National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)
National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP)
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers. The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers.
Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH)
R44 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant - Phase II only
See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.
The NIH Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough award bridges the funding gap between the end of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II award and commercialization. The Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough provides previously funded NIH SBIR or STTR projects additional support for later-stage research and development (R&D).
NIH's mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.
The goals are:
In realizing these goals, the NIH provides leadership and direction to programs designed to improve the health of the Nation by conducting and supporting research:
| Application Due Dates | Review and Award Cycles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New | Renewal / Resubmission / Revision (as allowed) | AIDS - New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision, as allowed | Scientific Merit Review | Advisory Council Review | Earliest Start Date |
| Not Applicable | September 05, 2026 * | Not Applicable | November 2026 | January 2027 | April 2027 |
| Not Applicable | January 05, 2027 * | Not Applicable | March 2027 | May 2027 | July 2027 |
| Not Applicable | April 05, 2027 * | Not Applicable | July 2027 | August 2027 | December 2027 |
| Not Applicable | September 05, 2027 * | Not Applicable | November 2027 | January 2028 | April 2028 |
| Not Applicable | January 05, 2028 * | Not Applicable | March 2028 | May 2028 | July 2028 |
| Not Applicable | April 05, 2028 * | Not Applicable | July 2028 | August 2028 | December 2028 |
| Not Applicable | September 05, 2028 * | Not Applicable | November 2028 | January 2029 | April 2029 |
| Not Applicable | January 05, 2029 * | Not Applicable | March 2029 | May 2029 | July 2029 |
| Not Applicable | April 05, 2029 * | Not Applicable | July 2029 | August 2029 | December 2029 |
All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.
No late applications will be accepted for this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Not Applicable
It is critical that applicants follow the SBIR/STTR (B) Instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts).
Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply – Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply – Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions.
Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.
There are several options available to submit your application through Grants.gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.
Background
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs (also known as America's Seed Fund) are major sources of early-stage funding for U.S. technology development and commercialization. NIH SBIR and STTR awards support projects through multiple phases:
After Phase II, NIH expects small business concerns (SBCs) to fully commercialize the product or technology using non-SBIR/STTR funds (federal or non-federal). However, biomedical projects may need additional support because of a significant funding gap between Phase II and commercialization (known as the "Valley of Death"). This is a particular challenge for technologies that need regulatory approval, use new complex manufacturing methods, or target small markets.
What this NOFO supports
This SBIR Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough NOFO provides previous NIH SBIR or STTR Phase II recipients support to bridge the gap between the Phase II and commercialization. Applicants must secure 100% third-party matching funds for the proposed Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough award project. SBCs must demonstrate not less than 100% matching funds from:
Phase II recipients should consider the Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) program when they need additional technical assistance and/or later-stage R&D, but do not have third-party matching funding and/or require a significant amount of the work to be outsourced. The CRP program can also support small businesses that need additional support during an active Phase II award. See PAR-27-098. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact program staff prior to applying to help choose the best funding opportunity for their project.
Note: This NOFO accepts Renewal/Resubmission "Type 2" Applications from previous recipients of NIH SBIR or STTR Phase II awards. SBCs must meet the eligibility requirements in Section III.
Scientific and Technical Scope
The NIH Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough award provides a second Phase II award to support follow-on R&D. Applications are encouraged for projects that demonstrate strong commercial potential (i.e., the likelihood that a technology will lead to an effective, successful product), and need extra time, effort and funds after Phase II to succeed. Commercial potential will be emphasized during review and when selecting awards (refer to Section V for details).
Applications from eligible United States SBCs should propose a R&D study that contributes to the missions of any NIH components participating in this NOFO. See NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices and Small Business Funding Considerations and Contacts for Institute, Center, and Office (ICO) specific missions, interest areas, funding priorities, and funding considerations.
See the NIH Director's Statement of Priorities (https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-director/statements/advancing-nihs-mission-through-unified-strategy), entitled "Advancing NIH's Mission Through a Unified Strategy."
Applicants and recipients are encouraged to also refer to the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy (https://www.whitehouse.gov/maha/) when structuring their applications.
Further information about the SBIR and STTR programs can be found at https://seed.nih.gov. Frequently asked questions are available to assist applicants and can answer many basic questions about the program.
Investigators proposing NIH-defined clinical trials may refer to the Research Methods Resources website for information about developing statistical methods and study designs.
Applications Not Responsive to this NOFO
The following types of applications are not responsive to this NOFO and will not be reviewed:
See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.
Grant: A financial assistance mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.
New (ONLY allowable when submitting a Phase IIB connected to a Phase II contract) See SF424 (R&R) Form for more information.
The OER Glossary and the How to Apply – Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for the NOFO.
Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?
Not all participating Institutes and Centers accept clinical trials under this NOFO. See "Applications Not Responsive to this NOFO" information in Section 1. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description.
