Part 2: Winning at Government-Funded R&D Once You’re Under Contract

In Part 1 we set the stage for successful Phase I execution by describing the activities from Contract signing to Kick-off to launching into the research.  In Part 2 we explore the activities necessary when the project is in full swing up to the final demonstration and project close-out.

Getting a government R&D contract is just the start. How you manage the work will determine whether you position yourself for the next phase…or fade out with a nice final report that goes nowhere.  

1. Remember the goal

This is R&D to demonstrate that key technical risks have been overcome (or can be with high confidence). It’s not an open-ended science experiment. There are many project management approaches, but the key is to maintain a focused approach.  Whether 3 months, 6 months, or 9 months, Phase I’s are a period of intense effort.  

Sometimes a sprint mindset works, particularly for software or higher-TRL technology, but more often, success comes from balancing innovation with a clear structure for moving tasks forward.

2. Balance development and commercialization work

Don’t get trapped in the “just do the research” loop. The government may fund you to reduce technical risk, but you still need to make progress toward the real-world product or system that will deliver value. Build time into your schedule for transition planning, customer engagement, and integration considerations alongside your technical milestones.

Having a single individual, the PI, leading both research and commercialization is a risky approach. Relying on one person to do both often results in mediocre outcomes, which will not transition to Phase II.  The proven approach is to have a dedicated technical team (or talented individual) to execute the research, teamed with a business development (BD) lead. The BD lead will drive transition and commercialization activities.  In a small organization, this could be the CEO.  If you lack the staff to cover both domains effectively, consider outside consulting resources to fill gaps or act as a force multiplier.

3. Stay in touch with stakeholders

Don’t go dark between kickoff and the final review. Schedule mid-project touchpoints with your sponsor, TPOC, and any relevant transition offices. These aren’t just status updates, they are key opportunities to establish a two-way dialogue. These are chances to confirm technical understanding, address roadblocks early, and keep your work aligned with agency priorities.

4. Identify key partners early

Phase II and beyond will require partnerships.  This may be a government laboratory, a university, a prime system integrator, a test facility, or a downstream customer. Identify those players early and start building relationships now, even if they’re informal or preliminary conversations. By the time you need them, you’ll want them familiar with your work and ready to engage.  Large organizations have long lead times for support letters and price estimates, so engaging them only weeks before a Phase II proposal is due can jeopardize their participation.

5. Demonstrate feasibility early and close strong

Don’t wait until the last week to think about how you’ll prove your results. Plan your demonstration approach from the start—what test data, analysis, or prototype will make your case? Make sure your final review meeting, deliverables, and Phase II proposal all reinforce the same story: you understand the overarching problem and how the technology addresses it, you’ve reduced the key risks, you know the next steps on the path forward, and you have access to the resources (team, know-how, equipment, facilities) to execute at the next level.

Bottom line: Government R&D under the SBIR/STTR program isn’t about doing research for research’s sake.  It’s about demonstrating a technology with commercial potential.  The companies that win the next phase are the ones that put this into practice, engage stakeholders regularly, and set themselves up to deliver on what they promised.

If you want help structuring your project for both technical success and transition readiness, that’s exactly what Transition to Scale does best.