sbv overview for the manufacturing extension program (mep)

www.sbv.org

POWERING THE CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY

Round 1 Results

Round 2 Overview Tips for Success

Sarah Truitt, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

March 2016

www.sbv.org

Agenda

• Small Business Vouchers (SBV) Pilot Objectives

• Round 1 Results

• Round 2 Overview

• Tips for Successful Requests for Assistance (RFA)

• MEP/RTI International’s Right & Ready Tool

• Q&A

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46% of nonfarm GDP

64% of net new job creation

16 times more patents per employee

*Data from Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

http://www.sbecouncil.org/about-us/facts-and-data

MORE FACTS ABOUT U.S. SMALL BUSINESSES:*

U.S. SMALL BUSINESS FACTS

www.sbv.org

Mission: significantly increase the industrial impact of DOE national labs on the U.S. clean energy sector

• Increase and enhance lab-private sector relationships

• Increase and streamline access to national lab capabilities

• Demonstrate the value of lab-developed science and technology

www.sbv.org

SBV Lead Labs

12 DOE National Laboratories participating in SBV over 9 tech areas

www.sbv.org

• One-stop-shop: from one site, users can learn about lab capabilities and apply to work with any participating lab

• Streamlined, web-based application process

SBV.org

www.sbv.org

Round 1 SBV Awardees

• Arizona: 1 • California: 8 • Colorado: 1 • Connecticut: 1 • Florida: 1 • Georgia: 1 • Illinois: 1 • Massachusetts: 3 • Michigan: 2 • Missouri: 2 • North Carolina: 1 • New Jersey: 2 • New Mexico: 1 • New York : 1 • Ohio : 1 • Oregon: 2 • Pennsylvania: 1 • Texas: 1 • Virginia: 1 • Washington: 1

www.sbv.org Vouchers

Business Location Partner Labs

iBeam Materials, Inc. Santa Fe, NM SNL

Glucan Biorenewables Madison, WI ORNL

Grid Logic, Inc. Lapeer, MI ORNL

GVD Corporation Cambridge, MA ORNL

Mithra Technologies, Inc. Foley, MO INL

Widetronix, Inc. Ithaca, NY LLNL

Lygos Emeryville, CA NREL; LBNL

Visolis Cambridge, MA NREL; PNNL

Be Power Tech, Inc. Parkland, FL ORNL

KCF Technologies State College, PA ORNL

Lucid Design Group Oakland, CA LBNL


Business Location Partner Labs

Altergy Systems Folsom, CA SNL

Amsen Technologies Tucson, AZ LANL

Element One Bend, OR NREL

KWJ Engineering Newark, NJ LANL; NREL

Midwest Energy Group Carbondale, IL NREL

Sustainable Innovations East Hartford, CT LANL

Treadstone Technologies Princeton, NJ ORNL; LANL

Big Delta Systems, Inc Houston, TX ANL

Connected Signals Eugene, OR ANL

Cool-X LLC Amherst, MA ORNL

Envia Systems Newark, CA LBNL

Transient Plasma Systems Torrance, CA ANL

United Silicon Carbide Monmouth Junction, NJ ORNL

XG Sciences, Inc Lansing, MI LBNL


Business Location Partner Lab

Geothermal

Design Center

Asheville, NC ORNL

FastCAP Boston, MA SNL


Percheron Power Kennewick, WA PNNL

Columbia Power

Technologies

Charlottesville, VA NREL; SNL


Renewable Power

Conversion

San Luis Obispo,

CA

SNL

SkySun, LLC Bay Village, OH SNL


Micron Optics, Inc. Atlanta, GA SNL

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Rd 1 Distribution of Scores

1 2 3 4 5

Extent to which the requestor has clearly identified the problem or challenges the company is facing.

Problem Statement

Avg = 3.41

1 2 3 4 5

Extent to which the technology included in the request will

contribute to the overall clean energy marketplace.

Market Impact

Avg = 3.01

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Rd 1 Distribution of Scores

1 2 3 4 5

Quality of the requestor’s plan to utilize the results of the

assistance.

Use of Results

Avg = 3.03

1 2 3 4 5

Extent to which the technology will contribute to one of more areas within the EERE mission

space.

Alignment with EERE

Avg = 3.14

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Round 2 Overview

• Competition will close on April 10, 2016

• Up to 50-60 vouchers remain

• Focus on more streamlined application

process

ROUND 2 IS NOW OPEN

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Round 2 Changes

• Work Scope will no longer be part of the RFA

– Greater emphasis on problem statement and deployment plan (6 instead of 12 questions)

• Two stage review process

– Phase 1: Non laboratory expert reviewers with focus on problem statement, impact and team

– Phase 2: DOE Program Office reviewers with focus on alignment with Technology Areas and labs

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Round 2 Scoring Criteria

• Potential for impact (33%)

• Problem Definition (33%)

• Team and resources (33%)

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Who reviews submissions: External reviewers EERE Tech Offices

See tips for submitting requests:

webinar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7y3HA4fVos&feature=youtu.be

www.sbv.org

March 10 Announcement

of Round 2

March 10 – April 10 Businesses submit

requests for assistance

April 10 – April 28 External review

coordinated by

ORNL

April 28 – May 6 Labs are matched

to the most promising

projects

May 6 – May 13 Tech office “soft”

review

May 13 – June 3 Labs and DOE

select semi-finalists

Mid-Late June Semi-finalists notified

Late June-Early

July Labs and Semi-

finalists develop

work statements

Late July

Final

selections

Round 2 Schedule

Rd 2 SBV Projects are expected to begin in August 2016

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CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE

(RFA)

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Alignment with DOE Technology Area is Very Important

• SBV funding is provided by specific DOE Program Offices.

