What is a Phase III SBIR?
Promoting collaborative innovation in Federal contracting
A Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) is the critical stage of product innovation where R&D and testing wraps—and what was once an idea is ready to be released into the world.
SBIR is the U.S. government’s largest source of R&D funding, and it’s specifically set-aside for small businesses. Within the Department of Defense (DOD), a Phase III SBIR can also carry financial rewards for contractors who team up with SBIR or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) companies.
“SBIRs are powerful catalysts, fueling a culture of innovation and modernization across government agencies and driving transformative solutions to complex challenges,” said Mitchell Plonski, Chief Revenue Officer of Shift5, a technology partner with Monkton.
More on SBIRs
With SBIR, the U.S. Federal government’s aim is to encourage firms to team up and turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions. This also aligns with Better Buying Power 3.0 goals, which is a program to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of defense acquisition processes while promoting affordability, innovation, and increased procurement competition.
Achieving Phase III requires interest in–and a defined need–in the in-development technology. Understanding the risks involved in creating and launching new tech is also important. SBIR can help reduce technical and market risks, creating a safer space for innovation. SBIR also ensures the completion of a well-structured plan covering all the necessary creation basics, like what the new product or service does, the problem it solves, current market competition, and a detailed launch plan.
Monkton’s Story
Take Monkton for example. The DoD recognized our cutting-edge innovations in secure mobility, and awarded us the MATTER SBIR Phase III contract. This is a huge honor—and it means we can continue to break down technology barriers and modernize the way the government has historically executed work.
This contract, administered by the U.S. Space Force, focuses on accelerating essential capabilities for field-based operators and civil servants across the globe. From strategy to application development and more, MATTER promises a wide range of support that can be easily tailored to meet all missions across any service branch.
The SBIR program not only fuels long-term government-wide innovation, it fosters increased collaboration to solve the most critical problems at mission speed—in the most modern way possible.
“SBIRs will perpetually redefine government contracting,” said Harold Smith III, Monkton’s CEO and co-founder. “[They’re] ushering in a new era of agility, efficiency, and groundbreaking advancements for years to come.”
Technology Partner Spotlight
To effectively support the warfighter with modern technology and security solutions, the DoD mission demands both flexibility and prompt action.
Monkton’s technology partner Shift5 acknowledges the importance of meeting these requirements and suggests utilizing the SBIR Program authorities to procure solutions and capabilities that align with the DoD's needs efficiently.
Learn more about Shift5 and the procurement process in the SBIR Phase III Buyer’s Guide.
