
Let’s start with a few questions …
  • Are you interested in doing business with the Department of Defense (the biggest buyer on earth of everything)?
  • Do you want to learn about the latest programs designed to help innovative small companies do business with DoD?
  • Would you like to know how major Defense contractors select their subcontractors?
  • Are you interested in the new cybersecurity requirements and how they apply to DoD contractors?

If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions, you need to be in attendance at GTPAC’s Defense Innovation Conference to be held on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019 at the Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center in Atlanta.

Hurry — Space Is Limited!

The registration fee to attend this one-of-a-kind, day-long conference is only $50, and includes both breakfast and lunch.  Registration details are at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-the-next-defense-innovation-conference-tickets-53056770228.  Advance registration is required — no registration at the door!

One-of-a-Kind Opportunity

The conference represents a unique and rare opportunity to:

  • Hear directly from Lisa R. Sanders, Director of Science and Technology for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM).  She will be speaking about SOCOM’s contracting priorities, problems to solve, and doing business with SOCOM.
  • Learn from major defense contractors who will be speaking on their subcontracting needs and their procedures for selecting subcontractors.
  • Meet scores of small businesses who are looking for opportunities to form teaming partnerships to apply their innovative technologies, services, and products.
  • Participate in break-out workshops on topics like compliance with DoD’s cybersecurity requirements.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to meet and hear from leaders in the Defense industry!  Advance registration is required. 

To register, click here.

Full Agenda and Featured Speakers

An advance copy of the conference agenda is available here: Agenda – Defense Innovation Conference – 01.14.2019 – Final.

Biographical sketches of all the featured speakers is available here: Featured Speakers – Defense Innovation Conference 01.14.2019.

 

Learn what DoD prime contractors want in a subcontractor

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Note: The Defense Innovation Conference referenced in this article was held on Jan. 14, 2019.  For reference, you can find copies of presentations and other resource materials from the conference posted at: https://gtpac.org/training-video/

How do major Defense Department contractors select their subcontractors?

If you want answers to this question — and even more insights into doing business in the Defense industry — you should plan to be in attendance at “Creating the Next: Defense Innovation Conference” to be held on Monday, January 14, 2019.

Included in the conference is a panel presentation by representatives of large contractors — including Lockheed Martin, LMI, and Huntington Ingalls Industries — who will describe how their companies pick subcontractors.

The Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) is hosting this day-long event to provide businesses with details on how to contribute to the achievement of the Defense Department’s mission.

A featured speaker at the event is Lisa R. Sanders who is Director of Science and Technology for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM).  She will be speaking about SOCOM’s contracting priorities, problems to solve, and doing business with SOCOM — with a focus on options available to small businesses.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to meet and hear from leaders in the Defense industry!  Advance registration is required. 

To register, click here.

The Jan. 14th event is being held at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia.  Both breakfast and lunch are included in the $50 registration fee.

Full Agenda and Featured Speakers

An advance copy of the conference agenda is available here: Agenda – Defense Innovation Conference – 01.14.2019 – Final.

Biographical sketches of all the featured speakers is available here: Featured Speakers – Defense Innovation Conference 01.14.2019.

 

 

Special Operations’ science and technology director is speaking at Jan. 14 GTPAC event

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Note: The Defense Innovation Conference referenced in this article was held on Jan. 14, 2019.  For reference, you can find copies of presentations and other resource materials from the conference posted at: https://gtpac.org/training-video/

Lisa R. Sanders, Director of Science and Technology for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), is a featured speaker at the Defense Innovation Conference being hosted by the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019.

Registration details for the conference are at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-the-next-defense-innovation-conference-tickets-53056770228

Ms. Sanders is responsible for all research and development funded activities for Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (SOF AT&L), SOCOM, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

A Defense Intelligence Senior Leader, Ms. Sanders will be speaking at the Jan. 14th event on SOCOM’s Priorities, Problems to Solve, and Doing Business with SOCOM — with a focus on options available to small businesses.

Don’t miss out on hearing from Ms. Sanders and other leaders in the federal government’s innovation arena.  Register to attend today!

Full Agenda and Featured Speakers

An advance copy of the conference agenda is available here: Agenda – Defense Innovation Conference – 01.14.2019 – Final.

Biographical sketches of all the featured speakers is available here: Featured Speakers – Defense Innovation Conference 01.14.2019.

10 problems DHS wants innovative small businesses to solve in 2019

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The Homeland Security Department released a list of 10 bleeding-edge research areas it plans to pursue in fiscal 2019 in partnership with innovative small businesses.

The department’s Science and Technology Directorate and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office announced Friday the tentative list of technical areas for this year’s Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, program. In the coming year, Homeland Security SBIR officials are proposing research into topics including using drones to detect radiological threats, sharing cyber threat data, using blockchain for forensic analysis, and advanced identity management—from DNA to cyberspace.

“The SBIR program provides an opportunity for innovative small businesses to find solutions that meet the technology needs of the department’s operational components and the nation’s first responders,” William Bryan, senior official performing the duties of the undersecretary for science and technology, said in the announcement.

Homeland Security’s SBIR program obligated almost $250 million across 805 awards from its start in 2004 through 2015, the latest year with data available on the SBIR.gov dashboard. The program hit its height in 2006 with almost $29.9 million in funds obligated to 95 projects.

In 2015, Homeland Security’s program obligated $20.7 million to 48 projects. This amount is relatively small when compared to the largest SBIR awarders that year: the Energy Department at $193.6 million, Health and Human Services at $714.4 million and the Defense Department at $956.9 million.

