Opportunity Information: Apply for 13 546
Apply for 13 546
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I Solicitation FY 2014" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 26, 2014 and posted on Mar 7, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by This opportunity has been archived.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $30,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 200 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following Only firms qualifying as a small business concern are eligible to participate in the SBIR program (see a hrefhttp://www.ecfr.gov/cgi bin/retrieveECFRgpampSID79b80c770d80d139e4ad800fb1eff912ampn13y1.0.1.1.17amprPARTamptyHTML#131.0.1.1.17.1.273 titleSize DeterminationSize Determination/afor more information). Socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women owned small business concerns are particularly encouraged to participate. For an SBIR Phase I Proposal, a minimum of two thirds of the research, as measured by the budget, must be performed by the small business concern and the balance may be outsourced to a consultant or subcontractor or a combination of the two. Proposals from joint ventures and partnerships are permitted, provided the entity created qualifies as a small business concern(see a hrefhttp://www.ecfr.gov/cgi bin/retrieveECFRgpampSID79b80c770d80d139e4ad800fb1eff912ampn13y1.0.1.1.17amprPARTamptyHTML#131.0.1.1.17.1.273 titleSize DeterminationSize Determination/afor more information).Proposing firms are also encouraged to take advantage of research expertise and facilities that may be available to them at colleges, universities, national laboratories, and from other research providers. Such collaborations may include research subcontracts, consulting agreements or the employment of faculty as senior personnel and of graduate or undergraduate students as assistants by the small business. br / PI Limit The primary employment of the Principal Investigator (PI) must be with the small business concern at the time of the award. A PI must spend a minimum of one calendar month on an SBIR Phase I project. Primary employment is defined as 51 employed by the small business. NSF considers afull timework week to be normally 40 hours and considers employment elsewhere of greater than 19.6 hours to be in conflict with this requirement.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I Solicitation for FY 2014 (Funding Opportunity Number 13-546) was a discretionary grant opportunity designed to help qualified U.S. small businesses turn high-quality research and development ideas into commercially viable technologies. The central aim of the program is to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector while strengthening the role small businesses play in meeting federal R&D needs. A major emphasis is moving federally supported research toward real-world use, with a clear focus on commercialization and measurable market impact. In line with SBIR statutory goals, NSF particularly encouraged participation from socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses and women-owned small businesses.
This solicitation was issued under the authority of the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-81). NSF positioned its SBIR program to serve both the agency mission and the legislation by supporting early-stage, high-risk, high-reward technologies that have strong potential to generate both societal benefits (for example, improved health outcomes, educational tools, or sustainability impacts) and economic benefits (such as new products, new companies, and job creation). To reflect current high-technology investment areas, NSF structured the solicitation around broad topic areas rather than narrow subfields, giving applicants flexibility to propose novel innovations that fit within NSF priorities while still being grounded in a plausible commercialization pathway.
For this Phase I solicitation, proposals were accepted under four primary topic domains: Biological and Chemical Technologies (BC), Education Applications (EA), Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies (EI), and Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials, and Manufacturing (NM). These topics were intentionally broad to accommodate a range of innovations, from new bio-based methods and chemical processes, to education-related technologies, to advanced computing and communications solutions, and to next-generation materials and manufacturing approaches. NSF also included an important program note discouraging applicants from submitting the same project idea to both the SBIR Phase I solicitation and the concurrent STTR Phase I solicitation, signaling that applicants should choose the most appropriate mechanism rather than duplicating submissions.
From a funding standpoint, the solicitation anticipated making about 200 awards with an estimated total program funding level of $30,000,000. The award floor listed was $150,000. The opportunity fell under CFDA 47.041 (Engineering Grants) and was categorized as Science and Technology and other Research and Development. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which is often attractive to early-stage companies that need non-dilutive capital to validate feasibility and reduce technical risk before pursuing later-stage funding or private investment.
Eligibility was limited to firms that qualify as a "small business concern" under applicable federal size determination rules. The solicitation allowed proposals from joint ventures and partnerships as long as the resulting entity met the small business concern requirements. A key Phase I performance requirement was that at least two-thirds of the research effort, measured by budget, had to be performed by the small business itself, with the remaining portion allowed to be outsourced to consultants and/or subcontractors. NSF also explicitly encouraged companies to leverage external expertise and facilities, including collaborations with universities, national laboratories, and other research providers, through subcontracts, consulting arrangements, or by bringing faculty and students onto the project team. This reflects NSF's interest in pairing strong scientific capability with a business-led commercialization plan.
Principal Investigator (PI) rules were clearly defined. The PI's primary employment needed to be with the small business at the time of award, with "primary employment" defined as at least 51 percent employment by the small business. NSF treated a normal full-time work week as 40 hours and considered outside employment greater than 19.6 hours per week to conflict with the primary employment requirement. In addition, the PI was required to devote at least one calendar month of effort to the Phase I project, reinforcing that the technical lead must be meaningfully engaged rather than nominally assigned.
