SBIR Companies - Don't Leave TABA Funding On The Table

      The SBA’s SBIR/STTR Policy Directive, which sets out the rules that agencies and SBIR companies have to follow under the SBA’s SBIR and STTR Program, contains discretionary “technical and business assistance” (TABA) provisions that some SBIR/STTR awardees may not be aware of.  These TABA rules allow agencies to provide SBIR and STTR awardees with certain business services or supplemental funding - above and beyond their SBIR/STTR awards - to pay for those business services.  In fact, as reflected in the Department of the Army’s latest component instructions for the Department of Defense's most recent SBIR Annual Broad Agency Announcement, the kinds of services covered under TABA may include Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) compliance services.  SBIR and STTR companies should, therefore,  make sure they are familiar with the TABA rules and agency procedures for requesting assistance.  Otherwise, they may find themselves leaving TABA funds on the table that could have been used to pay for significant  - if not vital - business services.

     Before 2019, the assistance available to SBIR/STTR awardees was limited to technical assistance and was capped at $5,000.  However, changes to the SBA Policy Directive in 2019 expanded the scope of the assistance available to SBIR/STTR awardees to also include business assistance in areas like product sales, intellectual property protection, market research, and development of regulatory and manufacturing plans.  The 2019 changes to the Policy Directive also increased the funding ceiling to $6,500 per year for Phase I awardees and $50,000 per project for Phase II awardees.

     Under the Policy Directive’s TABA rules, SBIR/STTR awardees that receive the supplemental TABA funds can use them to obtain services from agency-contracted vendors.  As indicated above, Army's preferred TABA vendor, for example, offers CMMC compliance services.   When certain conditions are met, SBIR/STTR awardees may obtain TABA services from their own vendors rather than from agency-contracted vendors. 

     The TABA services and funding set out in the Policy Directive are discretionary and not mandatory.  In fact, even within DoD, not all agencies offer them.  Also, although the Policy Directive broadly outlines the kinds of assistance that may be funded along with funding ceilings, agencies that offer TABA are free to set up more specific rules covering how and when SBIR/STTR awardees should apply for the assistance and setting lower caps on funding.    The Department of Navy, for example, currently limits Phase II TABA funding to $25,000 per award and offers an additional $25,000 in TABA funding only if there is a subsequent sequential Phase II award.

     SBIR companies and government contractors that wish to learn more about TABA can go to our TABA FAQ's web page for additional information.