NIST Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I | 2020 NIST SBIR 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2020 NIST SBIR 01

The NIST Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I opportunity is a federal research and development funding competition run by the Department of Commerce through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It is designed to support early-stage, high-impact R and D ideas from small businesses that have strong technical and scientific capabilities and can contribute to NIST mission needs. The goal of Phase I in the SBIR framework is typically to explore the scientific and technical merit of a concept and demonstrate feasibility, setting the stage for potential follow-on development and commercialization in later phases.

This particular Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), listed as "2020 NIST SBIR 01," invites proposals that clearly align with NIST-defined technical priorities. Applicants are expected to anchor their submission to a specific NIST technical program area that fits within one of the research areas described in Section 9 of the NOFO. In practical terms, this means a proposal cannot be generic or only loosely related to NIST interests; it needs to explicitly identify the relevant NIST program area and explain how the proposed work addresses that need. In addition to proposing within the defined topical areas, the NOFO also allows applicants to build proposals around a NIST-patented technology that is available for licensing, which creates a pathway for small businesses to commercialize government-developed innovations while performing targeted research under the award.

The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, categorized under discretionary funding and under the broad activity category of science and technology and other research and development. A cooperative agreement generally implies that the agency anticipates having substantial involvement during the project compared to a standard grant, which can include collaboration, technical guidance, or coordination related to programmatic goals. The assistance listing associated with this opportunity is CFDA 11.620.

For Phase I, the award ceiling is $100,000, and NIST anticipated making about 12 awards under this solicitation. The original posting date for this opportunity was February 18, 2020, with an original application closing date of April 22, 2020. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which signals that the detailed eligibility rules, including what qualifies as a small business and any ownership, size, or participation requirements typical of SBIR programs, are specified in the full NOFO rather than in the short summary fields.

Overall, this opportunity is aimed at small, science- and technology-driven businesses that can propose a focused Phase I research effort tightly matched to NIST priority topics (or leveraging licensable NIST intellectual property). A competitive application would be expected to clearly state the NIST technical area being addressed, outline a credible R and D plan appropriate for a Phase I feasibility effort, and explain how the work advances both the NIST mission need and the applicant's longer-term commercialization or technology transition pathway.

• The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIST Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.620.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 18, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 22, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 2020 NIST SBIR 01

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