The submission timeline for this archived opportunity was strict. The full proposal deadline was June 11, 2013, and proposals had to be submitted within the specified window of May 11, 2013 through June 11, 2013; submissions outside that window were returned without review. The opportunity was originally posted March 7, 2013, and later archived on June 26, 2014. For applicants needing access assistance, the solicitation referenced NSF's Grants.gov support contact (grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov) and pointed to NSF Publication 13-546 as the official program document.
Overall, this SBIR Phase I solicitation represented NSF's early-stage entry point for small businesses seeking to prove technical feasibility and establish a credible commercialization direction in high-impact technology areas. It combined research merit expectations with a strong market orientation, required the small business to perform the majority of the work, and set clear PI commitment and employment rules to ensure that funded projects were both technically serious and company-led.
FAQs: NSF SBIR Phase I Solicitation for FY 2014 (Funding Opportunity Number 13-546)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity was the National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I Solicitation for FY 2014, identified as Funding Opportunity Number 13-546. It was a discretionary grant opportunity intended to help qualified U.S. small businesses move strong research and development (R&D) ideas toward commercially viable technologies.
What was the main goal of the NSF SBIR Phase I program under this solicitation?
The central aim was to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector while strengthening the role small businesses play in meeting federal R&D needs. A major emphasis was moving federally supported research toward real-world use, with a clear focus on commercialization and measurable market impact.
What types of benefits was NSF looking for from funded projects?
NSF positioned the program to support early-stage, high-risk, high-reward technologies with potential for both societal benefits (for example, improved health outcomes, educational tools, or sustainability impacts) and economic benefits (such as new products, new companies, and job creation).
Under what legal authority was this solicitation issued?
This solicitation was issued under the authority of the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-81).
What topic areas were eligible for Phase I proposals?
Proposals were accepted under four primary topic domains:
- Biological and Chemical Technologies (BC)
- Education Applications (EA)
- Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies (EI)
- Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials, and Manufacturing (NM)
Why were the solicitation topics described as broad?
NSF structured the solicitation around broad topic areas rather than narrow subfields to give applicants flexibility to propose novel innovations that fit within NSF priorities while still being grounded in a plausible commercialization pathway.
How many awards and how much total funding were anticipated?
The solicitation anticipated making about 200 awards with an estimated total program funding level of $30,000,000.
What was the minimum award amount listed?
The award floor listed in the solicitation was $150,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The solicitation stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What CFDA number and category applied to this opportunity?
The opportunity fell under CFDA 47.041 (Engineering Grants) and was categorized as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to firms that qualify as a "small business concern" under applicable federal size determination rules.
Could joint ventures or partnerships apply?
Yes. The solicitation allowed proposals from joint ventures and partnerships as long as the resulting entity met the small business concern requirements.
How much of the Phase I work had to be performed by the small business?
At least two-thirds of the research effort, measured by budget, had to be performed by the small business itself. The remaining portion could be outsourced to consultants and/or subcontractors.
Were subcontractors, consultants, or research partners allowed?
Yes. NSF explicitly encouraged companies to leverage external expertise and facilities through subcontracts and consulting arrangements, including collaborations with universities, national laboratories, and other research providers. The solicitation also noted teams could bring faculty and students onto the project.
What were the Principal Investigator (PI) employment requirements?
The PI's primary employment needed to be with the small business at the time of award. "Primary employment" was defined as at least 51 percent employment by the small business.
How did NSF define a normal full-time work week for the PI rule?
NSF treated a normal full-time work week as 40 hours.
How much outside employment could conflict with the PI primary employment requirement?
The solicitation stated that outside employment greater than 19.6 hours per week would conflict with the primary employment requirement.
How much time did the PI have to commit to the Phase I project?
The PI was required to devote at least one calendar month of effort to the Phase I project.
What was the proposal submission window and deadline?
The full proposal deadline was June 11, 2013. Proposals had to be submitted within the specified window of May 11, 2013 through June 11, 2013.
What happened to proposals submitted outside the submission window?
Submissions outside that window were returned without review.
When was the opportunity posted and when was it archived?
The opportunity was originally posted on March 7, 2013 and was later archived on June 26, 2014.
Was there any guidance about submitting to SBIR and STTR at the same time?
Yes. NSF included a program note discouraging applicants from submitting the same project idea to both the SBIR Phase I solicitation and the concurrent STTR Phase I solicitation. Applicants were expected to choose the most appropriate mechanism rather than duplicating submissions.
Where could applicants get submission/access support related to Grants.gov?
The solicitation referenced NSF's Grants.gov support contact at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov for applicants needing access assistance.
What document was identified as the official program document for this solicitation?
The solicitation pointed to NSF Publication 13-546 as the official program document.
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