The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Total funding support (direct costs, indirect costs, fee) may not exceed $30,000,000.00 for Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough awards.
Budget guidelines can vary by participating component and may be at the SBA budgetary limits for Phase II. Total funding support normally may not exceed the guidelines in the table below.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact program officials prior to submitting any application and early in the application planning process. See NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices for Institute, Center and Office (ICO) specific missions, interest areas, funding priorities, and funding considerations. In all cases, applicants should propose a budget that is reasonable and appropriate for completion of the research project. Applicants should keep in mind that they must show not less than 100 percent matching funds. See section IV: Application and Submission Information - SBIR STTR Information Form - Commercialization Plan for details.
| Institute or Center | Phase IIB Budget |
| National Cancer Institute | $15,000,000.00 |
| National Eye Institute | SBA Guideline |
| National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute | $4,500,000.00 |
| National Institute on Aging | $3,000,000.00 |
| National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism | $4,500,000.00 |
| National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases | $3,000,000.00 |
| Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development | $3,000,000.00 |
| National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases | $3,000,000.00 |
| National Institute of General Medical Sciences | $3,000,000.00 |
| National Institute of Mental Health | $3,000,000.00 |
| National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke | $3,000,000.00 |
| National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities | SBA Guideline |
| National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences | $3,000,000.00 |
| Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs | SBA Guideline |
| Office of Research on Women's Health | SBA Guideline |
Phase IIB budgets must be submitted in accordance with participating IC-specific budget limitations.
According to statutory guidelines, award periods must not exceed 4 years for a Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough award. Applicants are encouraged to propose a project duration period that is reasonable and appropriate for completion of the research project.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO.
Only United States small business concerns (SBCs) that have previously received an SBIR or STTR Phase II award are eligible to submit applications for this opportunity. Only one Phase IIB award is allowed per project. To maintain eligibility for this program, an NIH Phase II grant or contract recipient should submit a Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough application within the first six due dates following the expiration of the Phase II budget period. A small business concern is one that, at the time of award of Phase I and Phase II, meets all of the following criteria:
If the concern is more than 50% owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, private equity firms, or any combination of these falls under 3 (b) or 3 (c) above, see Section IV. Application and Submission Information for additional instructions regarding required application certification.
If an Employee Stock Ownership Plan owns all or part of the concern, each stock trustee and plan member is considered an owner.
If a trust owns all or part of the concern, each trustee and trust beneficiary is considered an owner.
Definitions:
SBCs must also meet the other regulatory requirements found in 13 C.F.R. Part 121. Business concerns, other than investment companies licensed, or state development companies qualifying under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. 661, et seq., are affiliates of one another when either directly or indirectly, (a) one concern controls or has the power to control the other; or (b) a third-party/parties controls or has the power to control both. Business concerns include, but are not limited to, any individual (sole proprietorship) partnership, corporation, joint venture, association, or cooperative. The How to Apply – Application Guide should be referenced for detailed eligibility information.
Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate Benchmark: In accordance with guidance from the SBA, the HHS SBIR/STTR Program is implementing the Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate benchmark required by the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 and the SBIR and STTR Extension Act of 2022.The benchmark establishes a minimum number of Phase II awards the company must have received relative to a given number of Phase I awards received during the 5-fiscal year time period. The Transition Rate is calculated as the total number of SBIR and STTR Phase II awards a company received during the past 5 fiscal years divided by the total number of SBIR and STTR Phase I awards it received during the past 5 fiscal years excluding the most recently completed year. The Transition Rate requirement, agreed upon and established by all 11 SBIR agencies, was published for public comment in a Federal Register Notice on October 16, 2012 (77 FR 63410) and amended on May 23, 2013 (78 FR 30951).
On June 1 of each year, SBA will identify the companies that fail to meet minimum performance requirements. SBA calculates individual company Phase I to Phase II Transition Rates using SBIR and STTR award information across all federal agencies. SBA will notify companies and the relevant officials at the participating agencies. More information on the Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate requirement is available at SBIR.gov.
Phase II to Commercialization Benchmark: In accordance with guidance from the SBA, the HHS SBIR/STTR Programs are implementing the Phase II to Commercialization Rate benchmark for Phase I applicants, as required by the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 and the SBIR and STTR Extension Act of 2022. The Commercialization Rate Benchmark was published in a Federal Register notice on August 8, 2013 (78 FR 48537), with a reopening of the comment period published on September 26, 2013 (78 FR 59410).
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.
Unfunded international collaborations or unfunded foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed.
NIH will no longer issue awards (i.e., new, renewal, or non-competing continuation) to domestic or foreign entities that involve foreign subawards/subcontracts. All NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards/subcontracts must be submitted in response to a NOFO that is specifically designated for funded international collaborations. See NIH Grants Policy Statement 16.8 Collaborative International Research Awards.
