Foa_Content_of_HHS-2025-ACL-NIDILRR-BISA-0108-1a.pdf

Administration for Community Living

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Phase I

HHS-2025-ACL-NIDILRR-BISA-0108

12/16/2024

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary

I. Funding Opportunity Description

NIDILRR SBIR Funding Restrictions:

Definitions

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Project Narrative

Table of Contents

Summary/ Abstract

Work Plan

Vitae/Biosketches of Key Project Personnel

References

Budget Narrative/Justification

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

Summary of Involved Individuals and Organizations

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

Informational Conference Call

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. Other Submission Requirements

Certifications and Statements:

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

Administrative and Policy Requirements--SBIR

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13)

Appendix

Instructions for Completing Required Forms

Budget Narrative/Justification- Sample Format

Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/ Abstract

ACL Center:

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Funding Opportunity Title:

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Phase I Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2025-ACL-NIDILRR-BISA-0108

Primary CFDA Number:

93.433 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

11/21/2024 Due Date for Applications:

12/16/2024 Date for Informational Conference Call:

11/13/2024 Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary https://www.grants.gov/

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living invites applications for new awards for NIDILRR's Fiscal year 2025 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 93.433). All SBIR projects funded by NIDILRR must address the needs of individuals with disabilities (see 29 U.S.C. 760). The scientific and technical merit of the proposed research/research and development (R/R&D) is the primary concern for all projects supported by NIDILRR.

I. Funding Opportunity Description NIDILRR’s mission is to generate new knowledge and to promote its effective use to improve the abilities of individuals with disabilities to perform activities of their choice in the community and to expand society’s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for its citizens with disabilities. All SBIR projects funded by NIDILRR must address the needs of individuals with disabilities (see 29 U.S.C. 760). An application to NIDILRR’s SBIR program must support this mission and should present a sound approach to the investigation of an important technological, engineering, or scientific question that it is worthy of support under the stated criteria of this program announcement. The applicant should review the program announcement carefully to ensure that information and data essential for evaluation are included.

The scientific and technical merit of the proposed research and research and development (R/R&D) is the primary concern for all work supported by NIDILRR.

The Small Business Administration defines the following activities as research or research and development (R/R&D):

1. A systematic, intensive study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the subject studied;

2. A systematic study directed specifically toward applying new knowledge to meet a recognized need; or

3. A systematic application of knowledge toward the production of useful materials, devices, and systems or methods, including design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet specific requirements.

The application's R/R&D must be responsive to NIDILRR’s SBIR program objectives, and it should also serve as the basis for technological innovation, new commercial products, or processes or services.

The purpose of the Federal SBIR program is to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector and to strengthen the role of small business in meeting Federal research or research and development (R/R&D) needs. The specific purpose of NIDILRR’s SBIR program is to increase the commercial application of research and development results and improve the return on investment from research and development that can be used to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.

An applicant should consult NIDILRR’s Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2024-2028 when preparing its application. The Long-Range Plan is organized around the following outcome domains:

• Community living and participation;

https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/about-acl/2019-01/NIDILRR%20LRP-2018-2023-Final.pdf

• Health and function; and

• Employment.

Applicants for these SBIR projects must specify in their abstract and project narrative which of NIDILRR's major outcome domains their proposed project will address. Although applicants may propose projects that address more than one domain, they should select the primary domain addressed in their proposed project.

An applicant must demonstrate, in its original application, that people with disabilities from diverse racial and ethnic communities will be included in proposed samples in sufficient numbers to generate knowledge or products that are relevant to the racial and ethnic diversity of the population of people with disabilities being addressed. The applicant must describe and justify, in its original application, the planned racial and ethnic distribution of people with disabilities who will participate in the proposed R/R&D activities.

Applicants must ensure that all materials, websites and information technology tools and products that they plan to develop or maintain are accessible, and that electronic materials are produced in full compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d). For websites this compliance currently requires meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0/2.1 AA success criteria. Applications must demonstrate an ability to meet these requirements.

