National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research & Technology Transfer 2003 Program Solicitations
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6.1 Submission Requirements
6.2 Submission Process
6.3 Technical Proposal Uploads
6.4 Deadline for Phase I Proposal Receipt
6.5 Acknowledgment of Proposal Receipt
6.6 Withdrawal of Proposals
6.7 Service of Protests
6. Submission of Proposals
6.1 Submission Requirements
NASA utilizes a paperless, electronic process for management of the SBIR/STTR programs. This management approach requires that a proposing firm have Internet access and an e-mail address. Paper submissions are no longer accepted.
An Electronic Handbook for submitting proposals via the internet is hosted on the NASA SBIR/STTR Homepage (http://sbir.nasa.gov). The handbook will guide the firms through the various steps required for submitting an SBIR/STTR proposal. All electronic handbook submissions will be through a secure connection. Communication between NASA and the firm will be via a combination of electronic handbooks and e-mail.
6.2 Submission Process
To begin the submission process, SBCs must first register in the handbook. It is recommended that the Business Official, or an authorized representative designated by the Business Official, be the first person to register for the SBC. The SBC’s Employer Identification Number (EIN)/Taxpayer Identification Number is required during registration.
For successful proposal submission, SBCs must complete all three forms on line, upload their technical proposal in an acceptable format, and have the Business Official electronically endorse the proposal. Electronic endorsement of the proposal is handled on line with no additional software requirements. The term “technical proposal” refers to the part of the submission as described in Section 3.2.4 for Phase I and 3.3.4 for Phase II.
6.2.1 What Needs to Be Submitted
The entire proposal including Forms A, B, and C must be submitted via the NASA SBIR/STTR home page located at http://sbir.nasa.gov.
a. Forms A, B, and C are to be completed online.
b. The technical proposal is uploaded from your computer via the Internet utilizing secure communication protocol.
c. Firms are encouraged to upload an optional briefing chart, which is not included in the page count (See Section 3.2.7 and 3.3.6).
Note: Other forms of submissions such as postal, paper, fax, diskette, or e-mail attachments are not acceptable.
6.2.2 Technical Proposal Submissions. NASA converts all technical proposal files to PDF format for evaluation purposes.Therefore, NASA requests that technical proposals be submitted in PDF format, and encourages companies to do so. Other acceptable formats are MS Works, MS Word, and WordPerfect. Unix and TeX users please note that due to PDF difficulties with non-standard fonts, please output technical proposal files in DVI format.
Graphics. For reasons of space conservation and simplicity the offeror is encouraged, but not required, to embed graphics within the document.For graphics submitted as separate files, the acceptable file formats (and their respective extensions) are: Bit-Mapped (.bmp), Graphics Interchange Format (.gif), JPEG (.jpg), PC Paintbrush (.pcx), WordPerfect Graphic (.wpg), and Tagged-Image Format (.tif).
Virus Check. The offeror is responsible for performing a virus check on each submitted technical proposal.As a standard part of entering the proposal into the processing system, NASA will scan each submitted electronic technical proposal for viruses. The detection, by NASA, of a virus on any electronically submitted technical proposal, may cause rejection of the proposal.
6.3 Technical Proposal Uploads
Firms will upload their proposals using the Submissions electronic handbook. Directions will be provided to assist users. All transactions via the EHB are encrypted for security. Proposals can be uploaded multiple times with each new upload replacing the previous version. An e-mail will be sent acknowledging each successful upload. An example is provided below:
| Sample E-mail for Successful Upload of Technical Proposal Subject: Successful Upload of Technical Proposal Upload of Technical Document for your NASA SBIR/STTR Proposal No. _________ This message is to confirm the successful upload of your technical proposal document for: Proposal No. ____________ (Uploaded File Name/Size/Date) Please note that any previous uploads are no longer considered as part of your submission. This e-mail is NOT A RECEIPT OF SUBMISSION of your entire proposal IMPORTANT! The Business Official or an authorized representative must electronically endorse the proposal in the Electronic Handbook using the “Sign Proposal” step. Upon endorsement, you will receive an e-mail that will be your official receipt of proposal submission. . Thank you for your participation in NASA’s SBIR/STTR program. NASA SBIR/STTR Program Support Office |
| Sample E-mail for Official Confirmation of Receipt of Full Proposal: Subject: Official Receipt of your NASA SBIR/STTR Proposal No. _______________ Confirmation No. __________________ This message is to acknowledge electronic receipt of your NASA SBIR/STTR Proposal No. _______________. Your proposal, including the forms and the technical document, has been received at the NASA SBIR/STTR Support Office. SBIR/STTR 2003 Phase I xx.xx-xxxx (Title) Form A completed on: Form B completed on: Form C completed on: Technical Proposal Uploaded on: File Name: File Type: File Size: Briefing Chart (Optional) completed on: Proposal endorsed electronically by: This is your official confirmation of receipt. Please save this email for your records, as no other receipt will be provided. The official selection announcement is currently scheduled for November 19, 2003, and will be posted via the SBIR/STTR homepage (http://sbir.nasa.gov). Thank your for your participation in the NASA SBIR/STTR program. NASA SBIR/STTR Program Support Office |