To complement and further illuminate the core issues identified in the Methodology Report, the Committee has identified several special topics of interest. Such special topics may include:

• Aligning SBIR cycle time and research cycle time
  • Can SBIR cycle time and research time be better aligned?
    • For example, the SBIR cycle time may not suit electronics research, because of its short cycle time, but may be more compatible with biotech research.
    • For example, NIH stated that they need longer periods for their SBIR Programs--and, in fact, are using them.
  • How can the SBIR program cycles be better structured to facilitate electronics and software research?
  • What degree of flexibility on cycle time is available and how it is provided?
    • What are the advantages of this flexibility?
    • Could we suggest legislative changes to provide it?
• Facilitating transition between Phase I and II and Phase II and III
  • What incentives can be created to encourage the Phase II to Phase III transition?
    • For example, a commonly identified weakness in the SBIR is the transition from Phase II to "Phase III," i.e., the picking up of the project after it has been successfully demonstrated.
  • How can we get the program people involved in the Phase III effort
  • How are similar transitions handled between DARPA and the Service's programs?
• The role of state governments
  • How can we study the impact state government perspectives and contributions?
  • What associations validly represent the states' interest in this type of activity and what are their views?
  • What similarities can we make among states' that are particularly active in SBIR, e.g., Massachusetts, Maryland?
• The role of intellectual property and patent rights
• The effect of coupling SBIR with STTR
• The effect of Joint ventures and teaming
  • What benefits can be realized from "teaming" on SBIR Programs?
  • What if any anti-trust concerns that have to be considered in this light?
• The effect of other legislation on SBIR
  • What other legislative acts inter-relate with the SBIR Program?
  • Do these interrelationships have a positive or negative impact?
    • For example, the Bayh-Dole Act.
• The SBIR “mills” phenomenon
  • How prevalent is this phenomenon
  • Types/motivators of mills
  • How concentrated are they by agency?
  • What is the nature of the awards?
  • What are characteristics of mills that deal with one agency vs. those that deal with multiple agencies?
• The University Connection
  • How tightly are firms that are participating in SBIR linked to universities?
  • What is the nature of this connection?
  • What spillovers can occur in this context?
  • What is the PI's relationship to the university?
  • How is issue of intellectual property handled? E.g., licensing agreements
  • How near/far is the firm located from the university?
• Administrative best practices in SBIR
• The SBIR role in overcoming barriers to finance
  • Does SBIR crowd out private investment?
  • Does SBIR work as a signal to markets?