Applicants must address topics that support NIDILRR's mission as described above. For FY 2025, there are several invitational priorities of interest to the agency (see below). We do not give an application that meets one of these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

1. Technology or products to address the needs, experiences, and outcomes of people with disabilities that are related to climate change.

2. Technology or products focused on oral health among people with disabilities.

3. Enhanced sensory or motor function of individuals with disabilities through the development of technology to support improved functional capacity.

4. Enhanced workforce participation through the development of technology to increase access to employment, promote sustained employment, and support employment advancement for individuals with disabilities.

5. Enhanced community living and participation for individuals with disabilities through the development of voting technology that improves access for individuals with disabilities.

6. Improved health-care interventions through the development of technology to support independent access to community health-care services for individuals with disabilities.

7. Technology that increases access to caregiving for individuals with disabilities. This can include access to personal care assistants.

Applicants should describe the approaches they expect to use to collect empirical evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the knowledge or products they are proposing to create. This empirical evidence should facilitate the assessment of the efficacy and usefulness of the knowledge or products.

Consultative or other arrangements between small business applicants and universities or other nonprofit organizations are permitted, but the small business concern must serve as the grantee.

The three phases of the SBIR program are:

PHASE I – Phase I is intended to determine, insofar as possible, the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of ideas submitted under the SBIR program. The application should concentrate on research that will significantly contribute to proving the scientific or technical feasibility of the approach or concept, a prerequisite to further ACL/NIDILRR support in Phase II.

Applications are evaluated by panels of expert reviewers based on criteria published in this funding opportunity announcement. Awards are for periods up to six months. The maximum award amount includes both direct and indirect costs and any reasonable profit/fee requested.

PHASE II – Phase II is intended to expand on the results of and to further pursue the development of Phase I projects. Phase II is the principal research or R&D effort. It requires a more comprehensive application, outlining the effort in detail including its commercial potential.

All Phase I awardees with approaches that appear sufficiently promising are eligible to apply for Phase II. Once again, applications are evaluated based on published criteria by panels of experts.

Awards are for periods up to two years. The maximum award amount includes both direct and indirect costs and fees. The second year of the Phase II award will be approved contingent upon submission of an annual performance report and the demonstration of substantial progress in the first year.

PHASE III – In Phase III, the small business must use non-SBIR capital to pursue commercial applications of the research or research and development. Also, under Phase III Federal agencies may award non-SBIR follow-on funding for products or processes that meet the needs of those agencies. NIDILRR does not participate in Phase III.

For Phase I projects, at least two-thirds of the research or analytic activities must be performed by the small business concern grantee.

Note: NIDILRR encourages all applicants to adhere to universal design principles and guidelines. The term “universal design” is defined as “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design” (The Center for Universal Design, 1997). Universal design of consumer products minimizes or alleviates barriers that reduce the ability of individuals with disabilities to effectively or safely use standard consumer products.

NIDILRR SBIR Funding Restrictions:

A firm must not propose market research, patent applications, or litigation. Projects that propose service provision without a research/development component will not be considered.

Starting in FY 2020, NIDILRR will not review SBIR applications or make SBIR awards that are used exclusively for research and development toward mobile applications (apps). A mobile application is defined as a program or software application designed to run on a mobile hardware device such as a smart phone, tablet, or watch. NIDILRR will only support development of mobile applications through its SBIR program if the mobile application is integral to a piece of hardware that is also being developed through the SBIR grant funding.

https://design.ncsu.edu/research/center-for-universal-design/

At current funding levels, grantees who receive NIDILRR SBIR Phase I and Phase II funding receive a total of $675,000. This funding is provided over a course of three years, at a minimum.

This funding level is significantly higher than available estimates for the development of mobile applications (Jones, Mueller, Morris, 2016). Mobile applications developed over the course of a three-year funding period also face serious risks of being obsolete by the end of the grantee performance period. For information about other NIDILRR-funded programs that support the development of mobile applications, please contact Brian Bard at Brian.Bard@acl.hhs.gov.

