Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Contracting with ETC

US Government direct contracting to ETC just become much simpler!

Since 2019, ETC has actively developed several pieces of technology using the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program in support of the Security Cooperation community, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the broader Federal government.  These include a mobile platform (“Engagement System for International Military Students” or ESIMS) and a Command & Control (C2) platform (“Joint All Domain Command & Control for Security Cooperation,” or JADC2-SC).  Both technologies used the Security Cooperation / Security Force Assistance (SFA) community as an initial use case, but have broad applications across DoD and the whole of government.  Because ETC tests and evaluates these SBIR technology in all of its engagements, this enables sole source, SBIR Phase III contracting of any ETC engagement services.

Get Your Requirements on Contract Quickly!

ETC’s SBIR Phase III contracting specialists have worked with many US Government, especially Department of Defense (DoD), agencies to set up SBIR Phase III contract solutions. If you have requirements that involve training, field operations, partner nation interactions, command & control (C2), common operating pictures (COPs), dashboards, or innovative technology, then ETC’s SBIR Phase III contracting specialists can help walk you and your team through the process to get your requirements on a sole source contract within 45-120 days. ETC’s team of SBIR Phase III contracting specialists is well-known and highly respected by nearly all USG officials involved in the SBIR program and related SBIR contracting. They are available to help our US Government customers to become quickly and efficiently familiar with SBIR Phase III contracting (if they are not already) and are able to make Government-to-Government connections for the most effective SBIR Phase III contracting process. ETC’s SBIR Phase III contracting specialists may be reached at +1.757.752.8778 or info@etcintl.com.

Key Phase III SBIR Contracting Background Information:

• From the Secretary Stackley memo from JAN2015, “I want to make it clear that SBIR/STTR Phase III sole source awards are an authorized exception to competition and Contracts Officers are encouraged to employ this exception where such action meets a program’s requirements.”
• A Phase III SBIR award is “work that derives from, extends, or completes an effort made under prior SBIR funding agreements” (SBA’s SBIR Program Policy Directive, § 4(c)) and “Phase III work may be for products, production, services, R/R&D, or any such combination” (SBA’s SBIR Program Policy Directive, § 4(c)(4)).  Therefore, any services or products (i.e. boats or crafts) like mobile training teams, boat deliveries, or other engagements, etc, that use (aka “derives from”) the app would qualify for sole sourcing as a Phase III award.
• The vehicle of choice is an IDIQ contract from which a wide variety of tasks orders can be relatively quickly executed.  There is tremendous flexibility in this contract vehicle;  per SBA’s SBIR Program Policy Directive, § 4(c)(5), “there is no limit on the number, duration, type, or dollar value of Phase III awards made to a business concern.”
• In regards to the J&A (Justification and Approval) for the sole source award, “it is sufficient to state for purposes of a Justification and Approval pursuant to FAR 6.302-5, that the project is a SBIR Phase III award that is derived from, extends, or completes efforts made under prior SBIR funding agreements and is authorized under 10 U.S.C. 2304(b)(2) or 41 U.S.C. 3303(b)” (SBA’s SBIR Program Policy Directive, § 4(c)(3)).”
• Additionally, “the small business size limits for Phase I and Phase II awards do not apply to Phase III awards” (SBA’s SBIR Program Policy Directive, § 4(c)(6)), so this process is endlessly repeatable regardless of ETC’s growth, and, of great benefit, there is no 51% small business requirement on the contract vehicle; ETC can do as much or as little of the work as is appropriate to each Task Order and it makes teaming to create the ideal solution very simple.

References:

• ASN (RDA) Sean Stackley’s JAN2015 memo, “Tapping Into Small Business in a Big Way”, available at http://www.navysbir.com/Docs/Navy_Stackley_Small_Business_Memo-1-12-15.pdf
• SBA’s SBIR Program Policy Directive, available at https://www.sbir.gov/sites/default/files/sbir_pd_with_1-8-14_amendments_2-24-14.pdf
• DoN’s SBIR/STTR Phase III Guidebook, Ver 1.2 (April 2016), available at http://www.navysbir.com/docs/DON-SBIR_STTR_Guidebook_V1_2-Apr-16.pdf