About the Small Business Innovation Research Program

Overview

CDC is committed to ensuring a competitive SBIR award process that results in mission-relevant projects of scientific excellence and technological innovation with the potential for commercialization.

The goals of our program are to:

• Stimulate technological innovation
• Use small businesses to meet federal public health research and research and development (R/R&D) needs
• Foster and encourage participation by emerging and undercapitalized small business concerns (SBCs) in technological innovation
• Increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from federal R/R&D funding

Eligible institutions/organizations

Only United States-based small business concerns (SBCs) are eligible to submit SBIR applications. An SBC is one that, on the date of award for both Phase I and Phase II funding agreements, meets all the criteria as described in the current SBIR parent funding opportunity announcements available at the NIH SBIR Funding Opportunities page.

Three phases of SBIR

Funding is awarded competitively and is available for only Phases I and II of the SBIR Program:

Phase I

• A Phase I award helps you focus on the feasibility, technical merit, and commercial potential of the research project. Grants are awarded up to $323,090* for projects typically lasting 6 months but may extend to 2 years.

Phase II

• A Phase II award lets you continue the research and development efforts initiated in Phase I. Funding is based on the results achieved in Phase I as well as the scientific, technical merit, and commercial potential of the project proposed in Phase II. Awards may be up to $2,153,927* for a project period of up to 2 years.

Phase III

• The objective of Phase III, where appropriate, is for the small business to pursue commercialization objectives resulting from the Phase I and Phase II federal Research/R&D activities. The SBIR program does not fund Phase III awards.

*CDC has a Small Business Administration (SBA) waiver allowing budgets above these limits for CDC's Grant Topic Areas of Interest.

CDC's SBIR funding opportunities

• NIH and CDC advertise the availability of grant support through notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs). Future NOFOs are forecasted on Grants.gov prior to opening for applications.

SBIR report fraud, waste, and abuse

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) promotes the effective, efficient, and economical operation of Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs and operations through audits, inspections, investigations, and other reviews. The HHS OIG Hotline accepts tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in HHS programs. The reporting individual should indicate the fraud, waste, and/or abuse concerns for an SBIR grant or contract, if relevant.

Combating fraud

What types of fraud are found in the SBIR Programs?

See Fraud, Waste, and Abuse details.

Knowing the rules

Which SBIR rules should you become particularly familiar with?

See Fraud, Waste, and Abuse details.

Consequences

What happens if you break the rules?

See Fraud, Waste, and Abuse details.

For more information or to report wrongdoing

HHS OIG Website

HHS Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fraud

HHS OIG Hotline Operations

Please direct all inquiries to: Office of Science, SBIR@cdc.gov, or 404-718-1386.

For questions related to fraud, waste, or abuse, contact us or the Strategic Business Initiatives (SBI) Unit, Office of the Chief Operating Officer (OCOO), at ERM@cdc.gov.

Resources

• Fraud, Waste and Abuse