Mini-Mag - Issue 10

ISSUE

Nō 10

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MANAGING EDITOR

@Dawnbreaker

Jenny Servo, Ph.D.

COPY EDITOR

Eva Patry, MLS

20 19

DESIGNER

Holly Reader, MFA

This mini-mag is a companion to the Phase III magazine that Dawnbreaker has produced since 2008. We felt that another publication that shared information regarding the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program would help those who aspire to Phase III commercialization success. As commercialization is also a metric of success for organizations involved with technology transfer, topics of interest to universities and federal labs will also be included.

FEATURES

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MARKETING Twitter for Small Advanced Technology Businesses

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PARTNERING Face-to-Face Can’t Be Beat

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COMMERCIALIZATION When and How to Approach the FDA About Medical Device Development

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DIVERSITY Arizona

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MARKET RESEARCH Coatings and Corrosion Inhibitors

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PROPOSALS It’s Not All About You

OTHER DOE SBIR/STTR Phase 0

CURRENT SBIR/STTR SOLICITATIONS

DOE

Department of Energy SBIR/STTR Topics – Nov. 12

NSF

National Science Foundation SBIR/STTR Project Pitch

HHS

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Health and Human Services SBIR/STTR Omnibus

M A R K ETI NG

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Visit Dawnbreaker Marketing Communications

By Holly Reader, MFA

H

ave you just finished your Phase II award and preparing to introduce your product to the marketplace? If so, a great way to directly engage potential customers is through the use of a social media platform. While LinkedIn may be a popular platform of choice to host an online presence for a small business, Twitter may be a better and more appropriate channel for developing brand recognition and introducing your product to targeted customers and end-users. Generally, a round of funding is a discrete securities offering, where a startup company receives cash in exchange for an equity stake in its business. It’s important to note that each round of funding is loosely tied to a startup’s stage of maturity. As a company develops a product, acquires its first customer and establishes product-market fit, it will enable the opportunity for ever-increasing rounds of funding. From seed investments to initial public offerings, each round of funding is different in both scale and purpose.

Twitter can greatly leverage Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for a small advanced technology firm. This social media bandwagon is one that you may want to jump on and here is why … Twitter is a no- or low-cost viral marketing tool that can help grow your audience and better position your business. As of September 2019, Twitter reported that there were 330 million active users (68 million in the U.S. alone) who tweet a total of 500 million times a day, with a whopping 42% on the platform every day. With 80% of users accessing the platform via a mobile device, Twitter mobile ad sales alone have contributed to 88% of the company’s total advertising revenue to date. As illustrated by a 91% increase in user engagement growth year-over-year, the platform giant has proven successful in the ability to reach, inform, and influence its users – most of which are millennials.

Now let that sink in …

So, can your advanced technology business benefit by having a presence on Twitter? Can it help effectively engage and grow your brand and market new products when properly used? Yes – it sure can! Not only can it grow a small business technology firm’s social network, but it can also result in increased brand awareness, better website conversion rates, more informed and engaged customers, etc. But first, let’s review the basics of what makes for an effective Tweet and Tweet plan.

TWITTER BASICS

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Twitter for small business requires strategic planning at the onset if you intend to get the most out of this winsome tool. To help realize Twitter’s benefits and capabilities for your business, create an online marketing calendar for planning and strategizing content that can be shared with your team if applicable or necessary.

1 What’s great about Twitter is that it’s easy and free to sign up. You don’t have to pay to play to use the platform.

3 Know who will be the designated Tweeter. While the small business may not understand the basics required to successfully engage with and grow a social network, it is important to understand the commitment required to realize the potential long-term benefits of having a Twitter account. Not all budding entrepreneurs may feel digital-savvy or seasoned enough to take on the Tweeting role to help drive virtual leads to their site but it is important to recognize that consistency is paramount. It is recommended that the founder or an individual at the management level is the most appropriate person to take on this responsibility, given their expertise and knowledge about the business and its product(s). In this way, the content placed on Twitter is coming from the most insightful, authoritative, and knowledgeable source.

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M A R K ETI NG 4 It is important to measure and set S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time bound) goals. The founder and senior management should be part of the Twitter social media planning team since they are the most knowledgeable about the business and its product(s).

