USDA is offering the Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Programs Phase II Grant for Commercialization

SBIR/STTR Phase I awardees who have not previously applied for Phase II support are eligible to apply for Phase II support through the FY 2024 and FY 2025 RFAs. This includes those awardees identified via a “novated” or “successor-in-interest” revised funding agreement. A Phase I project may only apply for a Phase II award once. If a Phase I awardee was unsuccessful in receiving a Phase II award with a previous application, then the awardee is not eligible to resubmit the proposal under this or a future Phase II program solicitation.

Each applicant must qualify as a SBC through registration with the SBA for R/R&D purposes at the time of selection (see Definitions in Appendix III of this RFA). Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

SBIR/STTR program eligibility requirements are in place to ensure that the funds go only to small, independent U.S. businesses. The regulations include restrictions about (1) the type of firm, (2) its ownership structure, and (3) the firm’s size in terms of the number of employees.

The Small Business Administration (SBA), through the SBIR/STTR Policy Directive, provides policy guidance for these programs. A main purpose of the legislation is to stimulate technological innovation and increase private sector commercialization among small business concerns and enable them to undertake and to obtain the benefits of research and development in order to maintain and strengthen the competitive free enterprise system and the national economy. The goal of Phase II is to continue research and development while increasing the focus on commercialization. The STTR program aims to foster technology transfer through formal cooperative R&D between small businesses and nonprofit research institutions. The USDA SBIR/STTR programs Assistance Listing 10.212, is therefore in a unique position to meet both the goals of USDA and the purpose of the SBIR/STTR legislation by transforming scientific discovery and innovation both social and economic benefit, and by emphasizing private sector commercialization.