October 10, 2006
Effective January 1, 2007, the standard submission dates for SBIR and STTR applications will be April 5, August 5, and December 5. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THE DECEMBER 1, 2006 OR THE JANUARY 2, 2007 AIDs AND AIDS-RELATED SUBMISSION DATES. Submission dates for all NIH grant mechanisms have been spread out to accommodate the high volume peaks in the electronic submission process. Additional information may be found in the recently released notice that was placed in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-001.html) on October 6, 2006.

September 7, 2006
SWIFT VI (SBIR/STTR - Where Innovation Focuses Technology) - a multi-state, multi-agency federal outreach effort, travels to Montana, Wyoming and Colorado September 11-14, 2006.

August 8, 2006
NIH has contracted with Foresight Science and Technology to perform Technology Niche Analyses (TNA™) for 150 NIH SBIR Phase I awardees who received awards in fiscal years 2006 and 2007. The TNA™ will assess potential uses of the technology and result in a report that addresses the end-user needs, current and emerging competing technologies, the market dynamics, and the technology’s competitive advantage. (NOTE: This program is not available to STTR awardees.) For a full description of the program, check the NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-06-089 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-06-089.html).

August 8, 2006
NIH has become increasingly aware that the market size for many healthcare media companies is growing significantly and is attracting increased interest from investors and industrial partners. The goals of the CAP align with the current state of the market for these companies, so NIH has expanded the opportunity for healthcare media companies to participate in the program.  NIH will now accept applications from all NIH (not CDC or FDA) SBIR (not STTR) Phase II awardees (grantees and contractors) with projects active in fiscal year 2001 to the present. Those only seeking the identification of customers are still considered not appropriate. Applications must be submitted by August 16, 2006.

All selected participants will be notified by August 25. A detailed program description is available at http://www.larta.org/nihcap/NIHCAP-ProgramDescription.pdf (PDF - 208 KB) and to apply, please complete the application available at http://www.larta.org/nihcap/ . Also review the notice placed in the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts (NOT-OD-06-081) that was released July 10, 2006.

July 28, 2006
The submission date for applications to participate in the NIH SBIR Commercialization Assistance Program has been extended to August 7, 2006. This should come as good news to those who are busily working on their SBIR and/or STTR applications for the August 1 submission date. The CAP offers assistance with business and strategic planning and connects SBIR Phase II awardees with partners, licensees, and/or investors to help move SBIR-developed products into the marketplace. It targets those seeking investments or strategic alliances and is most appropriate for those with clinical products that may take years to commercialize. A full description of the program is available at http://www.larta.org/nihcap/NIHCAP-ProgramDescription.pdf (PDF - 208 KB).

July 10, 2006
NIH announces the availability of a Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) for its SBIR Phase II awardees from 2001 to 2006. Now in its third year, this program is designed to help some of the nation’s most promising life science small companies develop their commercial businesses and transition their SBIR-developed products into the marketplace. (NOTE: This program is not available to STTR awardees.) For details, check the NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-06-081 and also review the full program description at http://www.larta.org/nihcap/NIHCAP-ProgramDescription.pdf (PDF - 208 KB).

June 20, 2006
The NIH has provided additional comments (PDF - 168 KB) on the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report (PDF - 2.3 MB) entitled “Small Business Innovation Research: Information on Awards Made by NIH and DOD in Fiscal Years 2001 Through 2004” (GAO-06-565).

March 22, 2006
Since the April 1 submission date falls on a Saturday, the submission date extends to the next business day, Monday, April 3, 2006. Electronic grant applications must be successfully received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant institution/organization)in order to be considered “on time.” See NOT-OD-06-050.

February 16, 2006
NIH is announcing the availability of about 50 slots for participation in the third round of its SBIR Niche Assessment Program. This round will begin in mid-May with the completion of a Technology Niche Analyses (TNA™) by Foresight Science and Technology by late August 2006. Only SBIR Phase I FY 2005 and 2006 awardees are eligible to participate. The TNA™ will assess potential uses of the technology and will result in a report that will identify market issues such as the needs and concerns of end-users, competing technologies and products, the competitive advantage of the technology, key competitors, potential customers and commercialization partners, and a suggested a commercialization strategy that includes tasking and a schedule for implementation. A full description of the program and registration information is available from notice NOT-OD-06-001 that appeared in the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts in October 2005.

January 20, 2006
The PHS 2006-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC and FDA for SBIR/STTR Grant Applications and SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide for SBIR/STTR Grant Applications are now available. The solicitation consists of: (1) a parent funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for SBIR (PA-06-120), (2) a parent FOA for STTR (PA-06-121), and (3) narrative descriptions of the programs and research topics. See the 01/23/2006 NIH Guide Notice for more information.

January 19, 2006
The NIH has recently successfully completed its first major round of accepting SBIR and STTR electronic grant applications through the government-wide portal grants.gov and the NIH eRA Commons.  If you’re planning a submission in the near future, review the “Common Causes for Rejected Applications” website to learn of the mistakes that were commonly made and how to avoid them.

January 6, 2006
If you are planning to submit an NIH SBIR or STTR application, learn about the new electronic submission process and get prepared NOW! NIH is offering training at its Natcher Conference Center on the NIH Campus on January 11, 2006, and video cast participation is also available. This training will provide an overview of NIH's electronic submission transition plans, the submission process, and the new form set. A question and answer session will follow the formal presentations. Registration is required for both Natcher and Video Cast participation. Visit http://era.nih.gov/training/ElectronicSubmission/ for more information.

January 6, 2006
This is a reminder that any institution requiring an FWA that has not obtained an OHRP-approved renewal to its FWA prior to the expiration date will no longer be covered by an OHRP-approved assurance of compliance. Therefore, any ongoing human subjects research conducted or supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at your institution that is not exempt will need to be suspended until your institution submits, and OHRP approves, an FWA renewal. Submitting your institution's FWA in a timely manner for OHRP approval, if needed, will ensure the continuity of human subjects research conducted at your institution under an FWA. See the OHRP FAQ website for additional information.

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