Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 004332
Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 004332
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "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): 10.212 Small Business Innovation Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 19, 2013 and posted on Jun 19, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 26, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $18,300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Each applicant submitting an application must qualify as a small business concern for R/RD purposes at the time of award, (see definitions in section 2.0). A potential grantee that is a subsidiary must show that the parent company is also a small business entity and the parent company must provide documentation supporting their small business status (the documentation should be included in Field 12, Other Attachments, of the Research and Related (RR) Other Project Information form). If the parent company is not a small business entity, then the subsidiary is not eligible to submit an SBIR application. In addition, the primary employment of the Project Director (PD) must be with the small business concern at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed research, unless otherwise approved in writing by NIFA. Primary employment means that more than one half of the PD s time is spent in the employ of the small business. Primary employment with the small business precludes the applicant as a full time employee with another organization. This requirement applies to Phase I awards and any deviations from this requirement must be approved in writing by the USDA Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) after consultation with the appropriate National Program Leader (NPL). While the PD must work more than one half of his/her time for the small business during the entire grant period, there is no minimal time requirement for what percentage of the PD s time is spent working on the proposed research.
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Opportunity Summary:
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I grant opportunity is a discretionary federal funding program designed to help eligible small businesses explore the technical merit and commercial potential of innovative research and development ideas tied to agriculture and related fields. The program’s overall purpose is to stimulate early-stage R&D that can lead to real-world products, services, or processes, while supporting USDA’s broader vision of a healthy, productive nation that is in balance with natural resources such as land, air, and water. USDA notes that its SBIR topic areas are intentionally flexible, making room for a wide range of practical innovations, and it specifically encourages proposals involving agriculturally related manufacturing as well as alternative and renewable energy technologies across all of the 2014 topic areas.
For Phase I specifically, the funding is structured to support feasibility and proof-of-concept work. Individual awards fall within a defined budget range, with an award floor of $70,000 and an award ceiling of $100,000. The total estimated funding available for the overall competition was about $18.3 million. While the opportunity described here is for Phase I, USDA also highlights a typical pathway to Phase II for projects that demonstrate success in Phase I, with Phase II awards potentially reaching up to $450,000 to support further development toward commercialization. Reported historical success rates were approximately 14 percent for Phase I applications, and roughly 50 to 60 percent for Phase II among eligible Phase I awardees seeking follow-on support, reflecting that Phase I is more competitive and Phase II is more likely for projects that have already cleared the initial feasibility bar.
Eligibility centers on the applicant being a qualifying small business concern for research and R&D purposes at the time of award. If the applicant is a subsidiary, it must demonstrate that the parent company also qualifies as a small business; if the parent does not meet the small business definition, then the subsidiary is not eligible to apply. A key personnel rule also applies: the Project Director (PD) must have primary employment with the small business during the award period, meaning more than half of the PD’s working time must be spent employed by the small business. This requirement generally prevents the PD from being a full-time employee of another organization while serving in that role. USDA allows that exceptions may be possible, but only if approved in writing by the USDA Authorized Departmental Officer after consultation with the appropriate National Program Leader. Importantly, while the PD must be primarily employed by the small business, the announcement states there is no minimum percentage of the PD’s time that must be spent specifically on the proposed research itself, as long as the primary employment condition is maintained. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching funds.
Administratively, this opportunity was posted on June 19, 2013, with an original and current closing date of September 26, 2013, and an archive date of October 26, 2013. The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA SBIR 004332, and the program is listed under CFDA number 10.212 (Small Business Innovation Research). The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is agriculture. Applicants are directed to the 2014 USDA SBIR Request for Applications (RFA) for full topic descriptions and application instructions. For technical issues accessing the announcement, the NIFA Help Desk is listed as a point of contact at 202-401-5048 during standard weekday business hours (Eastern Time), excluding federal holidays.
USDA NIFA SBIR Phase I (CFDA 10.212) Grant Opportunity FAQs
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This is the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I grant opportunity. It is a discretionary federal funding program intended to help eligible small businesses explore the technical merit and commercial potential of innovative research and development (R&D) ideas related to agriculture and associated fields.
2) What is the purpose of USDA NIFA SBIR Phase I?
The purpose is to stimulate early-stage R&D (feasibility and proof-of-concept work) that can lead to real-world products, services, or processes. The program also supports USDA's broader vision of a healthy, productive nation that remains in balance with natural resources such as land, air, and water.
3) What types of projects does USDA encourage under this SBIR opportunity?
USDA notes that SBIR topic areas are intentionally flexible to allow a wide range of practical innovations. It specifically encourages proposals involving agriculturally related manufacturing as well as alternative and renewable energy technologies across all of the 2014 topic areas.
4) What does Phase I funding support?
Phase I is structured to support feasibility and proof-of-concept research. The focus is on exploring whether an innovative R&D idea is technically viable and has commercial potential.
5) How much funding can a Phase I award provide?
Individual Phase I awards fall within a defined budget range, with an award floor of $70,000 and an award ceiling of $100,000.
6) How much total funding was estimated to be available for the overall competition?
The total estimated funding available for the overall competition was about $18.3 million.
7) Is there a Phase II opportunity after Phase I?
Yes. While this opportunity is for Phase I, USDA describes a typical pathway to Phase II for projects that demonstrate success in Phase I. Phase II awards may reach up to $450,000 to support further development toward commercialization.
8) What were the reported historical success rates?
USDA reported historical success rates of approximately 14 percent for Phase I applications. For Phase II, the reported success rate was roughly 50 to 60 percent among eligible Phase I awardees seeking follow-on support.
9) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility centers on the applicant being a qualifying small business concern for research and R&D purposes at the time of award.
10) Can a subsidiary apply, and what rules apply to subsidiaries?
Yes, a subsidiary may apply, but it must demonstrate that its parent company also qualifies as a small business. If the parent does not meet the small business definition, the subsidiary is not eligible to apply.
11) What is the Project Director (PD) primary employment requirement?
The Project Director (PD) must have primary employment with the small business during the award period. "Primary employment" means more than half of the PD's working time must be spent employed by the small business.
12) Can the PD be a full-time employee of another organization while serving as PD?
Generally, the primary employment rule prevents the PD from being a full-time employee of another organization while serving as PD for this award, because the PD must spend more than half of their working time employed by the small business during the award period.
13) Are exceptions to the PD primary employment rule allowed?
USDA indicates exceptions may be possible, but only if approved in writing by the USDA Authorized Departmental Officer after consultation with the appropriate National Program Leader.
14) Is there a minimum percentage of the PD's time that must be spent on the proposed research?
No. The announcement states there is no minimum percentage of the PD's time that must be spent specifically on the proposed research, as long as the PD maintains the primary employment condition with the small business during the award period.
15) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching funds.
16) What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant.
17) What is the activity category?
The activity category is agriculture.
18) What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA number 10.212 (Small Business Innovation Research).
19) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA SBIR 004332.
20) Where do applicants find the full topic descriptions and application instructions?
Applicants are directed to the 2014 USDA SBIR Request for Applications (RFA) for full topic descriptions and application instructions.
21) What were the key dates for this posting?
The opportunity was posted on June 19, 2013. The original and current closing date was September 26, 2013. The archive date was October 26, 2013.
22) Who can be contacted for technical issues accessing the announcement?
For technical issues accessing the announcement, the NIFA Help Desk is listed as a point of contact at 202-401-5048 during standard weekday business hours (Eastern Time), excluding federal holidays.
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