NIH Offers Commercialization Assistance Program to SBIR Phase II Awardees; Applications Due September 1, 2011


Notice Number: NOT-OD-11-102

Key Dates

Release Date: August 5, 2011

Issued by

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to announce the availability of a Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) for NIH SBIR Phase II awardees. Now in its eighth year, this program is designed to help NIH SBIR Phase II awardees transition their SBIR-developed products into the marketplace. Through a contract with Larta Institute of Los Angeles, California, the CAP will provide early stage companies with individualized assistance toward accomplishing their commercialization goals. Please note that this program is not available to STTR awardees.

The 2011-2012 CAP will begin in October 2011 and will conclude at the end of June 2012.

The Commercialization Assistance Program is appropriate for the majority of NIH SBIR Phase II companies. Specifically, eligible companies include those with an NIH SBIR Phase II project (grant, contract, or cooperative agreement) that is or was active in the past five years, including Phase IIB competing renewal awards and those in the second phase of the Fast-Track program. Participants must, however, meet the SBIR small business eligibility criteria as described in the current SBIR Parent Funding Opportunity Announcement available from the NIH Small Business Funding Opportunities website https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm. Those who may have previously participated in the program may participate again providing they have a different qualifying Phase II award; however, companies that are first time applicants to the CAP will be given priority.

The program is aimed at assisting participants with evaluating their commercialization options based on their specific technologies (including the need and prospect for investment, strategic partnerships or licensing) and to develop a solid market-entry plan covering an 18-month period. The assistance rendered under CAP is practical, oriented to addressing gaps that exist in your current commercialization status, and will allow a company to fully articulate a compelling case for market channels relevant to your business and to develop a clear understanding of potential customers, partners, investors and competitors. These goals are achieved from contact with experienced advisors and live feedback from current industry executives and others. Company CEO participation is highly encouraged in this program.

CAP participation is free of charge for the selected companies; however, participants are responsible for travel and lodging expenses associated with attending workshops and partnering investment events. NOTE: NIH will not provide additional funding for this purpose; however, participants with a currently active Phase II SBIR award may rebudget funds within the total costs awarded to cover allowable travel expenses for CAP events without NIH prior approval unless the rebudgeting action constitutes a change in scope or if the terms of award prohibit the use of funds for this purpose.

Detailed program information and application instructions are available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/cap/index.htm . The deadline for submitting an application is September 12, 2011. Forty (40) companies will be selected to participate in this year’s NIH CAP by the end of September, 2011.

Inquiries

Please direct all program inquiries to:

Lenka Fedorkova, Ph.D.
CAP Program Manager
SBIR/STTR Assistant Program Manager
National Institutes of Health
6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 350
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 435-0921
FAX: (301) 480-0146
Email: sbir@od.nih.gov

Please direct inquiries related to submission of the web application to:

Judy Hsieh
Programs Manager
Larta Institute
606 Olive Street, Suite 650
Los Angeles, California 90014
Telephone: 213-538-1444
E-mail: jhsieh@larta.org