FAST 2017 FAQs.pdf

FAST 2017 FAQs

Will there be a debriefing for unsuccessful applicants?

It is not required for SBA to debrief unsuccessful applicants; however, it is our goal to contact unsuccessful applicants with basic feedback on why they were not selected by the review committee.

What percentage of activities must be conducted by an SBTDC to be eligible to qualify for an award under the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) number FAST-2017-R-0011A?

At least 51%. Section 3.2 (page 6) of the Announcement outlines the criteria for eligible SBTDC applicants.

Within the meaning of eligible applicants, an SBTDC must conduct at least 51% of the activities projected for the FAST award.

The technical proposal must now be divided into 7 sections (in order). Do all bullet points need to be addressed, and in those sections?

Please note the required sections for the technical proposal and the page limit (20 pages). The bullet points are meant to guide the content of each section, but it is not required to answer them in their listed format. It is not required to include the answer to each bulleted point under its current section – if there is a different section where it makes more sense for your narrative, feel free to clearly include your response there.

Where should I upload documents that demonstrate leveraged resources?

Additional documents can be included in the attachments section.

Is there a limit to how many letters of support can be submitted?

There is no limit to the number of support letters.

Is it required to submit subcontractor résumés?

Subcontractor résumés are not required but can be included to back up claims of their relevance and experience.

What is the difference between sections 1.4a and 2.1 (subgrants vs. paying for proposal preparation?)

Awardees are not allowed to make subgrants to other entities to take over responsibility of the grant requirements. Awardees ARE allowed to make grants to companies to cover proposal costs or relevant travel to SBIR/STTR conferences.

Can the application only discuss FAST in their proposal? Should the greater objectives/goals of the organization be mentioned?

The overall goals of your organization should be addressed in the proposal; especially as it relates to how FAST funding will be leveraged. It is up to each applicant to determine how detailed they would like to be.

Is any information available on the upcoming SBA Train the Trainer?

There will be 12 modules released around September covering the following lessons:

1) Introduction

2) Is SBIR/STTR a good fit?

3) Contracts vs grants

4) Finding the right topic

5) Innovation

6) Speaking to topic authors

7) Proposal preparation schedule

8) Registration

9) Developing a winning team

10) Indirect rates

11) Agency guidelines on indirect rates

12) Getting past the administrative review

What if my organization already has a train the trainer program?

Include descriptions/examples of your organization’s program under Section 5.2.2. It is not required that you use the modules SBA is set to release; only that you have an executable strategy to train relevant stakeholders in your service area.

In section 5.2.5, what kind of data elements are expected to address an organization’s ability to reach target markets?

For the FY17 FOAs, SBA is not requiring awardees to capture specific data relating to target markets. To increase the strength of your application, please explain what data you anticipate collecting in order to either better reach those markets, or address their unique contexts.

What if proposed contract services are not yet confirmed by the submission deadline?

Include as much information as possible in your proposal, including what is confirmed (along with documentation) and what contracts are planned (indicating how they will be carried out).

What if we know certain staff members will be leaving the organization before the grant begins?

Be sure to include the appropriate position descriptions, along with planned steps to be taken to fill key personnel roles.

What if our last audit was two years ago, and a new one won’t be completed until after the deadline?

An audit from two years ago is acceptable, along with the indication that the new audit will be submitted to SBA upon completion.

Could award amounts be lower than the two ceilings of $125,000 or $200,000?

Publication of the two Announcements does not guarantee that SBA will issue any FAST awards for FY 2017. It is possible that unanticipated circumstances could restrict SBA’s goal of awarding requested amounts up to the eligible ceilings.

Will additional questions on the two FOAs be accepted before the submission deadline?

Logistical questions or ones that address proposal structure and procedures will be accepted; content-related questions are no longer acceptable now that the FOAs are currently open.

Who should the governor’s letter be addressed to?

Edsel M. Brown, Jr., Deputy Director Office of Innovation and Technology

U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd St SW, 6th Floor, Washington DC 20416

TIP: Register and submit early! If you are a new applicant, some of the registrations may take longer than you expect.

If you submit your proposal early, odds are more mistakes will be able to be corrected. You can also request confirmation from grants.gov of your submission.