A controlled workspace for SBIR and STTR project teams

Let the project requirements set the scope

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects have different topics, agencies, information flows, and contract terms. Start with the solicitation or award and the information your team will receive or develop, rather than assuming every project needs the same environment.

For defense projects, review the CUI and technology-protection instructions with the contracting and technical contacts. The official SBIR/STTR technology-protection resources include guidance on CUI and data-rights markings.

Data-rights legends and CUI markings address different questions. Confirm both for your deliverables: the rights attached to the work and the rules for safeguarding or sharing the information.

Include the people who review and deliver the work

Map your researchers, technical leads, business approvers, university or laboratory collaborators, and government recipients. Establish which people need workspace accounts and which need an approved way to exchange deliverables.

• Research activity: identify project documents, software, test results, and the applications used to work with them.
• Partner handoffs: agree who owns each environment and how information crosses organizational boundaries.
• Reports and demonstrations: plan the review and release steps for customer submissions, presentations, and public material.
• Project changes: revisit the user list, applications, and data flows as the effort grows or moves into another award.

Choose a workspace that fits the award budget

Castilix Secure Enclave provides Microsoft 365 GCC High, dedicated Windows 365 Government Cloud PCs, enclave management, support, and provider documentation. Standard is $349 and Premium is $449 per user per month. Both have a five-user minimum, a $2,500 one-time setup fee, and a 12-month commitment billed monthly, before applicable taxes.

Include that minimum and commitment when budgeting for a small project team. Migration, custom applications, customer-specific SSP development, and physical-device management are separately scoped. Specialist research compute and software requirements belong in a workload review.

Use the build-versus-buy calculator to compare the subscription with your own licensing, implementation, and staffing estimates.

Prepare for the next project milestone

Bring the agency and general award requirements, expected users and collaborators, application needs, current IT setup, and delivery timeline. For a team preparing a customer-specific SSP, the SSP preparation checklist explains what to gather.

If your work is public or performed wholly within a sponsor-provided environment, begin with the enclave-fit guide before adding another workspace.