Collaborative Initiative Fuels Over 120 Maryland Tech and Life Sciences Ventures, Directing Over $13M in Federal Funding Toward Innovation.
OST Global Solutions (OST), in collaboration with the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) and the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC), celebrated the 5-year milestone of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Proposal Lab with a graduation ceremony this week. The event underscores a significant chapter in aiding local tech and life science startups, enriching Maryland’s entrepreneurial landscape with over $13M in federal SBIR and STTR Phase I and Phase II funding.
The SBA Federal and State Technology (FAST) SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab is designed to empower Maryland’s small businesses. Part of the early-stage funding programs for startups and small enterprises, the Proposal Lab offers a structured curriculum of SBIR tutorials, proposal training, Business Development, Technical mentorship, expert proposal reviews, and hands-on guidance throughout the program. The Proposal Lab has more than doubled the win rate of Phase I SBIR applications from the national average of 16% to 39%.
Over the past 5 years, the Proposal Lab has become a foundational platform, educating over 120 Maryland tech and life science enterprises to develop compelling, compliant, and competitive Phase I SBIR/STTR proposals. As a result, Proposal Lab participants have experienced a Phase I award success rate of 39%, more than doubling the success rates of other contenders.
OST has been instrumental in steering this initiative, offering expert-led proposal writing workshops, specialized topic webinars, and thorough review processes for National Science Foundations (NSF) and DoD Phase I proposals crafted by the cohort participants. The recent transition to a virtual format has ensured uninterrupted support for the entrepreneurial community during the global pandemic, facilitating the successful submission of numerous proposals and nurturing advanced proposal writing expertise among participants.
OST is proud to have helped so many entrepreneurs receive funding for their innovative ideas and inventions. Many of these entrepreneurs have transitioned their Phase 1 funding awards into growing companies, significantly contributing to Maryland’s economy. We remain committed to support and nurture the next generation of tech and life science entrepreneurs in Maryland. Through our collaboration with TEDCO, we will continue to contribute significantly to the startup community and drive innovation to market.
For more information about OST Global Solutions and the SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab, visit our website or contact us.
OST Global Solutions is a professional business development consulting firm and the home of the Bid & Proposal Academy. We have codified our best practices in our courses, and we teach these processes and techniques that we use to win at the highest level of Government contracting – from small to large contracts.
Our Bid & Proposal Academy provides training for business development, proposal, and project professionals. Newcomers to the field use our courses to build a solid foundation, while professionals with decades of experience gain a greater understanding of the finer points and nuance needed to gain a competitive edge.
Win more contracts by training your business development team with our instructor-practitioners. We offer multiple training solutions to meet your needs.
Upcoming Bid & Proposal Academy Classes
Proposal Graphics Conceptualization & Design
OST Global Solutions 7361 Calhoun Place, Suite 560, Rockville, MD, United StatesThis course provides the skills necessary to conceptualize proposal graphics that convey your winning solution to Government customers. In addition to brainstorming on a graphic idea, this training shows you how to design an action caption, sketch a graphic concept, deliver a specific visual message to the Government customer, and use professional graphic design principles and resources to make your graphics look attractive.
Desktop Publishing for Proposal Professionals
OST Global Solutions 7361 Calhoun Place, Suite 560, Rockville, MD, United StatesGovernment proposal desktop publishing teaches valuable skills in designing, laying out Government proposals in MS Word. Present your company’s offer in the most professional light to Federal evaluators. The course covers tools and features MS Word offers to the desktop publisher, and shortcuts to increase speed and efficiency. It covers color palette and styles, tables of contents, headers and footers, and elements of design to ensure your proposal is attractive.
AI-Enhanced Advanced Proposal Management
OST Global Solutions 7361 Calhoun Place, Suite 560, Rockville, MD, United StatesThis class covers the spectrum of the most important topics, from preparing for a proposal effort and making a bid-no-bid decision, to orchestrating a great proposal kickoff, driving subject matter experts to produce winning content, exhibiting superb leadership and team management skills, managing conflict, setting the right expectations, optimizing proposal team performance, getting the most from the proposal color reviews, and mitigating proposal risks at every stage to reduce stress and increase your proposal’s Pwin. The course also focuses on measuring and improving cost-efficiency and effectiveness of the proposal team.
