The next round of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) has been released by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Small businesses who have an innovative idea in the field of research and development within the health sector are encouraged to apply!
There are three rounds of due dates for the applications, September 5, 2020, January 5, 2021, April 5, 2021. Notifications for awards are anticipated approximately 4 months later. These solicitations expire on April 6, 2021. Each FOA includes the option to apply for Phase I, Phase II, Direct to Phase II (NIH Only), Fast-Track (NIH only), and Phase IIB (NIH only). There are 4 Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) within this solicitation:
- PA-20-260: PHS 2020 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- PA-20-265: PHS 2020-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- PA-20-262: PHS 2020-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required)
- PA-20-261: PHS 2020-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Required)
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) normally may not exceed $256,580 for Phase I awards and $1,710,531 for Phase II awards. For specific topics, NIH may exceed these total award amounts. The current list of approved topics can be found at https://sbir.nih.gov/funding#omni-sbir or in Appendix A of PHS 2020-2 SBIR/STTR Program Descriptions and Research Topics for NIH, CDC, and FDA.
Resubmissions and Multiple Applications
NIH no longer limits the number of times you can submit an application with essentially the same content and scope as an earlier unsuccessful application, however, it is not allowable to have overlapping applications under review at the same time with any participating agency listed in the NIH Omnibus FOA. It is acceptable, however, for one company to submit multiple applications for different proposed projects simultaneously. See the NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-18-197 for detailed guidance about NIH’s submission policies.
Participating Agencies
The following agencies are participating in this omnibus solicitation:
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP)
Key Changes
Since the last NIH FOA Omnibus Solicitation, the required submission forms have changed from FORMS E to FORMS-F. Changes have also been made to the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information Form.
As of June 13, 2020, all applicants both new and submitting a re-submission must use the FORMS-F PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information Form.
As always when responding to any FOA, it is recommended to reach out to the program officer prior to applying. This allows the applicant to ask any necessary questions or gain clarification about the application process.
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