Former SBIR reviewer Stacy L. Chin reveals that resubmitted proposals get a one-page rebuttal section that new reviewers actually read. Ignoring previous critiques tanks your chances. Address each concern directly, explain what changed, and show you listened.
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So here's something that most founders don't realize when they actually resubmit their SBIR application. As a former SBIR reviewer, I actually don't get your old application. But do you know what I actually do get? Your old reviewers' critiques. And then I get this one really important page from you, that one page that tells me exactly how you responded to the previous reviewers. What did you change? What did you not change? Did you actually address the concerns that your application got rejected the first time around? As a reviewer, I'm literally comparing your responses against those previous critiques. And if a reviewer raises a major concern and And you basically ignored it. Trust me, we notice. So don't treat your one-page rebuttal like some sort of administrative formality. It's actually your opportunity to look at the new reviewer directly in the eye and say, I heard you, and this is exactly what I fixed. And that's how you want to start your resubmission for your SBA application. Make sure to follow along for more content like this.