References:

Jones, M., Mueller, J., & Morris, J. (2016). App Factory: A flexible approach to rehabilitation engineering in an era of rapid technology advancement. Assistive Technology, 29(2), 85–90.

https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2016.1211201.

Definitions The Small Business Administration (SBA) developed the following definitions relevant to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program:

Act The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631, et seq.), as amended.

Commercialization

The process of developing products, processes, technologies, or services and the production and delivery (whether by the originating party or others) of the products, processes, technologies, or services for sale to or use by the Federal government or commercial markets.

Computer Software

Computer Programs, source code, source code listings, object code listings, design details, algorithms, processes, flow charts, formulae, and related material that would enable the software to be reproduced, recreated, or recompiled. Computer Software does not include Computer Databases or Computer Software Documentation.

Covered Small Business Concern

A small business concern that:

(1) Was not majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies (VCOCs), hedge funds, or private equity firms on the date on which it submitted an application in response to a solicitation under the SBIR program; and (2) Is majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms on the date of the SBIR award.

Data

All recorded information, regardless of the form or method of recording or the media on which it may be recorded. The term does not include information incidental to contract or grant administration, such as financial, administrative, cost or pricing or management information.

Funding Agreement https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2016.1211201

Any contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into between any Federal agency and any SBC for the performance of experimental, developmental, or research work, including products or services, funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government.

Innovation

Something new or improved, having marketable potential, including (1) development of new technologies, (2) refinement of existing technologies, or (3) development of new applications for existing technologies.

Intellectual Property

The separate and distinct types of intangible property that are referred to collectively as "intellectual property," including but not limited to: patents; trademarks; copyrights; trade secrets; SBIR technical data (as defined in this section); ideas; designs; know-how; business, technical and research methods; and other types of intangible business assets, including all types of intangible assets either proposed or generated by an SBC as a result of its participation in the SBIR Program.

Joint Venture

See 13 C.F.R. §121.103(h)

Just-in-Time (JIT)

Just-in-Time (JIT) is defined as a process that allows a signing official (applicant) to submit additional award application information that is requested by the awarding agency after the completion of the peer review, and prior to funding. This includes (but is not limited to) required certification forms, and foreign disclosure forms.

Key Individual

The principal investigator/project manager and any other person named as a “key” employee in a proposal submitted in response to a program solicitation.

Principal Investigator/Project Manager

The one individual designated by the applicant to provide the scientific and technical direction to the project that will be supported by the funding agreement.

Prototype

A model of something to be further developed, which includes designs, protocols, questionnaires, software, and devices.

Research or Research and Development (R/R&D)

Any activity that is: (1) A systematic, intensive study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the subject studied; (2) A systematic study directed specifically toward applying new knowledge to meet a recognized need; or (3) A systematic application of knowledge toward the production of useful materials, devices, and systems or methods, including design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet specific requirements.

SBIR/STTR Data

All Data developed or generated in the performance of an SBIR or STTR award, including Technical Data and Computer Software developed or generated in the performance of an SBIR or STTR award. The term does not include information incidental to contract or grant administration, such as financial, administrative, cost or pricing or management information.

SBIR/STTR Data Rights

The Government’s license rights in properly marked SBIR/STTR Data during the SBIR/STTR Protection Period as follows: SBIR/STTR Technical Data Rights in SBIR/STTR Data that are Technical Data or any other type of Data other than Computer Software and SBIR/STTR Computer Software Rights in SBIR/STTR Data that is Computer Software. Upon expiration of the protection period for SBIR/STTR Data, the Government has a royalty-free license to use, and to authorize others to use on its behalf, these Data for Government Purposes, and is relieved of all disclosure prohibitions and assumes no liability for unauthorized use of these Data by third parties. The Government receives Unlimited Rights in all Form, Fit, and Function Data, OMIT Data, and unmarked SBIR/STTR Data.