Applications involving foreign subawards/subcontracts submitted in response to this NOFO will be deemed noncompliant and will not be considered for funding. This policy applies to all monetary international collaborations resulting in foreign subawards/subcontracts, however, it does not preclude unfunded international collaborations or foreign components, funding for foreign consultants, or procurement of unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors.
Applicant Organizations
Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the How to Apply – Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission, please reference NIH Grants Policy Statement 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications for additional information.
Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))
All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.
All PD(s)/PI(s) must be registered with ORCID. The personal profile associated with the PD(s)/PI(s) eRA Commons account must be linked to a valid ORCID ID. For more information on linking an ORCID ID to an eRA Commons personal profile see the ORCID topic in our eRA Commons online help.
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support.
For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
Under the SBIR program, for both Phase I and Phase II, the primary employment of the PD/PI must be with the small business concern at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed project. For projects with multiple PDs/PIs, at least one must meet the primary employment requirement. Occasionally, deviations from this requirement may occur.
The How to Apply – Application Guide should be referenced for specific details on eligibility requirements. For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, see Multiple Principal Investigators section of the How to Apply – Application Guide.
This NOFO requires 100% cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1.2 Definition of Terms under the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act. More information on cost matching requirements is in Section IV.2 R&R.
Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.
NIH will not accept similar grant applications with essentially the same research focus from the same applicant organization. This includes derivative or multiple applications that propose to develop a single product or service that, with non-substantive modifications, can be applied to a variety of purposes. Applicants may not simultaneously submit identical/essentially identical applications under both this funding opportunity and any other HHS funding opportunity, including the SBIR and STTR Parent announcements.
The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time, NIH Grants Policy Statement 2.3.7.4 Submission of Resubmission Application. This means that the NIH will not accept:
To maintain eligibility for this program, an NIH Phase II grant or contract recipient should submit a Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough application within the first six due dates following the expiration of the Phase II budget period. Recipients of NIH Phase II grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts are eligible to submit a Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough grant application for this opportunity in accordance with each awarding component's guidance.
NIH will accept Phase IIB and CRP applications for the same Phase II project concurrently, i.e. Phase IIB and CRP applications for the same Phase II project may be under review at the same time if they are scientifically distinct.
The Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough can be awarded concurrently with the CRP. However, a Phase IIB can only be awarded after the Phase II has ended.
In SBIR Phase II, normally, one-half or 50% of the research or analytical effort is carried out by the small business concern. The total amount of consultant and contractual arrangements to third parties for portions of the scientific and technical effort is generally not more than 50% of the total Phase II amount requested (direct, F&A/indirect, and fee).
Deviations from these requirements may be considered on a case by case basis. Please contact a program officer for additional information. Deviations must be approved in writing by the Grants Management Officer (GMO) after consultation with the agency SBIR Program Manager/Coordinator.
A small business concern may subcontract a portion of its SBIR award to a Federal laboratory within the limits above. A Federal laboratory, as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 3703, means any laboratory, any federally funded research and development center, or any center established under 15 U.S.C. §§ 3705 & 3707 that is owned, leased, or otherwise used by a Federal agency and funded by the Federal Government, whether operated by the Government or by a contractor.
The basis for determining the percentage of work to be performed by each of the cooperative parties in Phase II will be the total of the requested costs attributable to each party, unless otherwise described and justified in "Consortium/Contractual Arrangements" of the PHS 398 Research Plan component of SF424 (R&R) application forms.
Additional details are contained in the How to Apply – Application Guide.
The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.
It is critical that applicants follow the SBIR/STTR (B) Instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide, except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise (in this NOFO, in a policy notice, or other notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply – Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.
All page limitations described in the How to Apply – Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.
The following section supplements the instructions found in the How to Apply – Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.
All instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide must be followed.
Federal identifier:
For applications where the NIH SBIR/STTR Phase II award is a grant or cooperative agreement: Enter the Federal Identifier of the Phase II award (e.g., use CA987654 for 2R44CA987654-03A1).
For applications where the NIH SBIR/STTR Phase II award is a contract: The Federal Identifier will be the awarding IC code, followed by six 0s. (e.g. if NIAID was the awarding institute, use AI000000).
Applications that do not include a valid identifier may be withdrawn.
Type of Application:
Check "Renewal" if this is a first submission to this NOFO AND the NIH SBIR/STTR Phase II connected to this Phase IIB is a grant or cooperative agreement, or in accordance with other submission policies. NIH will not accept a new Phase IIB (A0) application following an unsuccessful resubmission (A1) application.
Check "Resubmission" if the application is a resubmission of an application submitted to this NOFO or previous Phase IIB funding opportunities.
Check "New" if this is a first submission to this NOFO AND the NIH SBIR/STTR Phase II connected to this Phase IIB is a contract. Applicants submitting a Phase IIB connected to a Phase II contract, should include a cover letter indicating that the application is a Phase IIB and the Phase I was from an NIH SBIR contract.
All instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide must be followed.
Other Attachments:
1. SBIR Application Certification for small business concerns majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms
Applicant small business concerns that are majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms (e.g. majority VCOC-owned) are required to submit a Certification at time of their application submission per the SBIR and STTR Policy Directive. Follow the instructions below.
Applicants small business concerns who are more than 50% directly owned and controlled by one or more individuals (who are citizens or permanent resident aliens of the United States), other business concerns (each of which is more than 50% directly owned and controlled by individuals who are citizens or permanent resident aliens of the United States), or any combination of these (i.e. NOT majority VCOC-owned) should NOT fill out this certification and should NOT attach it to their application package.
2. Regulatory Plan (Required, 2-Page Maximum)
Name the PDF attachment "RegulatoryPlan.pdf" and attach it in the Other Attachments Section of the "Research and Related Other Project Information" form.
Applicants must provide a regulatory plan describing the regulatory pathway that is being or will be pursued and a timeline for achieving regulatory approval with discrete milestones. At minimum, the plan should address regulatory requirements, but a discussion of requirements for Marketing Approval is strongly encouraged. If the proposed product does not require regulatory or marketing approval, applicants should provide rationale for that determination.
If regulatory or marketing approval is required, applicants should provide details of their interaction with the appropriate regulatory authorities in the description of their Regulatory Plan. This should include the regulatory authority contact and date of interaction. Applicants should describe any outside assistance they have obtained or plan to obtain for developing and achieving the proposed Regulatory Plan.
Please note: Applicants may be required to submit evidence that they have contacted the regulatory authority and that their research plan and objectives follow the relevant requirements or guidance of that authority. This documentation (letters, emails and minutes) is NOT submitted with the application but must be furnished upon request of the NIH awarding component. Examples that provide evidence of appropriate interactions are letters or emails between the company and the appropriate FDA (or other regulatory authority) personnel, meeting minutes clarifying the evidentiary requirements to support clinical development or a marketing application or documentation of IRB determination of non-significant risk.
All instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply – Application Guide must be followed.
Letters of Support: Letters indicating commitment of matching funds should be included with the Letters of Support. Additional documentation may be requested as part of the Just-in-Time (JIT) process.
Resource Sharing Plans:
Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.
Other Plan(s):
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:
Appendix:
The instructions for the Appendix of the Research Plan are described in the How to Apply - Application Guide; any instructions provided here are in addition to the How to Apply - Application Guide Instructions.
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
Program Type: Check "SBIR" regardless of whether the Phase II predicating the Phase IIB application was an SBIR or STTR award.
Application Type: Check "Phase IIB"
Commercialization Plan: In addition to addressing all content indicated in the instructions (as above), applications must include the following:
Market, Customer, and Competition
The SBC must demonstrate the technology is an effective solution, as determined by market research.
Finance Plan
100% match is required for Phase II Strategic Breakthrough awards under the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act. Proposed match must be in compliance with the requirements at 2 CFR 200.306. The SBC must detail the source of the required 100% matching funds. Matching funds must be available for the Phase II Strategic Breakthrough award. Matching funds must come from:
Letters indicating commitment of matching funds should be included with the Letters of Support. Additional documentation may be requested as part of the Just-in-Time (JIT) process.
When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-defined clinical trials follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the How to Apply - Application Guide, with the following additional instructions:
If you answered "Yes" to the question "Are Human Subjects Involved?" on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record.
Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
Delayed Onset Study
Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start). All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
See Part 2. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov.
Part I. contains information about Key Dates and time. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.
Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies). Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH's electronic system for grants administration. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications.
Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.
Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the How to Apply – Application Guide.
This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.
All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) SBIR/STTR Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.
Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.
For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit How to Apply – Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.
Important reminders:
All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile form. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.
The applicant organization must ensure that the unique entity identifier provided on the application is the same identifier used in the organization's profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the How to Apply - Application Guide.
See more tips for avoiding common errors.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.
Recipients or subrecipients must submit any information related to violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. See Mandatory Disclosures, 2 CFR 200.113 and NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 4.1.35.
Send written disclosures to the NIH Chief Grants Management Officer listed on the Notice of Award for the IC that funded the award and to the HHS Office of Inspector Grant Self Disclosure Program at grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov.
Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy.
Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.
A proposed Clinical Trial application may include study design, methods, and intervention that are not by themselves innovative but address important questions or unmet needs. Additionally, the results of the clinical trial may indicate that further clinical development of the intervention is unwarranted or lead to new avenues of scientific investigation.
Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).
Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below, as appropriate for the stage of research, in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific and commercial impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.
Does the project and proposed product or service address an important problem, a critical barrier to progress, or unmet need in the field? Is the prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project rigorous? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims and commercialization of the resulting product or service change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?
