HHS Changes Standard Due Dates for SBIR/STTR Grant Applications

Notice Number:

NOT-OD-15-038

Key Dates

Release Date: December 17, 2014

Related Announcements

PA-14-204
PA-14-250
PA-14-157
PA-14-154
PAR-14-209
PA-14-219
NOT-OD-15-101
PA-14-071
PA-14-072
NOT-OD-15-036
NOT-OD-15-037

Issued by

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to inform the small business community that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is changing the Standard Due Dates for all SBIR/STTR grant applications.

Section 5126 of the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 P.L. 112-81, signed on 12/31/2011, indicates that agencies are encouraged to develop programs or measures to reduce the time periods between the close of an SBIR/STTR solicitation and issuance of the Phase I and Phase II awards . Additionally, the NIH Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB) developed recommendations for how NIH can optimize its utilization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs in ways that advance the NIH mission. Their final report, issued August 2013, made several recommendations; one of which was to decrease delays between submission of the application and the disbursal of funds."

In an effort to be responsive to the needs of the small business community, congressional mandates, and SMRB recommendations, HHS is changing its Standard Due Dates for SBIR/STTR grant applications and making other internal changes to allow the agency to inform SBIR/STTR grant applicants of the disposition of their applications sooner and to make funding recommendations and awards sooner on average. This change affects all SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) using Standard Due Dates. Applications for Request for Applications (RFAs) and Program Announcements (PAs, PARs, PASs) with special receipt dates continue to be due on the specified dates listed in the FOA.

Current SBIR/STTR Standard Due Dates

New SBIR/STTR Standard Due Dates

* Effective September 5, 2015

Additionally effective September 5, 2015, HHS SBIR/STTR grant applications will no longer be accepted on AIDS and AIDS-related Due Dates (May 7, September 7, and January 7), as two of the three new due dates are 2 days prior to the current AIDS due dates.

The current SBIR and STTR Grant Omnibus FOAs, PA-14-071 and PA-14-072 respectively, are being extended one cycle to allow submissions on the current April 5 due date and May 7 AIDS/AIDS-related due date during a transition to the new Standard Due Dates. See NOT-OD-15-036 and NOT-OD-15-037.

There will not be a August 5, 2015 due date. The next Standard Due Date after April 5, 2015 is September 5, 2015.

HHS will adjust its timing of the issuance of its next and future Omnibus SBIR and STTR grant solicitations from the January timeframe to the June timeframe to accommodate the new Cycle I due date of September 5.

All other aspects of all SBIR/STTR FOAs remain the same.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

NIH SBIR/STTR Program Office
Telephone: 301-435-2688
Fax: 301-480-0146
Email: sbir@od.nih.gov
Website: http://sbir.nih.gov