SBIR/STTR Protection Period

The period of time during which the Government is obligated to protect SBIR/STTR Data against unauthorized use and disclosure in accordance with SBIR/STTR Data Rights. The SBIR/STTR Protection Period begins at award of an SBIR/STTR Funding Agreement and ends not less than twenty years from that date. (See § 8(b)(4) of this Policy Directive).

SBIR/STTR Technical Data Rights

The Federal Government’s rights during the SBIR/STTR Protection Period in SBIR/STTR Data that are Technical Data or any other type of Data other than Computer Software.

(1) The Government may, use, modify, reproduce, perform, display, release, or disclose SBIR/STTR Data that are Technical Data within the Federal Government; however, the Federal Government shall not use, release, or disclose the data for procurement, manufacture or commercial purposes; or release or disclose the SBIR/STTR Data outside the Government except as permitted by paragraph (2) below or by written permission of the Awardee.

(2) SBIR/STTR Data that are Technical Data may be released outside the Federal Government without any additional written permission of the Awardee only if the non- Governmental entity or foreign government has entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the Federal Government that complies with the terms for such agreements outlined in § 8 of this Policy Directive and the release is:

(i) Necessary to support certain narrowly-tailored essential Government activities for which law or regulation permits access of a non-Government entity to a contractors’ data developed exclusively at private expense, non-SBIR/STTR Data, such as for emergency repair and overhaul;

(ii) To a Government support services contractor in the performance of a Government support services contract for internal Government use or activities, including evaluation, diagnosis or modification provided that SBIR/STTR Technical Data incorporated into any derivative Data are subject to the rights in paragraph (ii), and the release is not for commercial purposes or manufacture;

(iii) To a foreign government for purposes of information and evaluation if required to serve the interests of the U.S. Government; or

(iv) To non-Government entities or individuals for purposes of evaluation.

Small Business Concern (SBC)

A concern that meets the SBIR/STTR program eligibility requirements set forth in 13 CFR 121.702, “What size and eligibility standards are applicable to the SBIR and STTR programs?”.

Socially and Economically Disadvantaged SBC (SDB)

See 13 CFR. part 124,subpart B.

Subcontract

Any agreement, other than one involving an employer/employee relationship, entered into by an awardee of a funding agreement calling for supplies or services required solely for the performance of the original funding agreement.

United States

The 50 states, the territories and possessions of the Federal Government, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

Woman-Owned Small Business Concern (WOSB)

An SBC that is at least 51% owned by one or more women, or in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by women, and women control the management and daily business operations.

Statutory Authority The Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982, Pub. L. 97–219, as amended (15 U.S.C. 631 and 638); the SBIR and STTR Reauthorization Act of 2022; and Title II of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 760 et seq.).

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$1,100,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$100,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$95,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

Other Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' 6-month project period.

The Administration has requested funding for the NIDILRR program for FY 2025. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final Congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2026 from the list of approved but unfunded applicants from this competition.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants For FY 2024 the below guidance is provided to advance the Administration’s policy, as stated in E.O. 13985, to “pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” This guidance is intended to begin to address inequities in HHS programs, processes, and policies that may serve as barriers to equal opportunity. By advancing equity in our NOFOs, we can “create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone.”

Each organization submitting an application must qualify at the time of the award as a small business concern as defined by the Small Business Administration.

Consultative or other arrangements between applicant firms and universities or other nonprofit organizations are permitted, but the small business concern must serve as the grantee. For Phase I projects, at least two-thirds of the research or analytic activities must be performed by the small business concern/grantee.

NIDILRR measures the percentage effort spent on research or analytic activities by examining the time or percent effort of each collaborator in the application.

In addition, the primary employment of the principal investigator must be with the small business firm at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed research. That is, more than one-half of the principal investigator’s working time must be spent with the small business firm during the period of performance. Also, for both Phase I and Phase II, the research or R&D work must be performed in the United States.

