The ACSA Model

Putting together a strong SBIR/STTR proposal takes time. Drawing on the resources and expertise of NM FAST, ACSA provides a guided, structured track of support, from registration to submission. Throughout the 12-week program, participants will receive in-depth guidance on areas such as selecting the most NIH focus area, preparing and completing forms, generating an actionable research plan, and creating a complete proposal package that adheres to NIH requirements. Participants will also receive guidance on how to partner with either a Research Institution (RI) or small business if pursuing a STTR. Each week will focus on an aspect of proposal package development and the program culminates with a submission to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2021 SBIR/STTR Omnibus.

Weekly, participants can expect to:

• Attend a virtual meeting
• Complete a portion of their proposal package
• Receive feedback, guidance, and support from NM FAST

This ACSA agency-specific program focuses on NIH’s 2021 SBIR/STTR Omnibus. The NIH SBIR/STTR programs fund across twenty-seven Institutes and Centers (ICs) who look at technology and innovation across an array of research focus areas affecting health and healthcare for Americans. Typically, NIH research topics are broad, focusing on novel approaches that enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability, rather than addressing a specific need or issue within the agency.

Additionally, NIH also features special targeted SBIR/STTR funding announcements. These targeted Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) are typically released to solve current, critical health crises or to provide additional funding for health-related innovations that were previously awarded SBIR/STTR funds through a different agency.

Through the ACSA program, you’ll receive targeted support on the following areas of proposal development:

• Registrations
• Topic matching
• Letter(s) of support
• Forms
• Grant writing
• Budget creation
• Partnering

The NM FAST program will help you facilitate a meeting or phone call with an appropriate NIH program coordinator, conduct a professional review of your completed proposal package, and be on-call during the submission process.

We are looking for small businesses committed to submitting a proposal package to the NIH’s 2021 SBIR/STTR Omnibus.

Requirements include:

SBIR/STTR Program Eligibility:

• Having 500 or fewer employees;
• Being independently owned and operated and organized for profit;
• Having your principal place of business in the U.S.;
• Being at least 51% owned by U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens;
• Performing all work within the U.S.;
• Having the Principal Investigator (PI) spend more than one-half of their time employed by the proposing firm or Research Institution (RI) for an STTR submission; and,
• Having a minimum of two-thirds of the research work performed by the proposing firm in Phase I and one-half in Phase II, or a minimum of 40% of the research by the small business and 30% by the Research Institution (RI) during a Phase I for an STTR submission.

To participate in this NIH ACSA cohort, additional requirements must be met:

• Business or researcher must have ties to a university that is looking to transition technology to the commercial market.

• Priority positioning will be given to those who are part of, or working with, an ASCEND Hub Research Institution, which include:

  • Montana State University
  • New Mexico State University
  • University of Alaska, Anchorage
  • University of Alaska, Fairbanks
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa
  • University of Idaho
  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • University of Nevada, Reno
  • University of Montana
  • University of New Mexico
  • University of Wyoming
• Business or researcher must commit to preparing a SBIR/STTR proposal (submission may be deferred to a future deadline)