Clear objectives and goals should be discussed and listed one-by-one. Ask yourself what it is that your business is hoping to achieve? Could it be that you are aiming to spark the interest of a potential investor, build an international following, have a better grasp of your competitor, or are you seeking to partner with other like-minded businesses or people in the industry to help push your product(s)? Make sure your goals are clear, realistic, and align with your business strategy. Let your business objectives drive the creative content directed at your target audience.

Although this may be difficult at first, once you pinpoint your goals and map out a plan, be consistent so that effective results can be tracked and measured.

How often should a small advanced technology firm Tweet or retweet? To get started–commit to five Tweets per week. Your goal at the outset should be consistency of effort. Always review your engagement results week by week, and revisit your social media calendar to adjust your plan as necessary and remember that being realistic about your goals is key.

It will take time to invest in and build a community and network of followers–so don’t expect immediate and abundant results at the outset. Once you develop a consistent habit, adjust and increase Tweets. The degree of success with engaging your audience will help you determine Tweet frequency.

To help monitor and analyze results, a helpful tool such as Twitter Analytics can provide insight into your social media campaigns. Hootesuite® is another useful social media management tool you may find beneficial in monitoring and tracking social campaigns, whether for one or multiple social media platforms.

Don’t under or over Tweet, but do retweet if necessary. A retweet is a reposting of a Tweet.

Retweeting posts from those with similar interests helps gain followers and increase your Tweets. This practice helps position you as an expert in your field and facilitates becoming an active contributor within your industry. Retweeting others’ messages helps drive traffic to other sites which is considered proper web etiquette and is appreciated. By retweeting posts, you will, over time, gain more followers. You can retweet your own Tweets, but it is important to remember that the objective of this platform is to stay “social.” If it helps, simply ask your followers to “Please RT” (please retweet) to help spread your message. Also, consider retweeting your content over

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different days during the week if you have a large spread of followers in multiple time zones, as this can increase the likelihood of your message being seen.

5 Establish an impactful, unique online presence by taking the necessary steps to maintain your identity with the copy (and hashtags) that clearly and effectively explain who you are, what you do, and what service and/or product you provide. Keep it simple, clear, short, and as easy to read as possible so that your message resonates with your audience. Display pictures in your profile, header, and on your Twitter feed that authentically and accurately reflect your business and it’s branding tactics (use of the logo, copy style, color scheme, overall look/feel/tone, etc.). See Figure 1 below as an example.

Figure 1: Example of Dawnbreaker Tweet

In Figure 1, Dawnbreaker Tweeted a branded message about their blog story featured on their website using copy and imagery to appeal to their target audience.

Hashtags can help a story trend. A hashtag is a pound (#) symbol placed before a key term to make it a search term. For example, the headline uses #marketresearch, #healthcare, and #diagnostics as hashtags since these terms are relevant to the story. These help organize, promote, and contribute to a conversation. Over time, it will contribute to a growing audience and increased number of followers.

6 Communicate on relevant topics using great content.

This will help you establish trust, gain followers, and

Follow Us @Dawnbreaker

engage in real-time messages that pertain to those who have shared interests within your industry.

In Figure 1, the Market Snapshot blog link bit.ly/2osIQNo redirects users to the Dawnbreaker blog regarding a topic relevant to their customers and clients. If the blog was about a topic unrelated to the business or services and had little-to-no connection to their brand, it would not be in line with with achieving its marketing goals. Dawnbreaker’s Tweet aims to share information on topics of interest within their community, optimize cross-channeling marketing efforts to boost Twitter engagement, and organically push traffic to their website, namely their blog.

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When you Tweet, make sure you Tweet with the most impact. The more you stand out from the crowd, the more noticeable your business will be. Here are some differentiators to consider:

• Use compelling imagery to support your Tweet posts; • Use your business’s branding strategies to craft a consistent message; •

Use videos if possible. Video content can be powerful in captivating and growing an audience.

The visual motion helps engage followers, draws attention, and establishes a memorable experience, that excites and encourages viewers to follow brands or companies;

Think of all the possibilities that having a Twitter account can do for your small advanced technology business. It’s a powerful advertising channel and platform if you wish to accomplish any or all of the following: 1 Position your brand and monitor brand reputation 2 Reach a wider audience in a low-cost manner 3 Stay current with industry trends 4 Promote your business’ events, blogs, sales promotions, campaigns, presentations, webinars, honors, awards, etc.