Joint ventures are permitted, provided that the business entity created qualifies as a small business in accordance with the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 631. For Phase I, the proposing firm must perform at least two-thirds of the research and/or analytic effort. Furthermore, the total of all consultant fees, facility leases or usage fees, and other subcontracts or purchase agreements may not exceed one third of the total funding agreement price.

SBIR Eligibility Checklist

• For-profit small business concern.

• At least 51% U.S.-owned and independently operated.

• Small business located in the U.S.

• Principal investigator’s primary employment with small business during the project.

• 500 or fewer employees.

Additional Eligibility Considerations:

SBA Company registry

All applicants to the SBIR and STTR programs are required to register at the SBA Company Registry prior to application submission and attach proof of registration. Completed registrations will receive a unique SBC Control ID and .pdf file. If applicants have previously registered, you are still required to attach proof of registration. The SBA Company Registry recommends verification with SAM, but a SAM account is not required to complete the registration. In order to be verified with SAM, your email address must match one of the contacts in SAM. If you are unsure what is listed in SAM for your company, you may verify the information on the SAM site. Confirmation of your company's DUNS is necessary to verify your email address in SAM.

Follow these steps listed below to register and attach proof of registration to your application.

a. If you are a previous SBIR/STTR awardee from any agency, go to https:www.sbir.gov and log into your SBIR.GOV user account. Click on DASHBOARD and select SBC Registration (Proof of Registration/ Certification) from MY DOCUMENT BOX.

b. If you are a first-time applicant, navigate to the SBA Company Registry and use the registration tool to complete your company’s registration.

c. Download and save your SBA registry PDF locally. The name will be in the format of SBC_123456789.pdf, where SBC_123456789 (9-digit number) is your firm’s SBC Control ID. DO NOT CHANGE OR ALTER THE FILE NAME. Changing the file name may cause delays in the processing of your application.

d. When you are completing the application package, attach this SBA registry PDF as an attachment.

For questions and for technical assistance concerning the SBA Company Registry, please contact the SBA at http://sbir.gov/feedback?type=reg.

Performance Benchmark Requirements

Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate Benchmark: In accordance with guidance from the SBA, the HHS SBIR/STTR Program is implementing the Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate benchmark required by the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 and the SBIR and STTR Extension Act of 2022. The benchmark establishes a minimum number of Phase II awards the company must have received relative to a given number of Phase I awards received during the 5-fiscal year time period. The Transition Rate is calculated as the total number of SBIR and STTR Phase II awards a company received during the past 5 fiscal years divided by the total number of SBIR and STTR Phase I awards it received during the past 5 fiscal years excluding the most https://app.www.sbir.gov/company-registration/overview https://app.www.sbir.gov/company-registration/overview https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ https://www.sbir.gov https://app.www.sbir.gov/company-registration/overview http://sbir.gov/feedback?type=reg recently-completed year. The Transition Rate requirement, agreed upon and established by all 11 SBIR agencies, was published for public comment in a Federal Register Notice on October 16, 2012 (77 FR 63410) and amended on May 23, 2013 (78 FR 30951).

• For SBIR and STTR Phase I applicants that have received more than 20 Phase I awards over the past 5 fiscal years (excluding the most recently-completed fiscal year):

Companies that do not meet or exceed the benchmark minimum Transition Rate of 0.25 will not be eligible to apply for a Phase I, Fast-Track, or Direct Phase II (if available) award for a period of one year from the date of the application submission. This requirement does not apply to companies that have received 20 or fewer Phase I awards over the prior 5-fiscal year period.

• For application deadlines that fall on or after April 5, 2023: For SBIR and STTR Phase I applicants that have received more than 50 Phase I awards over the past 5 fiscal years (excluding the most recently-completed fiscal year): Companies that do not meet or exceed the benchmark minimum Transition Rate of 0.5 will not be eligible to receive more than 20 total Phase I and Phase II awards for a period of one year from the date on which such determination is made. This requirement does not apply to companies that have received 50 or fewer Phase I awards over the 5-fiscal year period.