The list for 2019 includes eight topics under the Science and Technology Directorate and two more under the CWMD office’s program.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2018/12/10-problems-dhs-wants-innovative-small-businesses-solve-2019/153230/

GTPAC to host Defense Innovation Conference on Jan. 14th

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Note: The Defense Innovation Conference referenced in this article was held on Jan. 14, 2019.  For reference, you can find copies of presentations and other resource materials from the conference posted at: https://gtpac.org/training-video/

If you and your company have the next key discovery or the next great idea that could benefit the Department of Defense (DoD), block-out January 14, 2019 on your calendar right now.

On that date, the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) will host a day-long event designed to benefit innovative small businesses – with priority given to small technology companies that have the potential to directly enhance achievement of DoD’s mission.

Registration is now open at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-the-next-defense-innovation-conference-tickets-53056770228     Advance registration is required for this event; on-site registration will not be allowed.  The registration fee is $50.

By attending, you’ll learn all about the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, the Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF), Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for prototype projects, and additional contracting vehicles aimed at attracting innovative companies to help the U.S. Department of Defense.

See promotional flyer here: Defense Innovation Conference – Jan. 14 2019 Event

So, save the date!  Registration is at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-the-next-defense-innovation-conference-tickets-53056770228

Full Agenda and Featured Speakers

An advance copy of the conference agenda is available here: Agenda – Defense Innovation Conference – 01.14.2019 – Final.

Biographical sketches of all the featured speakers is available here: Featured Speakers – Defense Innovation Conference 01.14.2019.

GSA launches pilot for small business research program

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The General Services Administration (GSA) has announced that it would be moving forward with a new pilot program to manage and grant awards under the third phase of the Small Business Innovation Research program, which encourages small businesses to explore research and development with federal partners.

Phases one and two of the program focus on the actual research and development, while the third phase is designed to help small businesses pursue the commercialization of the products they developed in the first two phases.

“Helping small businesses commercialize new solutions developed with assistance from the SBIR program increases the return on investment from federal research and development funding and supports private sector job growth,” said Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon in a news release.

“The SBA looks forward to working with GSA to encourage the entrepreneurship and innovation associated with the SBIR program and continuing SBA’s efforts to impact the growth of our nation’s small businesses.”

Keep reading this article at: https://www.federaltimes.com/acquisition/2018/07/30/gsa-launches-pilot-for-small-business-research-program/

DoD’s R&D fund sponsors free online training

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The Department of Defense’s SBIR/STTR Program Office has put together an on-line training program catalogue for small businesses for the year.

Small businesses — who are pursuing projects with potential for commercialization and which match-up with specific U.S. Government research and development (R&D) needs — should look into the SBIR/STTR program.

Upcoming SBIR/STTR webinar topics are listed below, along with dates and training registration links.  All are offered free of charge.

  1. How to Use the DOD SBIR/STTR Submission Site / Important Proposal Considerations / Using SITIS – May 24, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  2. Managing Intellectual Property – Important Business Considerations for Commercialization – June 5, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  3. Understanding the Evaluation Process / What to Do with a Debrief – June 26, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site 
  4. Working with Prime Contractors – July 17, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site 
  5. The DOD Acquisition Process / Contracting – August 1, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  6. Commercialization Assistance Programs and Beyond Phase II Considerations – September 4, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  7. Manufacturing / Working with MIBP – September 18, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site
  8. Testing and Evaluation – October 9, 2018 – http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4302495/Registration-Site 
  9. Phase III Process – How to Identify Non-SBIR – October 30, 2018 – http://bit.ly/PIIIprocess 

For more information about the SBIR/STTR programs, visit https://www.sbir.gov/about/about-sttr.

Company and officers to pay $1.9 million to settle False Claims Act SBIR allegations

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Maryland-based MassTech, Inc., its former Chief Executive Officer, Arnold Lee, and its former Chief Financial Officer, Richard Lee, have agreed to pay the United States $1.9 million to resolve allegations that MassTech falsely certified it was a small business concern in order to obtain Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards.

The settlement agreement was announced on May 3, 2018.

 

The SBIR program is a set-aside program for small businesses.  The purpose of the SBIR program is to strengthen the role of small business concerns in federally funded research and development and to increase private sector commercialization.  To receive SBIR funds, each awardee of an SBIR Phase I or II award must qualify as a small business at the time of the award as well as throughout the duration of the award.  To be eligible, the small business and its affiliates collectively must have fewer than 500 employees.  According to the settlement agreement, the government alleged that MassTech, Arnold Lee, and Richard Lee falsely represented to the National Science Foundation (NSF), to NASA, and to the Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS) that MassTech was an eligible small business concern at the time of the SBIR application as well as throughout the lifecycle of the award.  As a result, NSF, NASA, and HHS approved and funded SBIR awards to MassTech that MassTech otherwise would not have received.  MassTech, Arnold Lee, and Richard Lee denied the United States’ allegations.

NSF’s Office of Inspector General, the NASA Office of Inspector General, and the HHS Office of Inspector General worked in the investigation.  The settlement agreement was announced by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/masstech-richard-lee-and-arnold-lee-pay-us-19-million-settle-false-claims-act-allegations

Here’s a summary of the changes in government contracting provisions of the NDAA

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Steve Koprince is the author of the book entitled "The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts."
Steve Koprince is the author of the book entitled “The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts.”

The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), signed into law on Dec. 23, 2016, contains at least 16 changes to federal procurement policy, many directly affecting the interests of small businesses.

Ever since the NDAA was finalized, attorney Steve Koprince and his team at Koprince Law LLC have been analyzing and summarizing each of the changes.  Here’s s list of their blog posts, each one hyperlinked to the article:

 

For more information, visit: http://smallgovcon.com 

 

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