SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II applicants can request additional funding within their applications for technical and business assistance (TABA), which includes services like intellectual property support, customer discovery, market assessment, development of business strategies and manufacturing plans.
TABA is made available to awardees as a result of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. The legislation permits awardees to enter into agreements with one or more providers for TABA services.
The purpose of TABA funds are to assist recipients in:
- Making better technical decisions concerning projects
- Solving technical problems which arise during the conduct of projects
- Minimizing technical risks associated with projects
- Developing and commercializing new commercial products and processes resulting from projects, including intellectual property protections
- Screening for potential foreign involvement in technology development or commercialization activities
Applicants may request TABA funding to secure independent, external TABA providers or hire, augment, or direct staff to conduct or participate in training activities that are consistent with TABA purposes.
TABA funds may not be used for research and development (R&D) activities that are otherwise supported by the grant funds.
Examples include:
- Assistance with product sales
- Intellectual property protections
- Cybersecurity assistance
- Market research and/or validation
- Development of regulatory or manufacturing plans
- Access to technical and business literature available online
Examples include:
- Contributions to indirect costs or the SBIR/STTR fee
- General maintenance of, or investment in, the Small Business Concern
- Audit, bookkeeping, payroll, or general accounting services
- Contingency costs
- Costs associated with research and development activities of the award
Phase I
Phase I applicants can request up to an additional $6,500 for TABA services. Starting in Fiscal Year 2027, USDA will not have a Phase I TABA provider.
Phase I applicants must identify their own TABA provider(s) in their application. Applicants must include a TABA Plan, Vendor qualification statements, and TABA funds in the R&R budget "Other Direct Costs" and SF424.
Phase II
Phase II applicants can request up to $50,000 for TABA services. USDA does not have a Phase II TABA provider.
Phase II grant applicants must select their own TABA provider and include as part of their application the requested TABA amount in their SF424 and R&R budget as “Other Direct Costs,” along with a detailed budget justification, signed Vendor qualification statement from the provider and a TABA Plan.
For Phase II, TABA cannot be added after application submission.
Other TABA Considerations
Electing to use TABA will not take away from a company’s R&D budget. Rather, it is in addition to the USDA SBIR/STTR research and development funds and can only be used for TABA services.
Max TABA Budgets
Phase I
Available TABA funds: $6,500
| Vendor Options | Include Costs in Budget | Maximum Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Company Preferred Provider ONLY | Yes* | $181,500 (most topic areas) and $131,500 (topic areas 8.6 and 8.12) |
Phase II
Available TABA funds: $50,000
| Vendor Options | Include Costs in Budget | Maximum Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Company Preferred Provider ONLY | Yes* | $650,000 |
*Costs must be reflected in the funds requested on the SF-424 and on the F&F budget documents at time of application.
For questions on TABA, contact sbir@usda.gov.