Does the Commercialization Plan demonstrate a high probability of commercialization? How strong is the described market opportunity in the Commercialization Plan including: (i) the product or service being developed; (ii) target customers; and (iii) how the product or service will solve a demonstrated customer need?
In addition, for applications involving clinical trials
Are the scientific rationale and need for a clinical trial to test the proposed hypothesis or intervention well supported by preliminary data, clinical and/or preclinical studies, or information in the literature or knowledge of biological mechanisms? For trials focusing on clinical or public health endpoints, is this clinical trial necessary for testing the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of an intervention that could lead to a change in clinical practice, community behaviors or health care policy? For trials focusing on mechanistic, behavioral, physiological, biochemical, or other biomedical endpoints, is this trial needed to advance the proposed product or service?
Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project and will they provide a meaningful contribution to successfully complete the proposed aims? Do the PD(s)/PI(s) have appropriate experience and training to lead this project? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project? Does the team have expertise to commercialize the product or service?
In addition, for applications involving clinical trials
With regard to the proposed leadership for the project, do the PD/PI(s) and key personnel have the expertise, experience, and ability to organize, manage and implement the proposed clinical trial and meet milestones and timelines? Do they have appropriate expertise in study coordination, data management and statistics? For a multicenter trial, is the organizational structure appropriate and does the application identify a core of potential center investigators and staffing for a coordinating center?
How does the proposed product or service represent an innovative solution to important problem, barrier to progress, or unmet need in research or clinical practice? Does the product or service proposed in application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms? What meaningful competitive advantages does the end product or service proposed offer over existing approaches, instrumentation, or interventions or those in development?
Does the small business present a reasonable plan to create a temporal barrier against other companies aiming to provide a similar solution, including protecting the intellectual property relevant to the product or service being studied or used during the project?
In addition, for applications involving clinical trials
Does the design/research plan include innovative elements, as appropriate, that enhance its sensitivity, potential for information or potential to advance scientific knowledge or clinical practice?
Are the research aims appropriate for the current stage of development? Do the aims represent the necessary steps to further advance the development of the product or service? Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Have the investigators included any plans to address weaknesses in the rigor of prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project? Have the investigators presented strategies to ensure a robust and unbiased approach, as appropriate for the work proposed? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility, and will particularly risky aspects be managed? Have the investigators presented adequate plans to address relevant biological variables, such as sex, for studies in vertebrate animals or human subjects?
How sound is the proposed Regulatory Plan to meet Federal regulatory requirements?
Will successful completion of the research aims significantly advance development of the proposed product or service toward eventual commercialization? How well does the application demonstrate progress toward meeting the Phase I (or equivalent) objectives, demonstrating feasibility, and providing a solid foundation for the proposed Phase II activity?
If the project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, are the plans to address:
1) the protection of human subjects from research risks, and
2) inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion or exclusion of individuals of all ages (including children and older adults), justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?
In addition, for applications involving clinical trials
Does the application adequately address the following, if applicable:
Study Design
Is the study design justified and appropriate to address primary and secondary outcome variable(s)/endpoints that will be clear, informative and relevant to the hypothesis being tested? Is the scientific rationale/premise of the study based on previously well-designed preclinical and/or clinical research? Given the methods used to assign participants and deliver interventions, is the study design adequately powered to answer the research question(s), test the proposed hypothesis/hypotheses, and provide interpretable results? Is the trial appropriately designed to conduct the research efficiently? Are the study populations (size, sex, age, demographic group), proposed intervention arms/dose, and duration of the trial, appropriate and well justified?
Are potential ethical issues adequately addressed? Is the process for obtaining informed consent or assent appropriate? Is the eligible population available? Are the plans for recruitment outreach, enrollment, retention, handling dropouts, missed visits, and losses to follow-up appropriate to ensure robust data collection? Are the planned recruitment timelines feasible and is the plan to monitor accrual adequate? Has the need for randomization (or not), masking (if appropriate), controls, and inclusion/exclusion criteria been addressed? Are differences addressed, if applicable, in the intervention effect due to sex and race/ethnicity?
Are the plans to standardize, assure quality of, and monitor adherence to, the trial protocol and data collection or distribution guidelines appropriate? Is there a plan to obtain required study agent(s)? Does the application propose to use existing available resources, as applicable?
Data Management and Statistical Analysis
Are planned analyses and statistical approach appropriate for the proposed study design and methods used to assign participants and deliver interventions? Are the procedures for data management and quality control of data adequate at clinical site(s) or at center laboratories, as applicable? Have the methods for standardization of procedures for data management to assess the effect of the intervention and quality control been addressed? Is there a plan to complete data analysis within the proposed period of the award?
Will the scientific and business environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success and eventual commercialization? Are the small business support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangement?Does the applicant have access to the business experts and resources needed to accomplish the aims of this project and to commercialize the proposed product or service?
