Navy - New Small Business Funding Opportunity
Office of Naval Research
The Navy and Marine Corps are harnessing the DoN’s agile Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs—both located at the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The programs announced in April $30 million in rapid-funding opportunities through a new Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which is a request for scientific or research proposals.
The new BAA, titled DoN SBIR FY20.4, will close on May 28. It seeks proposals from innovative small businesses and startups for high-impact, scalable technologies that address both naval requirements and the needs of the commercial market. Areas of interest to the Navy and Marine Corps include:
Modernization and sustainment (maintenance and repair of military assets)
Digital logistics (security, analysis, management and flow of digital information and data)
Deployable manufacturability (rapid, on-demand manufacturing of deployable systems supporting diverse payloads and missions)
Resilient communications (expanded communications capabilities for fast, coordinated response during a global crisis)
BAA FY20.4 is just one facet of a broader DoN SBIR/STTR effort to sustain the defense industrial base during the COVID-19 response, by awarding more than $250 million in funding over the next 90 days.
SBIR provides the Navy and Marine Corps with innovative advances in technology created by small businesses—while STTR transitions products developed by both small businesses and research institutions.
Navy SBIR/STTR and NavalX
In addition to promoting BAAs like FY20.4, the DoN SBIR/STTR programs also look to strengthen new approaches, like serving as technology enablers for the Naval Expeditions (NavalX) Agility Office—created by the Hon. James “Hondo” Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition.
NavalX gives Sailors, Marines and DoN civilians tools to put good ideas into action. This enables naval organizations like ONR and SBIR/STTR to better connect warfighters with experts and small businesses.
SBIR/STTR also provides expertise at NavalX’s multiple Tech Bridge locations nationwide.
Tech Bridges are regional innovation hubs where warfare centers, government, academia and industry can team up and work together on technology research, evaluation and commercialization—as well as economic and workforce development. These Tech Bridges are a partnership between ONR, NavalX, the Navy’s Technology Transfer Program Office, and all naval systems commands.
Learn more about the DoN SBIR/STTR programs and BAA FY20.4 at https://www.navysbir.com.
About the Office of Naval Research
The Department of the Navy’s Office of Naval Research provides the science and technology necessary to maintain the Navy and Marine Corps’ technological advantage. Through its affiliates, ONR is a leader in science and technology with engagement in 50 states, 55 countries, 634 institutions of higher learning and nonprofit institutions, and more than 960 industry partners. ONR, through its commands, including headquarters, ONR Global and the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., employs more than 3,800 people, comprising uniformed, civilian and contract personnel.