5 Boost SEO and traffic to your website 6 Strengthen customer service and receive real-time feedback on products/services. Also, gain new customers and keep existing customers interested 7

Know your competitor–monitor and analyze the content they post/share to see who they follow or is following them, for benchmarking comparison purposes

8 Have a better handle on public relations 9 Share expertise 10 And much more!

So, why wait … go get your Tweet on!

• Use GIFs to add some fun to your Tweets where appropriate; • Use custom content. Custom content adds interest and support to the overall message and headline … as long as it is done in an organized, meaningful way; • Add your thoughts, open-ended questions, and hashtags to evoke a response. Go ahead … chat, chime in, and add your comments on the retweet.

It’s a great way to keep the conversation going.

This will help you connect with people and build credibility;

• Give credit to followers using their Twitter handle, the URL username (e.g., @Dawnbreaker) assigned to a business or person’s Twitter account, when they share information with you regardless of what channel they received it from, as it helps promote users and increase their reach; • Keep your Tweet short, sweet, and within the traditional 140-character limit, even though the limit is 280 characters; • Ask questions and tag whenever possible to stay connected and engaged.

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PAR TNER I NG

Attending events is still recognized as one of the best ways to meet with others, whether you are looking for a subcontractor, a potential licensee, a strategic partner, customers, or potential investors. Know your goals for attending and picking the right event.

Face-to-Fa

Can’t be Be

By Tina Allen, MLS

IF

your work is funded by the Department of Defense (DoD), be sure to attend events hosted by industry associations related to your DoD Component. The Navy League of the United States, for instance, hosts a variety events where industry and active duty sea service personnel can interact — such as the Navy League’s Special Topic Breakfast series and its Sea-Air-Space Exposition— the largest maritime exposition in the U.S. Such events bring together the U.S. defense industry and decision-makers from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to address military needs and potential industry solutions. In addition to attending its events, many large and small business have benefitted from being Navy League members. The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and the Air Force Association (AFA) hold similar networking events to bring together industry and military decision makers, as does the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). All of these organizations host events where leaders in government, industry, and academia can collaborate to deliver solutions that advance our Nation’s national security and defense. These are great places to network, and many provide opportunities to schedule oneon-one meetings with large prime contractors, where you can discuss their needs and your solutions. Some prime contractors, like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, also host their own events, so check their websites and calendars for “Events” and “Trade Shows.”

If you are looking to meet equity investors, you can locate appropriate conferences by searching online for “pitch events near me.” Or if you need to understand the needs of your potential end-users, search online for associations whose members are from your market.

Making the Most of Your Conference Spending

Do you need a national conference or is local better (and cheaper)? Aside from taking care to pick the best event given your objectives, what you do before, during, and after the event will determine if your money was well spent.

Consider the following:

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Pre-conference strategy

• Will you get more out of being an exhibitor or having freedom of movement?

• Know who’s attending and who’s speaking. Is there opportunity for engagement with either or both? Read relevant speaker publications prior to the event and think about what you would ask them about their work if you got a chance to meet them.

• Set goals, based on what you want to achieve—what you want to learn, who you want to meet, what you want from them.

• Schedule appropriate presentations and breakout sessions to attend. Check for last minute additions to the conference program that may be of interest.

• Brush up your LinkedIn profile.

• See if there’s a conference app and what its features include—it may offer attendee profiles and networking functionality.

• Learn to use Twitter and know the conference hashtag— use it to acknowledge speakers after presentations and trigger discussions.

• Pack business cards and small but informative takeaways.

• If you are looking for new or future customers, try to engage with some attendees beforehand, to let them know you will be attending and what you have to offer them or what you are developing.

• Brush up on networking skills— no matter what role you play in the company. If you are a scientist, have a layman help you learn how to present your work in laymen’s terms.