• Congress has defined the specific technology areas for which Program Office funds may be used.

• RFAs must have clear alignment with one of the technology areas described in Table 1 of the Notice of Opportunity (at sbv.org)

Lack of alignment with DOE technical area priorities was a common shortcoming in Rd 1

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Rd 2 RFA Elements

RFA Elements

• Company Overview

• Problem Definition

• Project Impact

• Use of Results

• Team

• Cost Share

Note that although the Company Overview is not specifically scored, it provides context for the entire RFA. This is the first section that the reviewer reads, and sets the stage for the RFA. Successful RFAs provide succinct, compelling company summaries that share the management team’s vision for the company with the reviewer.

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Hypothetical Strong Problem Statement

In order to realize the full potential of <company’s technology> a critical challenge that has yet to be overcome is <describe challenge>. This challenge is the result of <list issues> which have the effect of <describe consequences>.

Company X has worked to resolve this problem by <describe work to date>, but progress has been limited by <describe company capability limitations>.

A potentially effective way to address these challenges would be to <describe how national laboratory capability could be leveraged>. By leveraging the capabilities of <identify one or more national laboratories> to <describe capability>, Company X would be able to <describe path to resolution>.

A strong problem statement demonstrates an understanding of the market and the underlying technology.

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Use of Results & Market Impact RFA Elements

• Describe how the results will be used to advance the development of company’s products or services.

• Describe expected impact on the broader market if the project is successful.

• When and how will these new or improved products or services be introduced to the market or otherwise benefit your company?

The quality of plans to use the results of the RFA-supported work was a consistent area of concern for reviewers. Successful RFAs demonstrated a clear path from the national laboratory work to improvements in the companies’ products or services.

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Use of Results & Market Impact RFA Elements




The quality of plans to deploy the results of the RFA-supported work in products or services was a consistent area of concern for reviewers. Successful RFAs provided well conceived plans to introduce project results into the market.

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Hypothetical Strong RFA Statements

Use of Results: The results of this work will help Company X to meet our cost target through improvements in … Key company products will benefit from… Our next generation <product> will leverage these results by … We anticipate an X% performance improvement in … and a Y% improvement in … as a result of this work.

Market Impact: The Company X product will deliver <improved performance> at a N% reduction in price, which will enable Company X to deliver market leading performance in … We anticipate this new product offering will result in an X% increase in the size of the market, and that Company X will capture Y% of the expanded market.

Deployment Strategy: Company X plans to initially directly deploy <technology> in Product A for use in <Market Sector>. Our business plan is to … An additional promising approach is to … Once the initial market is penetrated, Company X will broaden its deployment into <Additional Market Sectors>.

A strong deployment plan demonstrates that the company has a well conceived business plan that will successfully

leverage the results of the national laboratory work.

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Alignment with DOE Priorities RFA Elements




Successful RFAs demonstrate that by successfully deploying the results of the voucher-funded work, the company will help to advance the DOE’s Clean Energy Agenda.

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MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PROGRAM’S RIGHT & READY TOOL

INNOVATION ADVISORS

Why should the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) care?

The MEP and DOE have agreed to work together to

support the SBV Pilot, and MEPs are a critical link in the

SBV process. The SBV Pilot will help broaden MEPs reach

while also increasing MEP’s engagement with small

businesses.

MEPs can support the SBV Pilot by:

• Pre-screening small business candidates

• Recruiting SBV Pilot applicants

• Answering questions regarding the SBV Pilot

If MEPs are actively involved with the SBV Pilot, MEPS will

have access to potential new clients in the technology

development space, who may require follow on services

such as tech scouting and TDMI.

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Who is right and ready?

INNOVATION ADVISORS

Example: How competitive is a company for the SBV Pilot using the Who is right and ready tool.

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INNOVATION ADVISORS

MEPs can help small businesses gauge how competitive they are for the SBV Pilot by using the new Who is Right and Ready tool.

The Who is Right and Ready tool is a two page, fill-able PDF designed to be completed

by the MEP, with the help of interested companies. The front of the form collects

pertinent information and ensures the company is eligible for the SBV Pilot.

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Companies must check all boxes to be eligible

Company must note its challenge AND how the lab will help them overcome the challenge.

INNOVATION ADVISORS

Vouchers are offered for certain R&D technical areas and must provide a specific type of impact.

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Company’s R&D area can fall into more than one technical area, but must fall into one of these nine areas.

Company’s R&D must lead to one of these technical outcomes.

INNOVATION ADVISORS

The MEP can review the front page to determine if the interested company is eligible for the SBV Pilot.

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We give the MEP a chance to identify other programs that the company may be better suited for.

Working in a lab comes with constraints. Ensure the company understands the following…

INNOVATION ADVISORS

How might the company rate?

The back of the form gives the MEP an opportunity to rate how the company might fare in the merit review process.

There are three sections, each worth 33% of the company’s total score.

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Mark how the company might rate for each merit criteria with a low, medium, or high.

Here, the MEP should provide an overall assessment of how the company ranks for this section.

INNOVATION ADVISORS

Is the company likely a competitive submission for the SBV Pilot?

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Given the overall assessment of the three merit criteria,

the MEP should make a recommendation on whether the

company should, or should not, apply for the SBV Pilot.

Rating of potential for impact (33%).

Rating of problem definition (33%).

Rating of teams & resources (33%).

Recommendation

INNOVATION ADVISORS

Questions about the SBV Pilot, the SBV Pilot process, or the Who is Right and Ready tool?

If you have questions about the SBV Pilot or this form, please contact Clara Asmail.

Clara Asmail

Senior Technical Advisor

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

National Institute of Standards and Technology

E: [email protected]

O: 301-975-2339

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mailto:[email protected]

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Q & A

sbv overview for the manufacturing extension program (mep)

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