Review of the SBIR and STTR Programs at the Department of Defense (2026)

Chapter: Appendix C: Annex to Chapter 4

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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Annex to Chapter 4." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Review of the SBIR and STTR Programs at the Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29329.
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Appendix C

Annex to Chapter 4

ANNEX 4-1
DOD Program Manager Interviews: Attendees and Dates

Service/Component Interview Date DOD Attendee(s) DOD Attendee Title(s)
Department of Army (Army) 8/15/2024 Dr. Matt Willis Director, Army Prize Competitions & Army Applied SBIR Program
Department of Navy (Navy) 4/11/2024 Robert Smith, Brian Shipley, Kathy Fontana, Kyle Mullen Director Department of the Navy (DON) SBIR/STTR; Director DON SBIR/STTR; Contractor Support; Senior Policy and Strategy Analyst at Engineering Services Network (ESN)
Department of Air Force (Air Force) 5/22/2024 Daniel Carrol, Lane McNeil, Sarah Perry Air Force (AF) Ventures Director, Division Chief, and SBIR/STTR Program Manager; AF Ventures Executive Operations Officer; Executive Administrator
Chemical and Biological Defense Command (CBD) 8/21/2024 Nathan Weaver, Eric Lowenstein CBD SBIR/STTR Program Support Contractor; Chief of Research Operations for CBD
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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Annex to Chapter 4." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Review of the SBIR and STTR Programs at the Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29329.
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Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) 6/24/2024, 8/19/2024 Jen Thabet, Aaron Sparks, Jessica Camper SBIR/STTR Program Director; Lead Contractor for Program; Chief of Staff
Defense Health Agency (DHA) 9/19/2024 James Meyers, Colleen Gibney SBIR Project Manager; Deputy Project Manager
Missile Defense Agency (MDA) 9/05/2024 Candace Wright SBIR/STTR Program Lead
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) 9/05/2024 Michael Winkler, Matthew Davis, Patrick Grandt Program Lead; Contracting Officer; Contracting Officer
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) 9/25/2024 Denise Price Program Manager
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) 10/3/2024 Mark Flohr SBIR/STTR Program Lead

NOTES: Program managers for the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA), United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Space Force, and Office of Strategic Capital did not meet with the committee. All interviews conducted via Zoom.

ANNEX 4-2
DOD Program Manager Interviews: Discussion Questions

  1. Process Overview
    • – Can you please take us through the award process starting with topic selection. How are topics developed?
    • – How do you find reviewers?
      • What are the key criteria that you use to select reviewers?
      • How often do reviewers serve on review panels?
      • What instructions are given to reviewers?
      • Do you consider transition and commercialization potential?
      • How do you use the reviewers’ comments to rank applications for funding?
    • – What is the approval process for selected awards?
      • Do you have discretion in making awards?
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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Annex to Chapter 4." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Review of the SBIR and STTR Programs at the Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29329.
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      • What is the primary source of accountability or oversight?
    • – Are there differences between SBIR and STTR in the processes we just discussed (outreach, topic development, proposal review and selection, reviewers, and commercialization)?
  2. Technology Transitions
    • – Can you tell us about how companies transition to meet DOD mission needs or commercialize technology?
    • – Can you tell us about a time that you helped an awardee move toward commercialization? What was the firm trying to do? How did you help?
    • – How are program managers who transition Phase II projects to Phase III rewarded by their DOD service or agency?
    • – Was the kind of help you describe unique for the firm, or is this something that happens often?
    • – What kinds of DOD SBIR/STTR commercialization services and programs are available for applicants? awardees?
    • – Have you helped SBIR awardees with procurement contracts from DOD?
    • – Are there particular attributes/characteristics about firms and/or projects that increase the likelihood that the awardee will move into transition?
  3. Success Stories
    • – Please describe the most impactful SBIR/STTR awards you made. Why do you think this was impactful?
    • – Open vs focused topics—are there differences in company success? Can you provide an example?
    • – Are there SBIR/STTR companies that we should talk to? Please tell us why.
    • – Can you tell us about technologies that did not transition? Are there lessons to learn?
  4. Multiple Award Winners
    • – What are the situations where you continue to fund the same company multiple times?
    • – Are multiple awardees subject to more scrutiny?
  5. Outreach
    • – Can you tell us how you educate potential applicants about the SBIR/STTR programs?
    • – Do you reach out to potential applicants? How do you decide which communities to conduct outreach with?
    • – Do you attend academic conferences or industry conferences?
Page 226 Cite Bookmark
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Annex to Chapter 4." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Review of the SBIR and STTR Programs at the Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29329.
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    • – Some agencies have programs that help new applicants apply for an SBIR/STTR award, e.g., the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) Applicant Assistance Program. Do you (your department at DOD) have a similar program? How do they help new applicants?
  2. Goals of the Program
    • – What are the goals of the SBIR/STTR programs from your vantage point?
    • – How does SBIR/STTR fit into the DOD technology roadmap?
    • – How often do you work with small business outside of SBIR?
    • – How do you decide whether to fund an SBIR company or a non-SBIR company to address a challenge? Does it depend on who will own the intellectual property (IP)?
  3. Background
    • – We’d like to learn more about your background and how you became involved with the SBIR/STTR programs. How long have you been working on SBIR/STTR?
    • – What training did you receive when becoming an SBIR/STTR program manager?
    • – How involved are you with companies through the application and award process?
    • – What share of your time do you spend on SBIR/STTR?
  4. Insights for Improvements
    • – If you could change one anything about the SBIR/STTR programs, what would that be?
  5. Other
    • – Do you do anything different compared to other DOD SBIR/STTR programs you know?
    • – Is the anything else you think we should ask about or need to know?
    • – Is the anyone else we should speak with?
Next Chapter: Appendix D: Annex to Chapter 5
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