If you are a marketing person, know the scientific terminology to interact with experts in the field. Gain an understanding of your target industry and where you fit into the supply chain. If you are new to networking, attend local networking events to practice your skills before going to an important (and expensive) national conference.

ace

eat

At-conference strategy

Start by organizing all those business cards when you return, • In addition to your schedule, plan to use time in between either in a spreadsheet or using a business card scanner app. to meet people casually — in elevators, hallways, at Add anyone else of interest whose card you didn’t get when you conference social outings and field trips. Wear your spoke — review the conference program and check your daily name tag everywhere and, if possible, add details to recaps and session notes to jog your memory. Then, for each spark conversation— like where you are from or your contact establish a relationship goal. Break down contacts into technology focus. buckets — those who expressed a serious interests and who may • Don’t just dine with the team you came with—invite others. advance your company; people you want to build a long-term • Be polite to all— you may not know who someone is connection with; local contacts that you can easily meet up with; and how they can help you. distant contacts that you may reconnect with at other events, • Do ask questions—and then listen intently to any offered or when you happen to be in their city; people you just found answers, feedback, or advice. interesting or fun.

• Don’t do all the talking — unless someone is clearly prompting you to go on.

Now, what do you do with all those contacts? Follow up in a • Do take advantage of speakers who welcome discussion timely manner if someone offered you a business-advancing after their session— and listen to advice offered. opportunity, such as a chance to speak or be introduced to a • Be open-minded and listen for new applications serious stakeholder. You can find tips online for writing a great or markets that others are talking about that you after-conference follow-up email. Note: Look contacts up on hadn’t considered.

LinkedIn to refresh your memory – especially if their gender is • End each day with a recap of your experience, including not clear by their first name – it’s never good to address a “Ms.” contacts you plan to follow up with. Your end-of-the-day as “Mr.” or vice versa! notes will prove vital to your after-conference follow-up.

A week or so after the conference (when people are caught up, After-conference strategy after being away), email other contacts based on fit and interests • Review breakout session notes and daily recap notes.

– yours and theirs. If you only discussed your work briefly at the • Look for posted PowerPoints from presentations you event, you may want to attach an article about your company could not attend. or your research. For those who reply positively, extend an • Prepare a report summarizing the conference, with invitation to connect on LinkedIn. If you think you established a feedback and lessons learned. What’s left to learn and comfortable rapport at the conference, you might want to invite who might further your knowledge or help you get to them to phone you to continue your conversation. the next level?

• Assess the value of the event relative to your initial You can also follow up with people of interest by professionally objectives and decide if it is worthwhile attending in commenting on their blog posts or following them on Twitter – the future. to keep you on their mind.

• Follow up with interesting contacts.

Lastly, if you met someone at the conference that you Of course, it’s easy to say “follow up with contacts” but how you just enjoyed, but who doesn’t seem to offer you any value go about that is very important. professionally, stay in touch anyway if you enjoy doing so – who knows, they may suddenly become acquainted with that key stakeholder you’ve been longing to reach!

Visit Dawnbreaker TABA

When and How to Approach the

FDA

About Medical Device Development

By Dan Keeley, MBA, M.Eng.

Medical device development is an expensive and lengthy process. Regulatory requirements are dynamic and complex. While established biotech companies have entire divisions devoted to navigating this challenge, most startups don’t have the capital to afford a fully-staffed departments. Small teams are left to figure things out on their own.

A

smart pre-clinical and clinical strategy is a vital part of a medical device startup’s strategic plan. It gives management technical milestones and it helps to inform potential investors about costs and timeline.

It’s important to know that the FDA is there to help. They want you to commercialize your innovation and be your partner in the process. The FDA exists to ensure that medical device products are developed in a safe and controlled fashion. They shouldn’t be viewed as a hurdle or a barrier to your success.

Most people don’t realize the FDA allows and encourages companies to set up meetings with them at various points in their product development and testing process. An FDA meeting can be a critical contributor to the success or failure of your innovation. Such a meeting will give you the opportunity to receive answers to any questions you may have, gain feedback on your clinical strategy and help develop a strong and productive relationship with the FDA. It also has the strong potential to reduce your costs through unnecessary testing and mistakes and may even reduce your time to market. These meetings are offered to companies free of charge and are not required for submission.

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MEETING INFORMATION The FDA offers a number of different meetings for companies at different stages of development. These meetings are all part of the Q-Submissions (Q-Sub) program. The Q-Sub program is the formal mechanism to request different types of interactions with the FDA specifically related to medical device submissions. Most early stage innovators will find the most important meeting in the Q-Sub program to be a PreSubmission (Pre-Sub) meetings. Pre-Sub meetings are used to request FDA feedback prior to the submission of a medical device application. They should be used to obtain feedback prior to an intended premarket submission (i.e., IDE, PMA, HDE, De Novo request, 510(k), Dual, BLA, IND) and must take place before you begin clinical studies on your medical device.

