The architect of the Navy’s RIF [Rapid Innovation Fund] program, Brad Pantuck, was at the event as well. He said, “About 40 percent of our Navy RIF-funded technologies are deploying to or being purchased by an acquisition program within five years of RIF contract award…
Its no-nonsense solicitation and proposal process also led to a rapid funding cycle that small businesses could count on, compared to the vagaries of programmatic funding that is often held up for a variety of reasons.
“The RIF program … created a disruptive way of doing business because it has accelerated the acquisition process much faster than the normal budget cycle,” Bob Smith, the director of the Navy’s SBIR program, said in a National Defense article.
That was a great article by Chip Laingen, “Bring Back the Rapid Innovation Fund.” Read the whole thing. HT: Matt M.
The RIF was funded at $250 million from FY 2011 through FY 2019 by Congress. The Pentagon never requested rapid innovation funding, and Congress stopped funding it in FY 2020. This shouldn’t be surprising, as there are already unfunded priorities lists. Any addition topline that can be squeezed already has a queue of managers looking to use it.
What was useful about RIF dollars was that they largely went to small businesses who were successful in the SBIR phases and need a bridge before they can get into a full acquisition program. Finding the program funding takes two or more years, but RIF dollars are not tied to particular program objectives. They can flex to what is current.
Unfortunately that flexible pot of money will not exist. R&D dollars can be spent over two years, so even though the RIF wasn’t appropriated funding for FY 2020 there may still be some left over from last year… though it must be draining fast.
The Section 809 Panel recommended $750 million a year. I think something like $2 to $5 billion is more appropriate. The cap on a project is currently $6 million. I think the project cap should be raised to perhaps $25 million or $50 million.
But where should the money come from? There’s no pretty way about it because it must come from their own programs’ hide. A large supplemental is unlikely and even less so after Rescue Packages and QE infinity due to Covid-19. That means the program managers with vested interests will see the RIF as an unwanted tax that can cause major disruptions. The beneficiaries would likely be the small but notable innovation hubs like DIU and AFWERX who are probably banging their head for a way to bridge the “valley of death” into programs of record.
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