SBA Handbook for SBIR Proposal Preparation
Chapter III - Preparing The Proposal
B. Understanding What Counts
1. Significance of the Problem; What Difference Your Effort Will Make
Problems or opportunities always exist in a context which enables us to identify them as problems or opportunities. In this section you should focus on demonstrating how your project addresses a vital problem or opportunity in light of two key contexts: scientific/technical and socioeconomic. This component must clarify why your project is significant in each of these contexts.
Essentially, you must answer four related questions:
1) What is the significance of the problem? (Why is it worth working on? What is the national need? Why is it important to the agency?)
Never forget your objective in discussing significance is primarily to demonstrate that there is fact a widely recognized problem or opportunity. If you have been active in the appropriate scientific/technical specialty, this can be used to establish the fact that you have first hand awareness of the significance of the problem or opportunity. You must also demonstrate an awareness of how the problem or opportunity found in the solicitation ties in with the agency's and federal government's objectives.
The following comments, relating to the significance of the effort, were made about proposals which were recommended for funding:
"Existing data base management systems can effectively handle only formatted alphanumeric data. The aim of this research is to find ways to incorporate other types of information such as text, maps, diagrams, photographs, images, and signals in an advanced data base management system and to include facilities for declaring and manipulating general knowledge."
"There is a need for modular deck replacement units which can be rapidly put into place. Steel grid decks have been used in the past to accomplish this. A number of technical issues raised, regarding past failures of such decks, are accurate. If the investigators can overcome some of these problems at a reasonable expense, they may have a marketable item.
2) What is the technical challenge? (What barriers exist to its solution? Why is it important from a scientific or technical point of view?)
Scientific/technical significance is determined by the state of substantive and methodological/technique knowledge in the scientific discipline or technical field with which your proposal falls. You should clearly and concisely state the manner in which your project is based on a awareness of the larger scientific/technical problem or opportunity implicit in the agency's brief SBIR solicitation topic.
Use references where appropriate to support the claims you are making. If you or your key people have been active in the appropriate specialty, your response to this item should also describe how your activity provides firsthand awareness of significance. (Make sure to refer to any directly relevant publications you or key people may have.)
The above two questions reflect the distinction between the application and the scientific/technical barriers to developing the application. While both questions should be addressed, it is quite appropriate to emphasize one over the other. The particular emphasis should give depends on the nature of the agency and the solicitation topic. Basic research agencies tend to prefer emphasis on the second question.
3) What will you do to meet this challenge that has not been done before? (What specific part of the problem are you taking on? What makes your problem definition and/or approach unique? What makes it better than prior efforts? How can you build on previous research and knowledge?)
The primary objectives in answering this question are to establish the merit of your general approach to the project, and to show that this approach will lead to benefits commensurate with the significance of the problem.
Your discussion should consist of a summary statement. The details can be provided in the next component.
The same scientific/technical context which you presented in establishing significance of the problem or opportunity contains vital information on how best to approach the topic. Where appropriate, refer to relevant methodological discussions in the scientific/technical literature.
4) What difference will your efforts make? (What will be available that is not present now? What will the products of your efforts be? What are the social and economic benefits?)
Indicate the types of benefits you anticipate will result if your project is funded. In discussing benefits, assume that the project will be carried through to Phase III. State clearly how Phase I work will lay the foundation for Phases II and III with their corresponding costs and benefits. Be sure to include "spin-off" benefits for other federal agencies, for the private sector, and for the general quality of life of the American people if any exist.
Two proposals which failed to convince reviewers of potential benefits received the following comments:
"Proposal does not clearly demonstrate understanding of potential user requirements for proposed system. Discussion of advantages/benefits of the system are sketchy.""The study presupposes that fleet operators should be receptive to incorporating data base management into their existing management process. There is no evidence in the proposal to indicate this.
It most likely will not be enough to merely state the answers to these four questions; rather, you may need to present an argument to convince a reviewer of the accuracy of your answers. While the reviewers may not be thoroughly versed in your particular specialty, they will have enough background to judge whether your argument is convincing or plausible.
The more obscure the problem, the more detail required. But do not overdo it. Reviewers are rarely interested in a tutorial of the subject matter.
References to the literature are only valuable where they support the argument you are making.
Note that the amount of space you devote to this component is not important. If the questions can be addressed in one or two pages, by all means do so.