If you have already begun clinical work or have submitted an application, the FDA has other types of meetings to address issues may encounter that are not covered by this article. A Pre-Sub meeting is most valuable to an innovator when the FDA’s feedback to specific questions is an integral part of product development or submission preparation.

CO M M ERCIALIZAT ION The Pre-Sub meeting starts with a formal written request for feedback from the FDA. FDA feedback may be provided solely as a written response or as a written response followed by a meeting. Meetings may take place in-person or by teleconference. Teleconferences may be more easily scheduled than in-person meetings although the meeting type depends on what the submitter prefers. The FDA states that it finds that for most meetings one hour is adequate time to address issues.

If a company believes more than one hour is needed, it must provide rationale for such a request.

Typically, the date for your scheduled meeting will take place 60-70 days following your request so it is important that you time your meeting request accordingly. Written feedback will be provided to the company after 70 days or 5 days prior to a scheduled meeting, whichever is sooner. If a company is only requesting written feedback it too will be provided within 70 days.

PREPARING A Q-SUB REQUEST In submitting a request, a company will need to provide a cover letter containing contact information, Q-Sub type (in this case, Pre-Sub meeting) as well as information to facilitate scheduling.

Scheduling information should include a draft agenda with topics and estimated times for each, the meeting format being requested and three or more preferred dates and times you are available to meet.

In addition, the FDA requires the following information should be clear for each Q-Sub.

Purpose of the Meeting This should describe the reason why you are requesting a Pre-Sub meeting as well as establish goals for the outcome of your meeting with the FDA.

Device or Product Description The submitted must include the trade name, generic name, or any other name of the device. They may include images, graphics or videos demonstrating who the device works or functions. The submitter should be able to clearly describe how the device works, the basic research or scientific principles upon which the device is predicated. If relevant, the company may include a description of the manufacturing process if it has the potential to impact the efficacy or safety of the device.

Proposed Indications for Use or Intended Use This should include a description of the disease or condition the device is intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, cure or mitigate as well as the patient population.

Regulatory History If there has been any other relevant interactions with the FDA regarding the device the application should include a brief summary of those interactions.

For a Pre-Sub meeting, it is particularly important to include:

Identification of your Planned Follow on Submission Your application should include the type of submission you expect to file in the future. This information will help direct FDA feedback and will often be one of the primary points of discussion.

Background Information There should be sufficient background information and supporting documentation to help the FDA provide feedback to your questions. You may choose to include literature articles, engineering drawings, proposed labeling or highlighted protocol revisions that you are requesting feedback on. You want to be sure to include an in-depth device description outlining exactly how your product functions and the scientific basis upon which your product is built.

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS Every Pre-Sub should include clear, well-planned specific questions regarding issues for regulatory submission. These questions will help the reviewer focus on the issues most relevant to the company and will help you as the innovator get the most value out of the meeting. In general, the FDA recommends that you identify no more than 3-4 substantial topics for discussion.

If you submit more the FDA will reach out and ask you which are most important. Additional straightforward questions may also be appropriate in the moment only if they can be answered without inviting an onslaught of other issues and concerns.

The FDA offers guidance on questions concerning some of the most popular topics such as:

Study Protocols The FDA will not prepare or design your plan for you. They will, however, provide feedback on a proposed protocol. To receive the most targeted feedback you should submit an outline with your study design and explain why you chose it. You may want to redline specific places you wish the FDA to pay particular attention to.

Review of Data In most cases the FDA will not look over a company’s preclinical data unless there’s a clear reason to do so.

A review of preclinical data is only appropriate when the conclusions may be difficult to interpret. Discussing the interpretation of complex data may prevent confusion during study review and help to streamline its evaluation.

Regulatory Approach The FDA is able to provide in-depth feedback regarding your regulatory strategy so this can be an important topic of discussion during your meeting. If you are planning on 510(k) and have a predicate device in mind, the FDA will be able to advise you as to the appropriateness of this approach. Although you may not be one hundred percent sure your strategy will be acceptable, you should only set up a meeting after you have a submission type in mind.

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All Pre-Sub requests must include something called an “eCopy” and should be submitted through the FDA’s Document Control Center (DCC). Each request will undergo an acceptance review process within 15 days of receipt. This review is conducted to ensure that all of the aforementioned content is included in a company’s Pre-Sub package.