In addition, for applications involving clinical trials
If proposed, are the administrative, data coordinating, enrollment and laboratory/testing centers, appropriate for the trial proposed?
Does the application adequately address the capability and ability to conduct the trial at the proposed site(s) or centers? Are the plans to add or drop enrollment centers, as needed, appropriate?
If international site(s) is/are proposed, does the application adequately address the complexity of executing the clinical trial?
If multi-sites/centers, is there evidence of the ability of the individual site or center to: (1) enroll the proposed numbers; (2) adhere to the protocol; (3) collect and transmit data in an accurate and timely fashion; and, (4) operate within the proposed organizational structure?
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.
Specific to applications involving clinical trials
Is the study timeline described in detail, taking into account start-up activities, the anticipated rate of enrollment, and planned follow-up assessment? Is the projected timeline feasible and well justified? Does the project incorporate efficiencies and utilize existing resources (e.g., CTSAs, practice-based research networks, electronic medical records, administrative database, or patient registries) to increase the efficiency of participant enrollment and data collection, as appropriate?
Are potential challenges and corresponding solutions discussed (e.g., strategies that can be implemented in the event of enrollment shortfalls)?
How well does the application present the market opportunity, including market segments, that its product or technology will address? Does the applicant understand the barriers to commercialization of its product or service (e.g., regulatory approval, insurance reimbursement, competitive products, customer preferences)? Does the application have appropriate strategies to address these barriers?
Does the application provide appropriate post-SBIR product development and commercialization milestones and explain how these milestones will be achieved? Does the application present a plan for funding the development and commercialization of the product or service? If applicable, did the applicant obtain letters of interest or commitment for such funding and/or resources?
Are the executives, management team, and business experts well suited to advance the development and commercialization of the proposed product or service? If not, is there a plan in place to add the necessary expertise as the product or service advances towards commercialization?
Is there a sound strategy for driving product adoption and generating revenue from the product or service (e.g., product sales, licensing, partnerships)?
Does the application address the current private-sector landscape in the proposed technical area? Does the application explain how the project differs from or complements existing commercial activity? For applications that duplicate well-funded private development, does the application justify why federal support is needed despite existing private investment?
For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.
For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects.
The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following three points: (1) a complete description of all proposed procedures including the species, strains, ages, sex, and total numbers of animals to be used; (2) justifications that the species is appropriate for the proposed research and why the research goals cannot be accomplished using an alternative non-animal model; and (3) interventions including analgesia, anesthesia, sedation, palliative care, and humane endpoints that will be used to limit any unavoidable discomfort, distress, pain and injury in the conduct of scientifically valuable research. Methods of euthanasia and justification for selected methods, if NOT consistent with the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals, is also required but is found in a separate section of the application. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals Section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animals Section.
Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.
For Resubmissions (as applicable), the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.
The committee will consider the following for Phase IIB applications:
1) the progress made in the last funding period during the Phase II project.
2) the commercial potential of the proposed technology, specifically how well the applicant has demonstrated:
For Revisions (as applicable), the committee will consider the appropriateness of the proposed expansion of the scope of the project. If the Revision application relates to a specific line of investigation presented in the original application that was not recommended for approval by the committee, then the committee will consider whether the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group are adequate and whether substantial changes are clearly evident.
When the proposed project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion in Clinical Research.
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.
Not Applicable
Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).
Reviewers will comment on whether the Resource Sharing Plan(s) (e.g., Sharing Model Organisms) or the rationale for not sharing the resources, is reasonable.
For projects involving key biological and/or chemical resources, reviewers will comment on the brief plans proposed for identifying and ensuring the validity of those resources.
Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.
Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by the Center for Scientific Review (CSR), in accordance with NIH peer review policies and practices, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.
As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will receive a written critique.
Applications may undergo a committee process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.
Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate national Advisory Council or Board. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.5.1. Just-in-Time Procedures. This request is not a Notice of Award nor should it be construed to be an indicator of possible funding.
Prior to making an award, NIH reviews an applicant's federal award history in SAM.gov to ensure sound business practices. An applicant can review and comment on any information in the Responsibility/Qualification records available in SAM.gov. NIH will consider any comments by the applicant in the Responsibility/Qualification records in SAM.gov to ascertain the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and performance record of managing Federal awards per 2 CFR Part 200.206 "Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants." This provision will apply to all NIH grants and cooperative agreements except fellowships.
Disclosure Requirements Regarding Ties to Foreign Countries
SBIR and STTR applicants under consideration for award will be required to submit the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Required Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations or Relationships to Foreign Countries form (referred to as the "Disclosure Form" hereafter), during the JIT process. Applicants are required to disclose all funded and unfunded relationships with foreign countries, using the Disclosure Form, for all owners and covered individuals. "Covered individual" means an individual who-
(A) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research and development award from a Federal research agency; or
(B) is identified by the small business in the application as senior key personnel (i.e., individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way).
