FY 2021 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase II | 2021 NIST SBIR 02

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2021 NIST SBIR 02

The FY 2021 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase II opportunity from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a follow-on funding competition designed specifically for companies that previously received a FY 2020 NIST SBIR Phase I award. The core purpose of this Phase II notice is to help those Phase I projects that showed real technical promise and clear commercial potential move beyond early feasibility work and into more substantial research and development, including building and refining a working prototype. In other words, NIST is using Phase II to push the most viable Phase I concepts closer to a market-ready product or service by supporting the heavier R&D lift that typically comes after initial proof-of-concept.

This opportunity is offered as a discretionary federal funding program, and awards are made using a cooperative agreement mechanism. That generally means recipients can expect an ongoing relationship with the agency during the project period, with NIST having more involvement than it would in a standard grant. The funded work falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category (CFDA 11.620), reflecting the applied R&D focus typical of SBIR Phase II efforts.

Eligibility is extremely narrow and is the most important gating factor for this NOFO. Only FY 2020 NIST SBIR Phase I awardees are allowed to apply. Applications from any other entities, even if they are otherwise qualified small businesses, will not be reviewed or considered for award. On top of that, the applicant must meet the definition of a Small Business Concern (SBC) for research and development purposes, as described in the NOFO (referenced as Section 1.05), and the business must meet that SBC status at the time the Phase II award is made. The Principal Investigator (PI) must also have primary employment with the small business at the time of award and throughout the project. In this context, primary employment is defined very specifically as the PI spending more than half of their working time employed by the small business, which is a common SBIR requirement meant to ensure the key technical lead is truly embedded within the company executing the work.

From a project content standpoint, Phase II proposals must be comprehensive and forward-looking. NIST expects applicants to lay out a detailed R&D plan that builds directly on the Phase I outcomes, showing how the Phase I results will be expanded, validated, and engineered into a more mature prototype or deployable capability. Just as importantly, applicants must include a detailed commercialization plan explaining how the final product will reach the marketplace. The commercialization component is not treated as an optional add-on; it is a central expectation of SBIR Phase II, since the entire program is structured around translating federally supported innovation into practical, commercially useful technology.

In terms of funding and timeline, each NIST SBIR Phase II award under this NOFO can provide up to $400,000 for a period of performance of up to 24 months. That gives companies up to two years to execute the proposed R&D and prototype development activities. In addition to the work performed during the award, there is a required post-award accountability step: one year after completing the Phase II R&D effort, the awardee must report on commercialization activities. This follow-up reporting requirement is intended to track outcomes such as product development progress, sales, partnerships, licensing, investment raised, or other real-world indicators that the Phase II work is moving toward commercial impact.

Key administrative details provided in the source include the Funding Opportunity Number (2021 NIST SBIR 02), the original closing date for applications (June 7, 2021), and the creation date of the notice (April 7, 2021). While the notice does not list an award ceiling beyond the stated maximum of $400,000 per award and does not specify the expected number of awards in the excerpt provided, the central message is clear: this is a targeted Phase II invitation intended to advance a defined cohort of prior NIST Phase I awardees into the prototype development and commercialization planning stage, with strict eligibility rules and clear expectations for both technical execution and market-focused outcomes.

• The National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2021 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase II" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.620.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-04-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-06-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 2021 NIST SBIR 02

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