Once complete, a company will receive notification if their submission has been accepted for review and will include the contact information for the reviewer. If the acceptance includes a meeting request then this notification will either confirm acceptance of the submitter’s proposed date or provide two alternative dates within the 75-day timeframe.

If a submission fails the review process, the submitter will be informed as to why their request was refused.

HOW TO MAXIMIZE VALUE To derive the maximum value from this opportunity, first take into consideration the number of topics and depth of feedback you are requesting. Simple questions that can be addressed in an informal manner should be left for another time and another forum. Pre-Sub meeting questions should address only matters that could impact your larger business strategy such as your device classification, intended claims or anything that could lead to changes in your product development pathway.

Second, companies should remember that Pre-Sub meetings are meant to take place before conducting studies planned for clinical submission. While you will likely have an idea as to your device’s assummed classification and associated regulatory requirement, it’s best to avoid starting studies until you receive confirmation that your approach is acceptable.

This is especially true if this is your first FDA submission.

Third, you should limit your discussion to the intended clinical use of your technology and the claims you are intending to file.

It’s easy for an entrepreneur to get carried away discussing their technology’s potential as a platform when they should be focusing on its first clinical application. A Pre-Sub meeting will likely be the only time you will have the opportunity to receive feedback on your claims and the data needed to support those claims. Even if you have intentions to file your technology for a number of other clinical indications, this conversation should stay focused on your first filing.

SBIR/STTR For SBIR/STTR funded projects, a company should consider scheduling a meeting as early as possible. Ideally, a Pre-Sub meeting should take place during Phase I, well before a Phase II proposal is due. Integrating what you’ve learned from your Pre-Sub meeting into your Phase II proposal will demonstrate to reviewers not only that you know what type of submission is appropriate for your device, but also that you’re investing resources into developing a regulatory strategy at an early stage. Different regulatory strategies can have a huge impact on your commercialization plan. Including a strategy in your Phase II proposal will demonstrate to your readers that you are informed and well prepared for the challenges ahead.

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Starting a dialog with the FDA at the earliest appropriate time has the potential to avoid unnecessary studies, reduce costs and decrease time to market. It may also help you determine your device classification as well as inform you about the data you need to support your intended claims.

Remember that a Pre-Sub meeting is an opportunity for you to receive clear and targeted feedback from the agency that will eventually be reviewing your submission. Coming informed and prepared will give the agency a favorable first impression and will help set the stage for a positive and productive relationship with the FDA. REFERENCES The Q-Submissions Program: https://www.fda.gov/media/114034/download eCopy Information: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/how-study-andmarket-your-device/ecopy-program-medical-devicesubmissions

WELCOME TO OUR

MEDICAL PORTAL

Visit our Medical Portal Today!

Access FREE & HELPFUL information on the following topics: Biotechnology Drugs Food and Drug Administration Medical Devices Vaccines, Blood, & Biologics Veterinary Products mrr.dawnbreaker.com/portals/medical

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D IVER SIT Y

Arizona an under-represented state

CURRENT ECONOMY

QUICK FACTS

3,334.8M Jobs

7.28M

Approximately in Total Population– 13.54% Growth

5%

Unemployment Rate

Largest Native American Population in America–

22 Tribes

$56,581

Median Household Income– 9.03% Growth

Est.

1866

14.9%

Poverty Rate

42%

of the Land is Covered

by Desert Miles

Did You Know?

Arizona’s economy growing at fastest pace since 2007

By Tim Gallen – Digital Editor, Phoenix Business Journal

Arizona’s economy is growing at a rate not seen in eleven years, according to a report from the Bank of Montreal.

The BMO Capital Markets Economics State Monitor report finds Arizona’s economy advanced 4.2 percent year-over-year during the first three months of 2018. That was the best growth since 2007 prior to the Great Recession.

The report also foresees strong growth continuing through the rest of the year and into 2019. Arizona averaged 3.2 percent real GDP growth in all of 2017, according to the BMO report, which projects GDP growth of 3.4 percent for 2018 and a 3.2 percent uptick in 2019.

Manufacturing led the charge during the first quarter, with real output soaring 8.5 percent year-over-year, according to the report. Other major GDP drivers include real estate, rental and leasing, retail trade, construction and finance and insurance.

