6. Submission of Proposals
6.1 How to Apply for SBIR Phase II
NASA uses electronically supported business processes for the SBIR program. An offeror must have internet access and an email address. Paper submissions are not accepted. To apply for a NASA SBIR Phase II contract all SBCs are required to follow the steps found below.
6.1.1 Electronic Submission Requirements via the EHB
NASA uses an electronic submission system called the Electronic Handbook (EHB) and all offerors must use the EHB to submit a completed proposal package. The EHB guides firms through the steps for submitting a proposal package. All submissions are through a secure connection and most communication between NASA and the firm is through either the EHB or email. To access the EHB go to https://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/submissions/login.
New SBCs must register in the EHB to begin the submission process. Returning firms can use the same account they have used for previous submissions unless the business name has changed. Firms are encouraged to start the EHB registration process early to allow sufficient time to complete the submission process.
It is recommended that the designated Small Business Official, or an authorized representative designated by the designated Small 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. The designated Small Business Official, typically the first person to register your firm, will become the firm administrator and will be the only individual authorized to update and change the firm-level forms in the EHB.
For successful proposal package submission, SBCs shall complete all forms online, upload their required documents in an acceptable format, and have the designated Small Business Official and Principal Investigator (PI) electronically endorse the proposal package within the EHB system.
6.1.2 Deadline for Phase II Proposal Receipt
A complete Phase II proposal package shall be received no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on February 2, 2024, which is the last day of the Phase I contract original period of performance.
Note: If an offeror has received a no-cost extension on their Phase I contract, the original period of performance date of the contract applies as the deadline. Therefore, the new period of performance date for the extension of contract deliverables does not apply and cannot be used as the deadline to submit a Phase II Proposal.
All submissions are via the NASA SBIR/STTR website (http://sbir.nasa.gov) under the Handbooks section. The EHB will be available for submissions approximately 6 weeks prior to the completion date of Phase I contracts.
An offeror who waits to submit a proposal package near the deadline is at risk of not completing the required document uploads and EHB endorsements of their proposal. The EHB will terminate any active submissions at the published deadline of 5:00 p.m. ET on the last day of the Phase I original contract period of performance. This termination will result in the offeror receiving an error message, and any remaining parts of the proposal will not be uploaded. If a complete proposal package is not received by the 5:00 p.m. ET deadline, the proposal package will be determined to be incomplete and may not be evaluated.
As stated in section 4, NASA conducts a two-stage review process of all proposals to determine if the proposal can be evaluated and ranked on a competitive basis. Proposals that are found to be noncompliant with the requirements in section 3 of this solicitation will be declined, and no further evaluations will occur. The offeror will be notified of NASA’s decision to decline the proposal and that the decision is final.
6.1.3 Complete Proposal Package Submission
Firms will upload all components of a complete proposal package using the Proposal Submissions module in the EHB. Directions are found within the EHB to assist users. All transactions via the EHB are encrypted for security purposes.
A complete proposal package consists of online forms and associated documentation that must be submitted in PDF format via the EHB. Below is what the completed proposal package includes. See section 3 for additional information on how to complete each of these sections.
Each complete proposal package submitted shall contain the following items:
- Proposal Contact Information
- Proposal Certifications
- Proposal Summary
- Proposal Budget
- Including letters of commitment for Government resources and subcontractors/consultants (if applicable)
- Foreign Vendor form (if applicable) – Note: NASA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have issued a policy that requires a review of any request to purchase materials or supplies from foreign vendors
- Technical Proposal—10 Parts in the order specified in section 3.4.4, not to exceed 46 pages, including all graphics, and starting with a table of contents.
- Briefing Chart (must not contain proprietary data)
- NASA Evaluation License Application, only if TAV is being proposed
- Capital Commitments Addendum Supporting Phase II and Phase III (optional)
- Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Request (if applicable)
- Firm-Level Forms (completed once for all proposals submitted to a single solicitation)
- Firm Certifications
- Audit Information
- Prior Awards Addendum
- Commercialization Metrics Survey (CMS)
- Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations or Relationships to Foreign Countries Form
- Electronic Endorsement in the EHB by the Small Business Official and Principal Investigator (PI)
Firms cannot submit security/password-protected PDF files, as reviewers will not be able to open and read these files. Proposal packages containing security/password-protected PDF files may be declined and not considered.
Offerors are responsible for virus-checking all files prior to submission. NASA may decline any completed proposal package that contains a file with a detected virus.
Before you can submit the final completed proposal package, the EHB will ask you to download the entire proposal package and certify that you have reviewed it to ensure that you have met the requirements in this solicitation and have uploaded the correct documentation. A proposal package that is missing the final endorsement in the EHB will be considered an incomplete proposal package and may be declined.
You may upload a proposal package multiple times, with each new upload replacing the previous version, but only the final uploaded and electronically endorsed version will be considered for review. If you have already completed a prior upload and endorsed the proposal package, any new uploads will require a re-endorsement of the new proposal package.
Note: Embedded animation or video, as well as reference technical papers for “further reading,” will not be considered for evaluation.
6.1.4 Acknowledgment of a Complete Proposal Package Receipt
NASA will acknowledge receipt of the electronically submitted and complete proposal package upon endorsement in the EHB by the designated Small Business Official. NASA will send an email to the designated Small Business Official email address as provided on the completed proposal package cover sheet, as well as to the user who created the proposal package, if different. If a completedproposal package acknowledgment is not received after submission, the offeror should immediately contact the NASA SBIR/STTR Program Support Office at agency-sbir@mail.nasa.gov.
6.1.5 Withdrawal of Completed Proposal Packages
Prior to the close of submissions, completed proposal packages may be withdrawn via the Proposal Submissions module in the EHB. To withdraw a completed proposal package after the deadline, the designated Small Business Official must send written notification via email to agency-sbir@mail.nasa.gov.
6.1.6 Service of Protests
Protests, as defined in section FAR 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from:
Kenneth E. Albright
NASA Shared Services Center
Building 1111, Jerry Hlass Road
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529
Agency-SBIR-STTRSolicitation@mail.nasa.gov
A copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.