On June 1 of each year, SBA will identify the companies that fail to meet minimum performance requirements. SBA calculates individual company Phase I to Phase II Transition Rates using SBIR and STTR award information across all federal agencies. SBA will notify companies and the relevant officials at the participating agencies. More information on the Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate requirement is available at SBIR.gov.

Phase II to Commercialization Benchmark: In accordance with guidance from the SBA, the HHS SBIR/STTR Programs are implementing the Phase II to Commercialization Rate benchmark for Phase I applicants, as required by the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 and the SBIR and STTR Extension Act of 2022. The Commercialization Rate Benchmark was published in a Federal Register notice on August 8, 2013 (78 FR 48537), with a reopening of the comment period published on September 26, 2013 (78 FR 59410).

• For companies that have received more than 15 Phase II awards from all agencies over the past 10 fiscal years (excluding the two most recently completed fiscal year):

Companies that meet this criterion must show an average of at least $100,000 in revenues and/or investments per Phase II award or at least 0.15 (15%) patents per Phase II award resulting from these awards during the past 10- fiscal year period. Applicants that fail this benchmark will not be eligible to apply for New Phase I, Fast-track or Direct Phase II (if applicable) awards for a period of one year. This requirement does not apply to companies that have received 15 or fewer Phase II awards over the 10-fiscal year period, excluding the two most recently-completed fiscal years.

• For application deadlines that fall on or after April 5, 2023: For companies that have received more than 50 Phase II awards from all agencies over the past 10-fiscal years (excluding the two most recently completed Fiscal Year): Companies that meet this criterion must show an average of at least $250,000 of aggregated sales and investment per Phase II award over the past 10-fiscal year period. Applicants that fail this benchmark will not be eligible to receive more than 20 total Phase I and Phase II awards for a period of one year from the date on which such determination is made. This requirement does http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-08-08/pdf/2013-19247.pdf not apply to companies that have received 50 or fewer Phase II awards over the 10-fiscal year period, excluding the two most recently-completed fiscal years.

• For application deadlines that fall on or after April 5, 2023: For companies that have received more than 100 Phase II awards from all agencies over the past 10-fiscal years (excluding the two most recently completed Fiscal Year): Companies that meet this criterion must show an average of at least $450,000 of aggregated sales and investment per Phase II award over the past 10-fiscal year period. Applicants that fail this benchmark will not be eligible to receive more than 20 total Phase I and Phase II awards for a period of one year from the date on which such determination is made. This requirement does not apply to companies that have received 100 or fewer Phase II awards over the 10-fiscal year period, excluding the two most recently-completed fiscal years.

On June 1 of each year, SBA will identify the companies that fail to meet minimum performance requirements. SBA will notify companies and the relevant officials at the participating agencies.

More information on the Phase II to Commercialization requirement is available at SBIR.gov.

Administration for Community Living staff will examine all SBIR grant applications with the above considerations in mind. If it appears that an applicant organization does not meet the eligibility requirements, we will request an evaluation by the SBA. Under circumstances in which eligibility is unclear, we will not make an SBIR award until the SBA makes a determination that the applicant is eligible under its definition of small business concern.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients are not expected to provide cost sharing or matching. However, recipients are allowed to voluntarily propose a commitment of non-federal resources. If an applicant decides to voluntarily contribute non-federal resources towards project costs and the costs are accepted by ACL, the non-federal resources will be included in the approved project budget. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to meet the voluntary amount of non-federal resources that was accepted by ACL as part of the approved project costs and that was identified in the approved budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria Application Responsiveness Criteria Applicants must propose Phase I R/R&D projects that support NIDILRR's mission of improving the lives of individuals with disabilities in at least one of the following outcome domains: (1) community living and participation, (2) health and function, or (3) employment. As noted in Section I, NIDILRR will not consider applications or fund SBIR grants that are intended exclusively for research and development toward mobile applications (apps).

