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U.S. Department of Education

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM

FAST-TRACK (PHASE I & II) OPTION

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP Number: ED-08-R-0008

Institute of Education Sciences

Priority 1: Education Technology Products for Students

Priority 2: Education Technology Products for Teachers

Priority 3: Education Technology Products for School Administrators

ISSUE DATE: December 5, 2007

CLOSING DATE: January 22, 2008

12:00 Noon Eastern Standard Time

FAST-TRACK TABLE OF CONTENTS

Top

Section Page

1. Program Overview ……………………………………………………...2

2. Agency Contact…………………………………………………………7

3. Definitions……………………………………………………………… 8

4. Contract Proposal Preparation Instructions and Requirements…………13

5. Method of Selection and Evaluation Criteria………………………….. 27

6. Considerations…………………………………………………………. 30

7. Proposal Submittal Information……………………………………….. 37

8. 2008 Priorities..………………………………………………………… 39

9. Scientific and Technical Information Sources…………………………. 41

10. Fast-Track Proposal Package Checklist………………………………...42

Appendix A (Letter of agreement for participation - maximum 1 letter)…………..43

Appendix B (Biographical summary certification pages)…………………………..44

Appendix C (Documentation of Previous Phase II awards)…………………………45

Appendix D (Phase I and Phase II Budgets) ………………………………………..46

Appendix E (Human subjects information)………………………………………….47

Appendix F (ED Required Information)……………………………………………. 49

Appendix G (Letters of endorsement – maximum 5 letters)…………………………57

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM

FAST-TRACK (PHASE I & II) OPTION

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

PROGRAM SOLICITATION FOR FY 2008

1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW

A. Introduction

The Department of Education’s (ED) Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) invites small business firms to submit a “Fast-Track” (Phase I &Phase II) proposal under this program solicitation entitled Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR). This solicitation is only for SBIR offerors who are submitting a Phase I and Phase II “Fast-Track” proposal. Firms with strong research or research and development (R/R&D) capabilities in education technology in the priority areas listed within are encouraged to participate. Consultative or other arrangements between such firms and universities or other non-profit organizations are permitted, but the small business must serve as the contactor.[1]

The purpose of this program is to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, strengthen the role of small business in meeting ED research and development needs, increase the commercial potential of ED-supported research results, and improve the return on investment from Federally-funded research for economic and social benefits to the Nation.

B. SBIR Program Description and Award Levels for Fiscal Year 2008

The SBIR program consists of three phases. The following describes these phases, and the current solicitation for submitting a Fast-Track (Phase I and Phase II) proposal in 2008:

Phase I. – Phase I is to determine, insofar as possible, the scientific or technical merit of ideas submitted under the SBIR program. The proposal should concentrate on R/R&D that will significantly contribute to proving the feasibility of the technological approach, a prerequisite for further ED support in Phase II. Institute awards are for periods up to 6-months in amounts up to $100,000.

Phase II. – Phase II is to expand on the results of and to further pursue the development of Phase I projects. Phase II is the principal R/R&D effort. It requires a more comprehensive proposal, outlining the effort in detail including the commercial potential. Awards are for periods up to 2-years in amounts up to $750,000.

Phase III. – In Phase III, the small business uses non-SBIR capital to pursue commercial proposals of the R/R&D. Also, under Phase III, Federal agencies may award non-SBIR follow-on funding for products or processes that meet the needs of those agencies.

Both Phase I and Phase II awards may include a reasonable profit/fee.

Fast-Track option. – A Fast-Track proposal is a single proposal that contains both Phase I and Phase II activities. Through the Fast-Track (Phase I & II) option, the Institute intends to fund meritorious proposals that have high potential for the commercialization of technologically innovative products that contribute to improved student learning and academic achievement in the field of education. By providing the opportunity to concurrently submit and review a proposal that contains both Phase I and Phase II activities, the Fast-Track option has the potential to minimize any funding gap between the Phase I and Phase II periods.

The following provides details on the preparation, submission, and review of the Fast-Track proposal:

• In order to apply for Fast-Track funding, offeror’s must submit both 1) a full Phase I proposal and 2) a Fast-Track proposal. Fast-Track proposals that are submitted without a Phase I proposal will not be evaluated. (See Section 7 “Proposal Submittal Information,” for instructions on submitting a full Phase I proposal and a Fast-Track proposal within the same package.)

• In the Phase I portion of the Fast-Track proposal, the offeror must (1) describe the significance of the project; (2) specify clear, measurable goals (milestones) that detail the development of a functioning prototype of an education technology product; and (3) specify a research plan to test the feasibility of the prototype for implementation in a school or formal education delivery setting. This work must be achieved prior to initiating Phase II, as it will be used to judge the success of the Phase I effort.

• In the Phase II portion of the Fast-Track proposal, the offeror must (1) specify clear, measurable goals (milestones) that detail the R/R&D process through which the prototype will become, or will be on a trajectory to become, a commercially viable education technology product, (2) provide an evaluation plan to test the efficacy of the product for achieving the intended outcomes in schools or formal education delivery settings, and (3) detail a commercialization plan for the sale and distribution of the product should all the technical objectives be achieved.

• The Phase I proposals will be evaluated by a Phase I Technical Evaluation Review Panel. The Phase I Technical Evaluation Review Panel will not have access to the Fast-Track proposal that was submitted in the same package.

• If an offeror’s Phase I proposal is under consideration for a Phase I award, the Fast-Track proposal will then be evaluated. In cases where an offeror’s Phase I proposal is not under consideration for a Phase I award, the Fast-Track proposal will not be evaluated.

• All eligible Fast-Track proposals will be evaluated by a Fast-Track Technical Evaluation Review Panel. The Fast-Track proposal will receive a single rating for the proposed Phase I and Phase II project.

• The government reserves the right to award a contract solely for Phase I to offerors who have also submitted a Fast-Track proposal. Offeror’s who submit a Fast-Track proposal that are unwilling to accept a Phase I-only award, should not submit a proposal.

| |

|NOTE: Offerors who intend to submit a proposal through the Fast-Track option must submit both 1) a full Phase I proposal and 2) a |

|Fast-Track proposal in the same package. For the Fast-Track option in 2008, when an offeror’s Phase I proposal is not under |

|consideration for an award, the Fast-Track (Phase I & Phase II) proposal will not be reviewed. |

|For specific Fast-Track proposal submittal information, view Section 7 of this solicitation. |

|For more information on preparing the full Phase I proposal, view the Phase I solicitation at ................
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