SBIR/STTR Introduction

DIBBS Common Questions 
SBIR / STTR
SBIR / STTR - What are they?

SBIR – SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATIONS RESEARCH

Federal grants given to a small business entity to develop 

and commercialize new technologies

11 Federal agencies participate in the program

STTR – SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Federal grants given to a small business in cooperation with 

research institutes

5 Federal agencies participate in the program
SBIR / STTR - What are the program goals?

 To stimulate technological innovation

 To use small business to meet Federal Research and 

Development needs

 Foster and encourage participation by the socially and 

economically disadvantaged small businesses and Womanowned businesses in technological innovation

 Increase private sector commercialization of innovations 

derived from Federal research and development funding

 Foster technology transfer through cooperative R&D 

between small businesses and research institutions (STTR)
SBIR / STTR - Eligibility requirements

Small business must be American-owned

Organized as a for-profit entity

Have less than 500 employees
SBIR / STTR - Important considerations

 The emphasis of the program is on innovative approaches to 

important, pressing problems identified by an agency

 The purpose is not to retroactively pay a company for 

development that they may have already accomplished

 There must be a strong, demonstratable commercial market for 

the developed innovation

 The small business must be able to develop and execute a 

commercialization plan (version of a business plan)

 Owners of the original Intellectual Property (IP) retain the IP rights

 No company equity is given up

 Grant funds are not a loan
Phase I

•Concept Development

• aka - feasibility study, prototyping 

• 6 months – 1 year

• ~$150,000

Phase II

•Prototype Development or Product Development

• 24 months

• ~$1,000,000

Phase III

•Commercialization

•No SBIR Funding
SBIR / STTR - How to get started?

 Identify the agency and topic that is most relevant – grants.gov

 Identify the timeline for proposal submission

 Identify the relevant solicitation with requirements and 

instructions for application

 Study and understand the solicitation requirements

 Determine if the innovation and company comply with the 

requirements

 Understand the organizational, personnel and resource 

requirements necessary to consider a proposal

 Understand the elements of a product development and 

commercialization plan necessary for successful proposals
SBIR / STTR -Award Evaluation Criteria to 

Consider

How well does your proposal address topic area?

What are the skills of the Principal Investigator (PI) 

and team?

What is the potential to commercialize?

Understanding the needs of the Agency and talking 

to topic authors before submissions is extremely 

valuable.
SBIR / STTR - Resources 

Grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/

Site for researching and submitting proposals

Agency topics list and full description of proposal requirement

Need to establish an grants.gov account based on your CAGE code

SBIR.gov https://www.sbir.gov/

SBA website with information on the program

PTAC https://www.aptac-us.org/ Find your local PTAC for Assistance 

 Walk applicant through solicitation response phases

 Assistance with the commercialization plan

 Help review written material that ensures commercial viability 

 Introduction to other sources of support and assistance
DIBBS
DIBBS

DLA’s Defense Internet Bid Board

 Web-based application. Provides the capability to search for, view, and 

submit secure quotes on RFQ’s for DLA items of supply. 

 Allows users to search and view RFP’s, IFB’s, Awards and other 

procurement information.

 Two Types of Solicitations:

 RFQ’s <$150,000 Automated Solicitation and Award system. 

Average <$4K. Typically will not be touched by a human unless there 

is an issue. 

 RFP’s >$150,000 Negotiated, filled out as a proposal and returned.
DIBBS – Common Questions

 Tell me about a Super User

 Be aware of the Master Solicitation 

 Setting up notifications of opportunities

 Why can’t I get to drawings
DIBBS Super User

 One account administrator per CAGE code, they are the DIBBS 

Super User.

 Individual controls access for other company users. 

 Any person who fills in their name and phone for a CAGE is the 

person who then controls every other user in your company. 

 Super User can set up 99 other company users. 

 This individual receives notification of contract awards and other 

contract actions (mods) (will be sent to the Primary POC email 

address). There can be an alternate POC.

 The Super User is responsible for setting up Vendor Direct Solicitation 

Notification (automatic notifications for solicitations).

 Consider making primary award and solicitation notification e-mail 

to a distribution group if your company has numerous users. 
DIBBS Super User – cont’d

 The DIBBS help desk can’t provided too much help with changing 

Super Users.

 Have two people who are trained as super users (while only one user 

will use the super user ID and password when using the system). This 

will allow the smooth transition if the super user leaves by the back-up 

user simply updating My Account with the new Super User’s and 

email information.

 The only other way is to notify DIBBS in writing through the DIBBS 

Feedback form (you can access this through the Navigation dropdown menu from any page on DIBBS) with the following information, 

"Our super user has left the company and we need to have our 

account deleted". The technical team will delete the current 

registration for your CAGE will be deleted. You must then re-register 

on DIBBS in order to create a new super user account.
DLA Master Solicitation

 There is a DLA Master Solicitation for Automated Simplified 

Acquisitions. Even though in the quote you will not see all of the 

individual FAR clauses, they are in the Master Solicitation and do 

apply. The provisions, clauses and packaging specs apply as 

written in the Master Solicitation. Make sure you understand them 

and know how they apply to the requirement. 

Home tab

References

DLA Master Solicitation for Automated Simplified Acquisitions
Vendor Directed Solicitation Notifications 

STEPS TO CREATE VENDOR NOTIFICATIONS IN DIBBS

Logon to DIBBS as a Super User

Click on My Account at the top of the page

Choose Super User Options:

Choose Manage Vendor Profile

Click on your Cage Code

Choose Vendor Directed Solicitation Notifications

Enter FSC class, NSNs and/or Cage Code associated with the product 

 Important – Do not enter an NSN that falls within an Federal Supply Class 

(FSC) already entered in the FSC textbox – therefore, build at the FSC or 

the NSN level but not both. Specific NSN’s will block other FSC’s.
Vendor Directed Solicitation Notification 

 Handled by the Super User

 After logging in – go to MY ACCOUNT

Drawings and Specifications in DIBBS

Technical Data Package (TDP) 

drawings, specifications, standards, 

procedures

official specifications that must be 

conformed to by any bidder for the item 

requested in the solicitation

cFolders – DLA site with most DLA solicitations 

will post their full Technical Data Packages. 

You must have a separate logon to cFolders
Technical Data Package

Three Types of information

Non-government Specifications – could be design, 

material, test, performance ASTM, AIA, ANSI, CGA. 

Some are available, others you may have to pay to 

get.

Government Specifications – Military Standards, 

Military Standards https://assist.dla.mil/online/start/

Anyone can make the items as long as they are 

making to the required specifications.

Drawings - Government owned or Proprietary
Getting to Technical Data

cFolders – get to that through DIBBS, must have a login/password

ASSIST - https://assist.dla.mil/online/start/

Restricted Data – may need JCP

Information controlled by DOD considered military sensitive – keep 

the supply of these items within the US and Canada supply Chain 

– need a JCP – U.S. Joint Canada Certification. 

More restricted access might require License Agreement form/s to 

be submitted. 

WEBFLIS- PUB LOG FLIS – Public Version of WEBFLIS – Updated 

weekly 

https://www.dla.mil/HQ/InformationOperations/LogisticsInformatio

nServices/FOIAReading.aspx
Find your local PTAC Counselor

https://www.aptac-us.org/