Application Screening Criteria We will screen all applications and will reject any applications that:

• Are submitted after the deadline;

• Propose a budget that exceeds $100,000; or

• Propose a project period that exceeds six months.

• Propose the development of mobile applications;

• Propose service provision instead of research or research & development;

• Are submitted by non-profit entities; or

• Do not propose research or research & development that targets people with disabilities as a specific population.

The Project Narrative section of the application must be double-spaced, on 8 1/2” X 11” pages with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of not less than 12. The project narrative must not exceed 40 double-spaced pages. For project narratives that exceed 40 double-spaced pages, NIDILRR will instruct reviewers to disregard all of the content on the pages beyond the 40th page.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application materials can be obtained from https://www.grants.gov or https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants.

Please note, ACL requires applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov in Workspace. Grants.gov Workspace is the standard way for organizations and individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. An overview and training on Grants.gov Workspace can be found here at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

• At the https://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

• All applicants must have a UEI and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www.sam.gov to learn more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at:

SAM.GOV Quick Start Guide for Financial Assistance Registrations.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

1.

• Note: Failure to submit the correct EIN Suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

• Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division (OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

2. Register in SAM prior to submitting an application or plan;

3. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by an OPDIV; and

4. Provide its UEI number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a UEI number at the time the subaward is made.

• The Federal Government will transition from the DUNS Number to the New

Unique Entity Identifier. As of April of 2022, the federal government stopped using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in SAM.gov. It is entered on the SF-424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities.

• You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide.

Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM. Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from https://www.grants.gov that contains https://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from https://www.grants.gov.

https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=54e0016fdb3bbd90a8cb4a3913961934 https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov

If you have any questions about the programmatic or substantive requirements of this funding opportunity, please contact the competition manager:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living

Brian Bard Brian.Bard@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent Due Date for Letter Of Intent 11/21/2024

11/21/2024 Applicants are requested, but not required, to submit a letter of intent to apply for this funding opportunity to assist ACL in planning for the application independent review process. The purpose of the letter of intent is to allow our staff to estimate the number of independent reviewers needed and to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review. Letters of intent should be sent to:

Megan.Alvarado@acl.hhs.gov

Each LOI should be limited to a maximum of four pages and include the following information:

In your email include:

• The funding opportunity number and title.

• The name and contact information for the project principal investigator.

• A brief description of the proposed activities.

• A list of key individuals and their organizations that will have a significant role in your project.

• A list of individuals whose selection as a peer reviewer might constitute a conflict of interest due to their involvement in the application development.

For further information regarding the LOI submission process, contact Megan Alvarado.

Project Narrative The project narrative portion of your application is where you describe your proposed project and address the general requirements for SBIR and the review criteria. This section should include a description of the project's goal(s) and major objectives. Each applicant must limit the project narrative to the equivalent of no more than 40 pages, using the following standards:

• A page is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.

• Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative. You are not required to double space titles, headings, footnotes, references, and captions, or text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. Use a font size that is not less than size 12. Applicants who unnecessarily place narrative text in tables to avoid the double-spacing requirement run the risk of exceeding the page limit.

• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New or Arial.

• Include all critical information in the project narrative, minimizing the need for additional appendices.

• Ensure that you attach .PDF files only for any attachments to your application. While you are able to attach files to your application in formats other than PDF, non-PDF files are converted into PDF format before reviewers see and evaluate your application. The conversion to PDF format may not maintain your original formatting. Therefore to ensure the integrity of your application documents -- we strongly recommend that you attach only PDF files as you submit your application.