Upon request, applicants must submit the completed Disclosure Form and any additional agency-specific information electronically in eRA Commons via the Just-In-Time (JIT) process as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.5.1. Applicants must continue to comply with NIH Other Support disclosure requirements as provided in NIH GPS Section 2.5.1 and may be required to provide similar information on the Disclosure Form for covered individuals identified in the application. Applicants that fail to submit a completed Disclosure Form during the JIT process will not be considered for funding.
Denial of Awards
Applicants are encouraged to consider whether their entity's relationships with foreign countries of concern will pose a security risk. HHS cannot make an award under the SBIR or STTR program if it is determined the small business concern submitting the proposal or application has any of the following:
If an award cannot be made due to a security risk, HHS will advise the small business concern that a security risk was found that required a denial of award and indicate which category listed above necessitated the denial.
NIH, CDC, and FDA will not provide applicants the opportunity to address any identified security risks prior to award.
Receipt of an award decision denying an application due to an identified security risk does not prohibit the small business concern from being eligible for an award in a subsequent award cycle.
After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access their Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons. Refer to Part 1 for dates for peer review, advisory council review, and earliest start date.
Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.4.4 Disposition of Applications.
A Notice of Award (NoA) is the official authorizing document notifying the applicant that an award has been made and that funds may be requested from the designated HHS payment system or office. The NoA is signed by the Grants Management Officer and emailed to the recipient's business official.
In accepting the award, the recipient agrees that any activities under the award are subject to all provisions currently in effect or implemented during the period of the award, other Department regulations and policies in effect at the time of the award, and applicable statutory provisions.
Recipients must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions. Any pre-award costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the applicant's own risk. For more information on the Notice of Award, please refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 5. The Notice of Award and NIH Grants & Funding website, see Award Process.
Individual awards are based on the application submitted to, and as approved by, the NIH and are subject to the IC-specific terms and conditions identified in the NoA.
ClinicalTrials.gov: If an award provides for one or more clinical trials. By law (Title VIII, Section 801 of Public Law 110-85), the "responsible party" must register and submit results information for certain "applicable clinical trials" on the ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System Information Website (https://register.clinicaltrials.gov). NIH expects registration and results reporting of all trials whether required under the law or not. For more information, see https://grants.nih.gov/policy/clinical-trials/reporting/index.htm
Institutional Review Board or Independent Ethics Committee Approval: Recipient institutions must ensure that all protocols are reviewed by their IRB or IEC. To help ensure the safety of participants enrolled in NIH-funded studies, the recipient must provide NIH copies of documents related to all major changes in the status of ongoing protocols.
Data and Safety Monitoring Requirements: The NIH policy for data and safety monitoring requires oversight and monitoring of all NIH-conducted or -supported human biomedical and behavioral intervention studies (clinical trials) to ensure the safety of participants and the validity and integrity of the data. Further information concerning these requirements is found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/hs/data_safety.htm and in the application instructions (SF424 (R&R) and PHS 398).
Investigational New Drug or Investigational Device Exemption Requirements: Consistent with federal regulations, clinical research projects involving the use of investigational therapeutics, vaccines, or other medical interventions (including licensed products and devices for a purpose other than that for which they were licensed) in humans under a research protocol must be performed under a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigational new drug (IND) or investigational device exemption (IDE).
The following Federal wide and HHS-specific policy requirements apply to awards funded through NIH:
All federal statutes and regulations relevant to federal financial assistance, including those highlighted in NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 4 Public Policy Requirements, Objectives and Other Appropriation Mandates.
By applying for or accepting federal funds from HHS, recipients certify compliance with all federal antidiscrimination laws and these requirements and that complying with those laws is a material condition of receiving federal funding streams. Recipients are responsible for ensuring subrecipients, contractors, and partners also comply.
Applicants and recipients are strongly encouraged to refer to the NIH Director's Statement of Priorities, entitled "Advancing NIH's Mission Through a Unified Strategy."
Recipients are responsible for ensuring that their activities comply with all applicable federal regulations. Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.340, by accepting an NIH award, the recipient agrees that continued funding for the award is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds, recipient satisfactory performance, compliance with the Terms and Conditions of the award, and may also otherwise be terminated, to the extent authorized by law, if the agency determines that the award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities, in line with 2 CFR 200.340(a)(4).
Pursuant to the Cybersecurity Act of 2015, Div. N, § 405, Pub. Law 114-113, 6 USC § 1533(d), the HHS Secretary has established a common set of voluntary, consensus-based, and industry-led guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures, and processes.
Successful recipients under this NOFO agree that:
When recipients, subrecipients, or third-party entities have:
Cybersecurity plans and procedures must at minimum include the following:
All activities proposed in your application and budget narrative must align with applicable law, including but not limited to statutes, executive orders, federal regulations and applicable judicial holdings. Accordingly, discretionary awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate; racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the recipient, including activities where race or intentional proxies for race will be used as a selection criterion for employment or program participation; denial by the recipient of the sex binary in humans, or the belief that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; illegal immigration; or any other initiatives that compromise public safety. If an application does not align, the application will not receive funding to the extent permitted by law and applicable court orders.