During the second quarter, Arizona ranked No. 7 among all states for job growth as nonfarm payrolls gained 2.4 percent year-over-year, according to the report. Through June, more than 63,000 jobs were created, led by the construction industry (15,000 jobs created at 10 percent year-overyear growth), followed by accommodations and food service (10,200), and healthcare and social assistance (8,900).

“The strong growth in the labor force is keeping housing demand strong,” the report noted. “However, lean inventories are constraining sales.”

That has been the story in the Phoenix housing market, which has seen prices climb due to lack of inventory. Homebuilders are trying to meet that demand as housing starts are up around the region. Builders also have been scooping up vacant land for new communities and homes around the Valley.

Personal income climbed 4.1 percent during 2017 and are projected to grow at 5 percent in 2018, according to BMO.

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Coatings Corrosion Inh

M A R K ET

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I

hibitors

By Eliza Gough, MLS

The National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) was established in 1943 by eleven corrosion engineers from the pipeline industry, and now serves nearly 36,000 members in over 130 countries.

n its comprehensive 2016 “International Measures of Prevention, Application and Economics of Corrosion Technology (IMPACT)� study, NACE estimates the global cost of corrosion to be $2.5 trillion, equivalent to roughly 3.4 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The study found that implementing corrosion prevention best practices could result in global savings of between 15-35% of the cost of damage, or between $375-875 billion.

As noted in the IMPACT study, corrosion presents a costly challenge across many industry verticals, including Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Energy, Marine, and more.

MarketsandMarkets reports that the global anti-corrosion coating market was estimated to be worth $24.84 billion in 2017 and is projected to reach $31.73 billion by 2022, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0% from 2017 to 2022. BCC Research provides a comparative market sizing analysis, estimating that the global market for anti-corrosion coatings should reach $31.0 billion by 2022 from $23.3 billion in 2017 at a CAGR of 5.9%, from 2017 to 2022. From a regional perspective, analysts forecast that the Asia-Pacific market for anti-corrosion coatings is expected to grow the most quickly, from $13.9 billion in 2017 to $18.8 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 6.2%, whereas the North American market for anti-corrosion coatings is expected to grow from $3.1 billion in 2017 to $4.2 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 5.8% during the same period. Frost & Sullivan also sheds light on the growth of this market in the Asia-Pacific region, and credits the infrastructure boom and rising urbanization as drivers in this space. Furthermore, end-user industries such as water and wastewater, manufacturing and commercial architecture are growing quickly in this region.

Growth within the global market is broadly attributed to rising losses due to corrosion coupled with the growth of end-use industries such as power generation and automotive and transportation. The power generation segment is anticipated to be the fastest-growing end-use industry within the global anti-corrosion coating market due to the rise in demand for harnessing renewable energy sources and the corrosive nature of industrial equipment. Given the potential costs of corrosion, investments are being made in corrosion monitoring and mitigation. MarketsandMarkets reports that the global corrosion monitoring market is expected to reach $297.8 million by 2021, at a CAGR of 9.1% between 2016 and 2021 with the oil & gas segment making up the majority of this market.

In terms of firms working in this space, AkzoNobel N.V. (Netherlands), PPG Industries, Inc. (US), Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (US), BASF SE (Germany), The Sherwin-Williams Company (US), Ashland Inc. (US), Hempel A/S (Denmark), Jotun (Norway), RPM International Inc. (US), and Kansai Paint Co., Ltd. (Japan) are all seen as major players in the development and production of anti-corrosion coatings and mitigation methods.

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PROP OSAL S

IT’S ALL ABOU

By Jenny C.

O

ne of the reasons first-time applicants don’t win a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award is they simply don’t understand that “It’s not all about them.” The objective of the SBIR program is not to hand out money to small business. An SBIR solicitation is truly an invitation for small business to share in solving an agency’s research challenges. Federal agencies share their extramural research and development needs with large business, academia and – via the SBIR program – with small business. This is a hard-fought opportunity that should not be squandered. However, if the applicant doesn’t make an effort to understand the needs the agency has shared, it won’t be able to provide a viable solution. Fundamental to winning an SBIR award is synergy between an agency’s expression of its needs and the small business’ discussion of its capabilities to address those needs.

