VA - VIRGINIA
Roland Tibbetts
655 Mine Ridge Road
Great Falls, VA 22066

NSF SBIR Program Manager (Retired)
Tel: 703-759-3560
Fax: 703-759-9778

Roland is recognized throughout the world as the father of the SBIR program at NSF. He designed and implemented the Small Business Innovation Research Program as a NSF-only program in 1977 which became the model for the Federal SBIR program in 1983. SBIR opened up Federal R&D ( in 11 agencies) to small technology companies. Prior to the SBIR program, in 1977, Congressional hearings showed that small businesses were virtually locked-out of Federal R&D contracts. The comfort and safety of working with large companies or universities made it unusual for a federal program manager to contract with a small company, regardless of the technology or value.

By creating the phased program, with a "try before buy" years ahead of its time, the SBIR program opened up a strategy that was productive for the government as well as small businesses. The slow build-up of the SBIR program over the years permitted it to self-correct. Today, at almost a $1 billion annual rate, it has been judged by the General Accounting Office as one of the moat successful Federal Research programs in the US.

Roland's background includes serving as a navigator in the US Army Air Forces (1942 1945), with 35 missions in Europe, and he wee awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and four Air Medals. Later he was founder, treasurer and director of one of the nation's first Small Business Investment Companies. Subsequent to that he was Vice President for two technology firms. His education included an engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati (1942), Boston University - BS, 1948, and Harvard Business School - MBA, 1951.

This background served him well to understand and fight for the SBIR program. Roland is well known as a fierce advocate for the program, including guiding companies when they expect too much. At NSF he was a recipient of the Director's Superior Accomplishment Award, and has been recognized by many industry and other organizations.