As of October 1, 2025, HHS has adopted 2 CFR Part 200, with some modifications included in 2 CFR Part 300. These regulations replace those in 45 CFR Part 75. However, for NIH, under the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY 2026, (P.L. 119-75, Division B, Title II, Sec. 224), the provisions relating to indirect costs in 45 CFR 75 continue to apply to NIH awards. Consistent with the statute, NIH will not apply updated thresholds outlined within 2 CFR Part 200, at this time.
For applications involving substance abuse, the application must not support harm reduction. Please see Updated Funding Guidance for Recipients on Supplies and Services.
The Office of Inspector General Hotline accepts tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in Department of Health & Human Services programs. The reporting individual should indicate that the fraud, waste and/or abuse concerns an SBIR/STTR grant or contract, if relevant. Report Fraud.
Not Applicable
SBIR and STTR recipients may retain the rights to data generated during the performance of an SBIR or STTR award for up to 20 years after the award date, per the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Policy Directive. Further information about SBIR and STTR data rights are enumerated in the Grants Policy Statement Section 18.5.5.2 Intellectual property. Data Management and Sharing Plan is not applicable for this NOFO.
When multiple years are involved, recipients will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 8.4.1 Reporting. To learn more about post-award monitoring and reporting, see the NIH Grants & Funding website, see Post-Award Monitoring and Reporting.
NIH requires that SBIR/STTR recipients submit the following reports within 120 days of the end of the grant budget period unless the recipient is under an extension.
Failure to submit timely final reports may affect future funding to the organization or awards with the same PD/PI.NIH NOFOs outline intended research goals and objectives. Post award, NIH will review and measure performance based on the details and outcomes that are shared within the RPPR, as described at 2 CFR 200.301.
Disclosure of Foreign Relationships Reporting Requirements
Recipients are responsible for monitoring their relationships with foreign countries of concern post-award, for any changes that may impact previous disclosures. SBCs receiving an award under the SBIR/STTR program are required to submit an updated Disclosure Form to report any of the following changes to NIH, CDC, and FDA throughout the duration of the award:
Regular, annual updates are required at the time of all SBIR/STTR annual, interim, and final Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs). For changes that occur between RPPR submissions, recipients must request prior approval from NIH for legal actions such as merger, acquisition, and successor-in-interest or any other change in ownership, entity structure, covered individual, or other substantive changes in circumstances no later than 30 days before the proposed change. See NIH Grants Policy Statement 8.1.3 Requests for Prior Approval and NIH Grants Policy Statement 18.5.2.2 Change in Organization Size & Change of Recipient Institution Actions for more details. Disclosure Forms are required for any changes as described above. Recipients are required to upload these updated disclosures using the Additional Materials (AM) tool in eRA Commons.
If the recipient reports a covered foreign relationship that meets any of the risk criteria prohibiting funding described in this NOFO, NIH, CDC, and FDA may deem it necessary to terminate the award for material failure to comply with the federal statutes, regulations, or terms and conditions of the federal award. Refer to NIH GPS Section 8.5.2 Remedies for Noncompliance or Enforcement Actions: Suspension, Termination, and Withholding of Support for more information. Recipients are encouraged to monitor their covered foreign relationships post-award and avoid entering into relationships, both funded and unfunded, that may pose a security risk and jeopardize their ability to retain their award.
Agency Recovery Authority and Repayment of Funds
An SBC will be required to repay all amounts received from NIH, CDC, and FDA under the award if either of the following determinations are made upon assessment of a change to their disclosure:
The repayment requirements and procedures provided in Section 8.5.4 Recovery of Funds of the NIH GPS apply and may also be subject to additional noncompliance and enforcement actions as described in Section 8.5.2 of the GPS. Recipients are required to follow the repayment procedures provided in the Guidance for Repayment of Grant Funds to the NIH.
We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.
eRA Service Desk - Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons, application errors and warnings, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, and post-submission issues.
Grants.gov Support Center - Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and services (e.g., Workspace, subscriptions).
NIH SEED (Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development)
Telephone: 301-827-8595
Email: SEEDinfo@nih.gov
See NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices for ICO-specific contacts.
Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date).
See NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices for ICO-specific contacts.
Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 2 CFR Part 200.
The SBIR Program is mandated by the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-219), reauthorizing legislation (P.L. 99-443) P.L. 102-564, P.L. 112-81 (SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011), as reauthorized and extended under P.L. 114-328, Section 1834, P.L. 115-232, P.L. 117-183, and P.L. 119-83. The basic design of the NIH SBIR Program is in accordance with the Small Business Administration (SBA) SBIR and STTR Policy Directive.