Q-A No 2 NOAA 2011 dtd 12-7-2010.pdf

NOAA 2011-1 Small Business Innovative Research Questions and Answers #2

December 7, 2010

Q: As a small business, we must carefully choose were we place our time and efforts. Please advise of the total amount of funding, for your NOAA 2011-1 solicitation, how many recipients you expect to select and if you will be selecting a specified quantity of recipients in each topic area?

A: The information is available in our solicitation which is posted on the Federal Business Opportunities Website. Paragraph 5.1 addresses the items you specifically mentioned. In terms of the number of awardees per topic area, we cannot determine that information at this time.

Q: In order to write a good proposal, is there any chance I can get a copy of some previous proposals that were successful?

A: No, the government cannot provide copies of previous proposals to vendors to view in developing their proposal. Proposals are typically marked with proprietary information, contain trade secrets or commercial or financial information that are not releasable under the Freedom of Information Act -- 5 U.S.C. 552(b), Economic Espionage Act – 18 U.S.C 1832, and Trade Secrets Act – 18 U.S.C. 1905.

Q: In trying to write our proposal, can you provide advice under paragraph 3.3.3 as to how long to write the various items in order for them to be successful?

A: No, the government cannot provide you a formula on how to best write your proposal. As a business, you will need to determine the best methods of communicating your project in your proposal. Offerors must ensure that they do follow the requirements as established in the solicitation when submitting their proposal.

Q: Can you tell me the likely start dates of the NOAA SBIR project for which the proposal submission deadline is January 12, 2011? Is it flexible, so that the start date can be adjusted within the fiscal year by the small business PI to allow some facility preparation time?

A: In paragraph 5.1, the solicitation indicates Phase I awards are tentatively scheduled to be issued in July 2011. The period of performance shall be no more than six months for Phase I awards.

Q: If a project is completed on university property, will the small business be expected to pay rent? Also, what percentage of the grant may be used for equipment?

A: The question of the use of university property and equipment is not dictated by SBIR policies or rules. Recommend discussing this question with your local university administration. If the small business will be utilizing your organization’s facilities and resources, this would be a subcontracting situation with the university being the subcontractor. As indicated in the paragraph 1.5 and 3.6, a minimum of 2/3rds of the research and/or analytical effort must be performed by the awardee in Phase I.

Q: Can you advise on the level of interest received in regards to specific topic areas?

A: No.

Q: Research Topic 8.1.2SG: Can you confirm that one of the acceptable areas in the first topic is wave energy, not just biofuels as it relates to waves?

A: You are correct. There is a typo and it should have stated: “a)Biofuels developed from microalgae or macroalgae, b) Wave…” See updated Amendment 0002

Q: Research Topic 8.1.2SG: We were wondering if a project for using Wetlands for Energy Savings, Water Quality Improvement, and Carbon Sequestration would fall under this topic?

A: The topic area is requesting projects in “(a) Biofuels developed from microalgae or macroalgae, (b) Wave, (c) Tidal/current, (d) Geothermal, or (e) Offshore/coastal wind. Projects may involve research in technology development, and/or testing and improvement of existing technologies as well as proposals that will measure the environmental impacts created by the implementation of alternative energy systems.” The topic currently listed provides the government some flexibility to review proposed projects that fit within the general nature of that topic area. Offerors should review their proposals to ensure that they demonstrate that they fall within the scope of the research topic area before submission. As stated in paragraph 1.5, “…Only proposals that are directly responsive to the subtopics as described in Section 8 will be considered.”

Q: Research Topic 8.1.5F: For a Phase I Proposal, do we need to show a device hardware structure and conceptual flow of protocol?

A: The purpose of Phase I is to prove feasibility (see Paragraph 1.2.1 of the solicitation). The company must determine the type of information to include in their proposal in which to best present their project for review and consideration.

Q: Research Topic 8.1.5F: How much pre-research level would be required to receive Phase I award (in terms of technical readiness level)?

A: Phase I is the feasibility study portion of the project (see Paragraph 1.2.1 of the solicitation).

Q: Research Topics 8.2.2C & 8.2.3C: I am considering a project related to Strategic Doctrine for Coordinated Extreme Wildfire Situations. Which topic area would be best for us to apply under?

A: Your organization will need to review the topics carefully and determine which topic area your project fits and tailor the proposal to fit that area, but your organization needs to remember that as stated in paragraph 1.5, “…Only proposals that are directly responsive to the subtopics as described in Section 8 will be considered.” As indicated in Amendment 0001 and in our last set of questions and answers, an offeror may submit multiple proposals to this solicitation. Offerors should submit separate proposal packages for each topic area they wish to be considered.

Q: Research Topic 8.2.5W: A reference was included for an article by Moghaddam, M, et al in 2009. The website provided for that article does not appear to be correct and points to a soil moisture map. Please provide a corrected website link to the article.

A: See Amendment 0002 for corrected website link information.

Q: Research Topic 8.2.5W: Is NOAA looking for an “operational” system with appropriate interfaces or are they looking to integrate with existing networks and interfaces? Can you provide examples of the networks or interfaces? There are a large number of weather monitoring networks:

A: In terms of your first question, the government is looking more to integrating with existing networks and interfaces. The data is needed by more than the National Weather Services

(NWS). The main networks currently concentrate on systems connected to US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and emergency preparedness systems.

Q: Research Topic 8.2.5W: Should the focus be on integrated with MESONET and sensor fusion (ground based and space based sensors) to predict forest fire related hotspots? Or is the main focus on low-cost affordable sensor networks to collect raw moisture data?

A: The government’s main focus is towards low-cost affordable sensor networks to collect raw moisture data. Many of the systems available are fairly expensive and not small enough to meet the government’s requirements.

Q: Research Topic 8.3.4D: In the description of the topic within the solicitation, it mentions that the antenna “system will address the user needs as detailed in the impact study that reported on the effect operational satellite surface vector winds have on operational weather forecasting and warning (ref impact study and oceanography paper).” Is there any chance we can get a copy of the document that this statement is referencing? No references were provided under this research topic.

A: Amendment 0002 has been incorporated which now includes the additional reference information requested.

Q: Research Topic 8.3.5D: Does NOAA have a specific RT code in their mind? What kind of hyperspectral sensors?

A: The government does not have any additional technical information that it can provide regarding the two questions asked then already provided in the solicitation.