SBA seeks nominations for Tibbetts Awards

By Michael Souza
PBN Staff Writer

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Small Business Administration is seeking award nominations for participants in its Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

The organization said it wants to "honor the critical economic role small businesses play in federally funded research and development."

Three awards will be given: one for companies that have participated in the two programs; one for individuals who advocate on behalf of the programs; and a third “Hall of Fame” award recognizing companies that have an extended period of extraordinary success in research, innovation, and product commercialization.

Award selections will be based on the economic impact of the technological innovation, overall business achievement and demonstration of effective collaborations, the SBA said.

The two programs currently account for more than $2.5 billion annually in federal research and development funds and are coordinated by the SBA and 11 other federal agencies with large external research and development budgets.

Nominations for the "Tibbetts Awards" are due 5 p.m., Jan. 31; the awards ceremony will be held in Washington in April.

For more information, visit tibbetts.challenge.gov and for the Hall of Fame awards, sbirhof.challenge.gov.