TABA Assistance • SBIR/STTR
Choose Fuentek As Your TABA Vendor
Fuentek can help you take advantage of a supplemental funding opportunity available under the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology transfer (SBIR/STTR) program. We are a qualified TABA vendor and can provide you with the letter you need to request TABA funding in your SBIR/STTR proposal.
What Is TABA?
An SBIR/STTR option, TABA stands for Technical and Business Assistance. It is intended to help companies shape their commercialization roadmap while staying focused on their R&D, particularly during the tight six-month timeframe of a Phase I project.
The TABA program provides SBIR/STTR awardees with supplemental funding—separate from the R&D budget—to have a qualified vendor such as Fuentek provide market data, strategic insights, and other business services to enhance the commercialization potential of the technology being developed. TABA funding amounts are up to $6,500 in Phase I and $50,000 in Phase II.
Implementation across agencies of this relatively new program varies greatly. Some agencies have a preferred TABA vendor that must be used, while others require the small business to specify the vendor they plan to use in their TABA request. Each agency’s TABA specifics will be indicated in their solicitation.
The costs for TABA services are separate from the R&D budget in SBIR/STTR proposals. Requesting TABA has no bearing on the proposal selection process; TABA requests are reviewed after the proposals are selected based on technical merit.
In summary, requesting TABA funding does not have a negative impact on your SBIR/STTR proposal or your technology development plans. In fact, it offers significant benefits to you, especially when you use a high-quality service provider like Fuentek.
We were pleased to contribute to this Technology Transfer Tactics article about the TABA program.
Why Should I Request TABA Funding in My Phase I Proposal?
The TABA deliverables Fuentek will provide during Phase I can be used by your firm when applying for Phase II funding:
- Commercialization & Business Plan: This document will help an agency evaluate your firm’s ability to commercialize the innovation and to provide a level of confidence regarding the firm’s future and financial viability, thus informing Phase II award decisions. With Phase I TABA funding, you can have Fuentek prepare a strong plan to include in your Phase II proposal, greatly strengthening the commercial aspects of your proposal.
- TABA Needs Assessment: This report will identify the types and costs of additional TABA services you will receive follow-on funding for if selected for a Phase II SBIR/STTR award. Again, Fuentek can help you develop a strategy that will increase your chances of securing TABA funding in Phase II.
IMPORTANT: Requests for TABA funding must be part of the Phase I and Phase II proposals. TABA funding is not available after the fact.
Why Should I Specify Fuentek as My Firm’s TABA Vendor?
Fuentek’s Phase I TABA services—which provide you with valuable commercialization insights—will put your company in a better position to successfully secure Phase II funding. We have more than 20 years of experience helping clients achieve their commercialization goals:
- We Have a Strong Team: Fuentek has a highly experienced, well-trained, longtime team of analysts with expertise in a wide range of technical and business areas. So, our insights will be relevant and specific to your business and your technology.
- We Provide High-Quality Insights: Our market research goes beyond the basic data dump, instead providing a forward-looking analysis that helps you build a strategy for success by meeting a valid market need. Our analysts will help you understand the competition, your customers, and where your technology fits in the value chain.
- We Understand Small High-Tech Businesses: We are highly experienced with the Business Canvas, Lean Startup, and other tools for planning and achieving success for a technology-based business.
Fuentek’s TABA services will give you the relevant and actionable information you need to strengthen your applications for future Phase II and Phase III funding. More importantly, they will give you an effective strategy for moving your R&D into commercialization in both federal and non-federal markets.
How Do I Get Started?
If you do not know which SBIR topic is right for you or what SBIR funding is used for, please contact the Small Business Administration for support at https://www.sbir.gov/. Fuentek is not a funding organization and TABA is not a stand-alone grant.
Once you know what SBIR topic you intend to pursue, fill out the form below to receive a letter of support for inclusion in your Phase I TABA proposal. Also use the form to set up a time to discuss your TABA needs for a Phase II proposal.
Contact us. It’s easy. It’s quick. And there is no cost or risk to you.