When SBIR reviewers evaluate your proposal, they’re asking a fundamental question: can this team actually do the work? Even the most innovative technical concept won’t get funded if the reviewers aren’t confident that your team has the right people, resources, and track record to deliver results. In this post, we’ll walk through how to make that case convincingly, focusing on team expertise, relevant past work, facilities, collaborations, and third-party validation.
Highlight Relevant Team Expertise
Start by clearly identifying the key members of your technical team—especially the Principal Investigator (PI) and any Co-PIs or technical leads. Use brief bios to demonstrate qualifications, but don’t just list degrees and titles. Instead, show a direct line between each person’s expertise and the specific project tasks they’ll own.
For example, if your PI has experience developing biosensors and your proposed project involves microfluidic diagnostics, state that explicitly. If another team member has commercialized similar tech or scaled lab prototypes into field-deployable devices, highlight those details.
It’s also smart to include relevant publications, patents, or awards—especially those connected to the core technologies in your proposal. These give reviewers confidence that your team is more than capable; they show that your people are leaders in their field.
Showcase Past R&D Success
Your team’s history with similar technologies or technical challenges is one of the strongest signals you can send. Reviewers want to see that you’ve done this kind of work before—and succeeded.
Start by highlighting prior projects that share technical elements with the current proposal. For instance, if your new concept involves sensor integration, talk about a past project where your team successfully designed or validated a related sensor system.
Don’t just list the projects—quantify the outcomes. Did you reduce signal noise by 25%? Improve device yield? Reach commercial licensing? Use specific, measurable achievements whenever possible.
If you’ve previously received SBIR or STTR awards, mention them here—especially if they led to a Phase II award, third-party investment, or a commercial product. Reviewers will see that your team not only performs well under federally funded R&D but can also transition to real-world results.
SBIR awards aren’t just about commercial products.
Demonstrating your ability to tackle similar technical problems—whether or not they reached market—is valuable.
Emphasize Specialized Facilities and Equipment
A well-qualified team is only part of the equation—reviewers also want to know that you have the tools and infrastructure to execute your plan. That’s where your facilities and equipment section comes in.
Be specific. Instead of saying “we have access to a lab,” describe what’s in it. Mention capabilities like Class 1000 cleanrooms, high-resolution spectrometers, benchtop bioreactors, or any specialized software platforms you’ll use. These details not only add credibility but also demonstrate your readiness to begin work immediately upon award.
Clarify how you access these resources. Do you own the lab? Lease it? Partner with a university or incubator? Make it clear that your team won’t be delayed by setup or procurement.
And if your facility is uniquely suited to the proposed work—say, you have a vibration-isolated optics bench or proprietary testbed—be sure to highlight that. Competitive advantages in infrastructure can significantly strengthen your proposal.
Demonstrate Cohesion and Collaboration
Beyond individual credentials, reviewers want to know your team works well together. Strong internal collaboration—and smart external partnerships—can make or break complex R&D efforts.
If key personnel have collaborated on past projects, say so. Include examples where their joint work led to successful outcomes, publications, or prototype development. This shows that your team isn’t just technically strong, but operationally efficient.
You should also mention any advisors, consultants, or institutional partners that contribute critical skills not found within your core team. For example, a university partner providing specialized assays, or a commercialization consultant with deep FDA experience, can round out your technical and strategic execution.
However, be careful not to overemphasize outside help—reviewers need to believe that your small business is the central driver of the work.
Use Third-Party Validation to Build Trust
Statements about your team’s capabilities are stronger when backed by outside voices. Third-party validation reassures reviewers that your team’s reputation extends beyond your proposal.
Start with letters of support. These can come from collaborators, end-users, prior customers, or commercial partners. While you’ll attach the actual letters in your submission, reference them in your narrative to reinforce credibility. For instance:
“See attached letter from XYZ Biomedical, a past pilot customer, confirming our team’s performance and readiness to scale the proposed diagnostic platform.”
You can also point to peer-reviewed publications, independent benchmarks, or industry awards. Anything that shows your results have been validated outside your organization helps reinforce that your team is both credible and capable.
And if a customer or partner has licensed, tested, or piloted your technology—say so. Market traction, even at an early stage, tells reviewers that your team can deliver results that others trust.
Conclusion
To convince SBIR reviewers that your team can execute the technical plan, you need more than impressive resumes. You need to draw a clear, credible line from your team’s qualifications, past successes, and current resources to the specific work you’re proposing.
Highlight individual expertise in the context of the project, showcase technical track records with measurable outcomes, describe facilities that are ready for use, and include advisors or partners strategically. Don’t forget to reference third-party endorsements—they’re often the clincher.
Ultimately, reviewers aren’t just evaluating an idea—they’re evaluating whether your team is ready to deliver. Use every element of your application to say: “We’ve done this before, and we’re ready to do it again.”