• Applicants are invited (but not required) to submit a video demonstrating their proposed research / research and development, and the product or products that they anticipate will result from that work. If applicants include a hyperlink to such a video in the project narrative section of their application, NIDILRR will instruct reviewers to copy and paste that hyperlink into a web browser and view it. If an applicant provides a hyperlink to such a video, the video must be no longer than five minutes.

• Applicants may include graphics in their applications. To help ensure that such graphics are accessible to reviewers who are blind or have low vision, applicants should provide written descriptions of those graphics.

NOTE: The page limit does not apply to the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the table of contents, the budget narrative, the forms, the one page abstract, the resumes/vitae, the references, the letters of commitment/collaboration, or the summary of involved individuals and organizations. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the project narrative section.

Each applicant must limit their project narrative to the equivalent of no more than 40, double-spaced pages. For project narratives that exceed 40 double-spaced pages, NIDILRR will instruct reviewers to disregard all of the content on the pages beyond the 40th page.

Be sure to:

• Begin numbering the first page in Arabic numerals (“1”) and number the pages consecutively throughout the document.

• Include all critical information in the project narrative, minimizing the need for additional appendices.

• Include a complete bibliography listing all material that was referenced in the project narrative (this does not count toward the page limit).

Table of Contents The table of contents should show where and how the important sections of your proposal are organized. While the application will be submitted electronically, the reviewers may use printed copies during the review process. The table of contents will assist reviewers in more efficiently and effectively evaluating your application. Applicants should consider using the Table of Contents to describe to reviewers where in the application each of the review criteria are being addressed.

Summary/ Abstract The one-page abstract should be a comprehensive description of what the whole project is, not a description of the competency of the institution or project director. It is not an executive summary. Applicants are required to include a one-page (single- or double-spaced) project summary of the proposed R/R&D including at least the following:

1. Name and address of SBC.

2. Name and title of principal investigator or project manager.

3. Agency name, CFDA number (93.433), and the words “SBIR Phase I”.

4. Title of project.

5. Technical abstract.

6. Summary of the anticipated results and implications of the approach (both Phases I and

II) and the potential commercial applications of the research.

Note: Nothing in this section should be proprietary or confidential.

Work Plan Applicants must provide a Work Plan (Plan of Operation) in their Project Narrative. The Work Plan should cover the 6-month project period. The Work Plan should include a statement of the project's overall goal(s), anticipated outcome(s), and the major tasks that are proposed to achieve the goal and outcome(s). For each major task, the Work Plan should identify time frames involved and the lead person responsible for the task. A "Project Work Plan - Sample Template" is provided in the Appendix section of this Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Vitae/Biosketches of Key Project Personnel Vitae or biosketches of key project personnel should include information that is specifically pertinent to the applicant’s proposed project. Applicants are encouraged to use NIH’s biosketch format, which provides reviewers with a concise description of training, expertise, and productivity that is relevant to the proposed project.

References Applicants should provide references for works cited in the Project Narrative. Applicants may provide references in any format (i.e., APA, AMA, MLA), though the formatting should be consistent.

Budget Narrative/Justification This part requires an itemized budget breakdown for the six-month project period and the basis for estimating the costs of personnel salaries, benefits, project staff travel, materials and supplies, consultants and subcontracts, indirect costs, and any other projected expenditures.

There are no additional cost share requirements for this program.

The Appendix section of this Funding Opportunity Announcement includes a sample format for your budget narrative/justification.

The application must include the submission of cost or budget data. Use the Standard Form 424A to present a complete budget summary for the proposed project dates. You must also https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm provide a justification for this budget by including a detailed narrative description for each budget line item. This narrative will be uploaded separately from Standard Form 424A.

Indirect Costs:

NIDILRR follows the Uniform Guidance (UG) found at 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

The UG requires an approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) or de-minimus rate to obtain indirect cost rate reimbursement. If your organization does not currently have a negotiated indirect cost rate and is applying for a grant, regulations allow you to apply the de-minimus indirect cost rate of 10% to your modified total direct costs (MTDC). MTDC means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award).