The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) encourages submission of quality grant applications for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program which requires the agencies of the Public Health Service (PHS) and other Federal agencies to set aside a specific portion of their extramural research budgets for grants to small businesses.
Purpose
The purpose of the SBIR program is to: 1) stimulate technological innovation; 2) increase small business participation in Federal research and development (R&D); 3) increase private sector commercialization of technology developed through Federal SBIR R&D; and 4) foster and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in the SBIR program.
Funding Available
The SBIR program is mandated by the Congress of the United States, and the funding level is specified by Federal law (Public Law 102-564). Approximately $9.1 million, representing 2.5 percent of the NIAAA' s extramural research budget, was set aside for the SBIR program in fiscal year 2007.
Eligibility
Only small businesses which meet the definition provided by the Small Business Administration (SBA) (see PHS Omnibus Solicitation) are eligible for grant support under this program. In addition, the primary employment (at least 51 percent) of the principal investigator must be with the firm at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed project.
Features of Program
The SBIR Program is based on three successive phases. The objective of Phase I grants is to establish the technical merit and feasibility of proposed research or R&D efforts and to determine the quality of performance of the small business awardee organization prior to providing further Federal support in Phase II. Guidelines for Grant awards for Phase I are $100,000 total costs (direct cost, indirect cost, fixed fee) for a period normally not to exceed six months. The objective of Phase II is to further develop the research or R&D efforts initiated in Phase I. Funding is based on the results of Phase I and the scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the Phase II application. Only Phase I awardees are eligible to apply for Phase II funding. Guidelines for Awards for Phase II are $750,000 total costs for a period of support normally not to exceed 2 years. Phase III, which involves no Federal grant support, is the acquisition of private capital to develop further and, eventually, bring to the marketplace the technology or product envisioned in the original research proposal.
Application Information
Since this is a grant program, small businesses may submit an application in any area that is pertinent to NIAAA's mission and which meets the purposes and guidelines of the program. The NIAAA is devoted to increasing knowledge and understanding of the causes, consequences, nature and methods for prevention of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, and developing new or improved methods for the treatment and rehabilitation of affected persons.
Application instructions and forms about the SBIR are detailed in the Omnibus Grant and Solicitations for Small Business Innovation Research.
Receipt dates for applications are December 5, and April 5, and August 5.
NIAAA program contact:
Q. Max Guo, Ph.D.
Program Director
Division of Metabolism and Health Effects
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
5635 Fishers Lane, Room 2021
Bethesda, MD 20892-9304
Tel: (301) 443-0639
Fax: (301) 594-0673
E-mail: qmquo@mail.nih.gov
Updated: September 2007