NIST SBIR Program Soliciting Proposals to Solve Cybersecurity and Manufacturing Challenges

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, invites small businesses to propose solutions to specific challenges in the fields of cybersecurity and manufacturing.

SBIR Phase I awards provide up to $90,000 over a performance period of seven months and are intended to determine if the proposed research is feasible and how well the awardee performs that research. Phase I awardees are eligible to apply for Phase II funding to further develop their technology.

The NIST 2013 SBIR solicitation names 17 specific technologies for development, including four technology transfer subtopics—inventions and technologies started at NIST that have commercial potential but require more work to be finished products/services for the U.S. marketplace.

In the category of Cybersecurity, the technologies are:

• Bragg Grating Enhanced Narrowband Single Photon SPDC Source
• Comparison of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies and Features
• Development of an SCAP Validation Tool with APIs
• Enabling Secure BIOS on Enterprise Systems
• Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes with > 95 percent Efficiency

In the category of Manufacturing:

• Advanced Tactile Sensing Technology for Robotic Hands
• Angularly Sensitive Detectors for Transmission Scanning Electron Microscopy
• Electronics System for Microscale Thermogravimetric Nanoparticle Analysis
• Flowing Water Optical Power Meter for Laser Measurements
• High Temperature Thermocouple and Radiation Thermometer Vacuum Furnace
• Highly Multiplexed Spectroscopic Ellipsometer for In-Line Process Control
• Life Cycle Impact Analysis Tool for Sustainable Manufacturing
• Model-Based Smart Manufacturing of Composite Materials
• Nanoparticle Separation: Magnetic Field Opposing a Buoyant Density Gradient
• Recirculating Temperature Wave Focusing Chromatography
• Three-Dimensional Test Materials for Solid Supports
• Workflow Engine for Smart Manufacturing

The SBIR program identifies and solicits proposals in subtopics that fall within NIST's mission and allow collaboration between NIST scientists and the SBIR awardees whenever possible. In order to ensure a greater strategic alignment between the SBIR program and NIST's laboratory research program, the SBIR topics are based on the investment priorities identified in the NIST Programmatic Plan.

In the interest of competitive fairness, communication with NIST concerning a specific technical topic or subtopic during the open solicitation period is not allowed, with the exception of the public discussion group at www.nist.gov/sbir. All questions and responses will be publicly, though anonymously, posted on the discussion group website.

Read the 2013 SBIR solicitation (http://go.usa.gov/4Wf5) for a full explanation of the SBIR process, rules and the specific challenges the proposals should address. Unsolicited proposals, i.e. proposals that do not address the challenges outlined in the SBIR proposal solicitation, will not be accepted. The solicitation closes February 25, 2013.

For general information about the NIST SBIR program, call (301) 975-4188 or send an e-mail to sbir [at] nist.gov (sbir[at]nist[dot]gov).