So how do you find out about an agency’s needs? Start by carefully reading the topic descriptions and associated references the agencies provide. Most agencies release their topics as part of an SBIR solicitation. However, the Department of Energy (DOE) releases its SBIR topics about three weeks before the solicitation, called a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), is released. As topics are not always the same – be sure to review the most current topics. DOE’s newest set of topics will be released on November 12, 2019.

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Expect differences in the degree of specificity topics express depending on whether the agency uses contracts or grants and whether the agency is a potential customer for the technology being developed. An agency such as the Department of Defense (DoD) is considered a mission agency and is the ultimate customer for the technology developed.

However, DoD’s suppliers are likely to be large contractors such as Lockheed Martin, which integrates thousands of technologies into a complex system – including technologies developed by small business.

In this article we will look at a previous Department of Energy topic and explain what a potential applicant should do to become very familiar with the agency’s needs. DOE instructs all applicants that they need to respond to all the information in the topic and a subtopic. In this case the topic is #22: Oil and Natural Gas. Immediately under the topic name is a grid within which it tells the potential applicant the size of the Phase I award, as well as the subsequent Phase II award.

It also indicates that the proposal can be submitted through either the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program or the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program.

STTR applications must include a research Institution that is required to perform at least 30% of the work. The narrative that follows the table describes the problem of concern to DOE and defines the state of the art. Each proposal must address a topic and ONE related subtopic.

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Towards the end of the topic description it indicates everything that MUST be addressed by any applicant to this topic – specifically, “Grant applications must include a succinct discussion of the potential technical and economic advantages of the proposed technology, as compared to state-of-the-art systems.” This last statement does not imply that you should know this already … but during the proposal preparation period, the applicant will need to develop and express this as part of the proposal. The topic description is then followed by two subtopics. Let’s look at the first, as you need to develop a proposal around one subtopic, assuring that you also address any requests voiced in the topic discussion.

If, upon reading subtopic a, you think you could address DOE’s needs by applying your core competencies, you would consider developing an application package, more commonly referred to as a proposal. To confirm for yourself that you could advance the state of the art, review the references that DOE provides and consider the potential advantages that your approach might provide. Below is the list of references that DOE provides related to subtopic a. As an aside, DOE also prepares excellent reports on most of the problems of interest. By searching “DOE and natural gas flares” a June 2019 publication appeared, entitled Natural Gas Flaring and Venting: State and Federal Regulatory Overview, Trends and Impacts.

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PRO POSAL S

Nowhere in this discussion did the hypothetical company say “I have a widget – who will fund it?” Instead, the approach taken was to look at the DOE-defined problems, explore the type(s) of solutions requested and determine if there was a match with the company’s core competencies. Should a small business prepare a proposal when there is a match, or would it be a potential distraction? It depends … If you have an engineering services firm serving the oil and gas industry, then addressing this problem might help you diversify your offerings within the supply chain. If you are finishing your undergraduate degree in petroleum engineering at West Virginia University and are thinking about forming a small business to apply your skills, this might be a good place to start. If you are taking early retirement from a major oil and gas company but want the opportunity to pursue a keen interest without going broke – then this may be worthwhile considering. In each case, there must be synergy between your capabilities, your motivation and the agency’s needs. When all three are there – then, the synergy is present and this would be a worthwhile endeavor. However, if you lack the prerequisite skills and are just looking at doing this as a means of making money, it will not be worth your time and effort.

Look for the release of DOE’s new SBIR topics on November 12th. After reviewing the topics carefully, decide whether or not there is synergy between your capabilities and the DOE needs expressed. If there is synergy and you have never submitted an application to the DOE SBIR/STTR program in the past, then take a look at the DOE Phase 0 program.

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November, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will launch the tenth round of its SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance Program to coincide with the November 12, 2019 announcement of the FY2020 Phase I Release 2 SBIR/STTR Topics. The program is aimed at helping eligible small R&D businesses and individuals successfully apply for SBIR/STTR federal funding from the DOE. Since the program is entirely funded by the DOE, these services are AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS. The goal of this program is to increase the number of responsive, high quality Phase I proposals submitted to the DOE from all first-time DOE SBIR/STTR applicants.

Phase 0 Informational Webinars Monday 11.04.19 | 3pm ET http://www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/webinar.php?ec=201911B

Tuesday 11.05.19 | 12pm ET http://www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/webinar.php?ec=201911C

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