[systemvoltage]

There should be a program that's easily accessible (not behind lawyer language) that DoD sponsors: We'll buy you a CNC machine, a laptop and a bunch of bar stock on our dime if you produce these parts as per these quality requirements by this date and of this quantity. If we're happy, you can keep the equipment for your next DoD project and you'll get a priority as an experienced vendor (that we invested in).

[dcj4]

The issue with CNC machines is that one error in your code can and will easily crash one part of the machine into another part of the machine and thus break it. Often requiring a technician from the company and a bunch of spare parts to fix it, which, trust me, is never cheap. So giving a CNC machine to just anyone without proper training is quite a bad idea.

[dls2016]

The SBIR program is essentially what you describe… though with a research bent. Virtually zero red tape with a Phase I grant (apart from the application itself).

[azhenley]

SBIR grants require a lot of expertise about the arcane application process.

There’s an entire service industry around helping businesses apply. The companies that I’ve seen be successful at it hired several people with SBIR experience specifically to handle the grant proposals.

I had 3 successful NSF proposals and could not have done it without an experienced team helping me just with the legalese and process.

[dls2016]

My buddy and I did it last year. I wouldn't say you need a whole team. We picked an area and spent a two years honing an idea. He is a retired Air Force officer and had some contracting experience from the other side. I have a PhD in an unrelated field (math), a handful of papers and one unsuccessful NSF attempt. He learned all the application rules and took care of 100% of that stuff. I formulated the technical proposal and work plan, wrote the budget and the bulk of the technical writing.

My partner reached out to a few small business development centers but, while they were very eager to help, we ultimately received only very minor feedback and a general thumbs up. I'd say in the two years it took us to hone a winning technical proposal, my partner was able to become somewhat of an expert in the rules. During that time we also applied for a non-SBIR government grant, unsuccessfully, where we lost a lot of points for being a 2-man team. If you're willing to put in the time, it's very doable to write an application which follows the rules.

In fact, I'd say one thing we ran into was finding ourselves "inventing" rules because we were overly cautious with our compliance to what we thought were the rules. The application truly is the most difficult part of compliance for a SBIR Phase I.

The problems with our Phase I were purely technical. We weren't able to advance the state-of-the-art enough to be able to write a convincing commercialization plan. And I don't think there was any consulting firm we could have hired to fix that problem.

[tibbetts]

I did one once and it was a huge PITA and a very slow timeline. The free money part was nice, but the overhead and timeline mean I’ll probably stick to other funding sources in the future. If your founding team has extra PhDs and you want to pay them to do “research” it might work.

[gamblor956]

Not understanding what the benefit to the taxpayer is for this, when right now plenty of entrepreneurs willingly take on these startup costs themselves?

[systemvoltage]

Huge benefits: Increase competition, overthrow incumbents, equip populace with basic skills and manufacturing capacity in case of when shit hits the fan, cheaper parts. Downsides I can think of: Exploitation of the program through various means by bad actors. It is no different than SBA low interest loans, just instead of capital, you get machines for specific purpose. Another one is injection molding, the entire industry has been shipped overseas. IM is fundamental to producing parts in large quantities and the dark art of making molds is almost extinct in USA.

I urge everyone to study WWII history. Overnight, they converted button/zip manufacturers to making carbureator parts for Airplanes. Literally, overnight. At 8pm, they were producing mother of pearl buttons. By noon next day, they were making first batch of pins for the deflector plate.

Today's generation has no clue what happens in trying times. They need to study history to see what really happened, almost overnight.

[credit_guy]

> I urge everyone to study WWII history

I read a lot of WW2 history, but not about the manufacturing part. Any good books you’d recommend?

[oceanplexian]

Freedom’s Forge is one I’d recommend, I started reading it and couldn’t put it down until the end.

[gamblor956]

Your reply in no way addresses my question...

[systemvoltage]

Why not, as a taxpayer, my interest is in defense of the nation and getting more “bang for the buck” so to speak :-) instead of giant defense companies milking billable hours.

[refulgentis]

Yes it does, at length

[gamblor956]

No, it doesn't.

I asked what the benefit would be of funding private enterprises that private enterprises are already willing to fund. And he provided a nonsensical spiel about WW2-era policies without explaining why those policies were necessary today, given that private enterprises are already willing to spend the money to fund those activities.

His suggestion would result in massive amounts of fraud and wealthy techbros getting free toys they don't need from the U.S. government courtesy of their fellow taxpayers.

[micromacrofoot]

How would this possibly be achieved when everyone in congress has pockets lined with defense contractor lobby money?

[mschuster91]

Keep the pork projects and run the investment aids as a separate program.