Akin to classic brainstorming - a proven business approach to generating new ideas around a problem - the Two-Cents approach is designed to engage the SBIR Community directly in the task of defining Reauthorization. Scheduled around the country, outcome from these sessions will be prioritized recommendations for modifications, adaptations and additions to how SBIR actually works. Input from all the sessions will be eventually be consolidated into a full Working List of issues to be tackled during the Reauthorization legislative process.

It is likely that some issues raised for discussion will be high-profile and perhaps even controversial. The effort will be not to make those only issues discussed. Past experience suggest that grassroots input generates useful ideas and discussion of practical ‘tweakings’ of the SBIR endeavor which the10,000 feet/Big-Picture approach will rarely consider - or maybe even know about. These often have served well to enhance & streamline effective program functioning where it really matters.

Procedure
1	Establish the rules of the session.
	This important preliminary segment includes appointment of Session Recorder; Group decisions re. participant staus; number of votes per, and how those can be cast (clustering permitted /one vote per issue etc); time allocations to each segment/ each Idea-topic. Rules of Order etc
2	Ideas generation.
	The fundamental goal of Brainstorming is to generate new ideas and new approaches to what may be old issues. In this segment, therefore, the effort is to record as accurately as possible all ideas put forward no matter how preliminary, controversial, contradictory of earlier input or simply off-the-wall. No editing, analysis or discussion will be permitted during this list-developing process. All suggestions will be put onto flip chart sheets and strung around the room in full view and later use.
3	Evaluation and discussion of recorded ideas.
	Particularly if ideas-list is long, preliminary focus during this working segment may be on looking for similar ideas; grouping concepts etc. Also discussed will be how such (good) ideas might be achieved. Inherently contradictory ideas can/will be discussed ....but with no move to eliminate one over another in this context.
4	Casting of votes.
	Consistent with rules established by each group, voting will proceed-in an orderly manner. Following will be tallying and recording of each group’s decisions by Session Leaders. Post event, data will be incorporated into national compilation of prioritized recommendations.