HHS Limits SBIR/STTR Applications Per Small Business Concern to Nine Per Fiscal Year
Summary
HHS has implemented a new policy under the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act limiting the number of SBIR and STTR applications a Small Business Concern, including its affiliates, may submit across HHS per fiscal year. The maximum is nine applications per Small Business Concern per fiscal year, encompassing grants, cooperative agreements, and contract proposals. This policy applies to all SBIR and STTR activity codes for applications with due dates on or after April 13, 2026.
“HHS will accept a maximum of nine new, renewal, resubmission, or revision applications (including grants, cooperative agreements, and contract proposals) from a Small Business Concern, including its affiliates, in a fiscal year.”
Small businesses pursuing multiple SBIR/STTR opportunities should inventory their planned submissions early in the fiscal year to identify which proposals to advance and which to defer. Because the nine-application ceiling includes all HHS components and all SBIR/STTR activity codes, a single business with multiple affiliates could reach the limit quickly — teams managing multiple subsidiaries should coordinate to avoid inadvertent disqualification of proposals.
What changed
HHS has established a maximum of nine competing applications per Small Business Concern per fiscal year across all SBIR and STTR programs. This limit, enacted under the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act signed April 13, 2026, covers grants, cooperative agreements, and contract proposals and applies to all activity codes. The policy is retroactive to all applications with due dates on or after the Act's signing date.
Small businesses that currently submit multiple SBIR/STTR proposals across different institutes or topics must now consolidate or prioritize their applications to stay within the nine-application limit. Companies with affiliates should coordinate submission strategies to avoid exceeding the cap, as the limit aggregates applications across all affiliates.
Archived snapshot
Apr 20, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Notice of Information: Implementation of HHS Annual SBIR/STTR Application/Proposal Limit Notice Number: NOT-OD-26-073
Key Dates
Release Date: April 20, 2026
Related Announcements
- July, 17, 2025 - Supporting Fairness and Originality in NIH Research Applications. See Notice NOT-OD-25-132.
- July 23, 2018 – NIH/AHRQ Application Submission/Resubmission Policy. See Notice NOT-OD-18-197.
Issued by
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)
Purpose
The purpose of this notice is to inform HHS Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) applicants of a new policy limiting the number of applications that HHS, including all components, will consider per Small Business Concern per fiscal year.
Background
The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (the Act), signed into law by President Trump on April 13, 2026, reauthorized the SBIR, STTR and related pilot programs through September 30, 2031. The Act includes a requirement for federal agencies to set a maximum limit on the number of SBIR and STTR applications or proposals a Small Business Concern, including its affiliates, can submit across HHS per fiscal year.
Applicability
This policy applies to all competing applications and proposals submitted to HHS SBIR and STTR programs for due dates on or after April 13, 2026.
Policy
HHS will accept a maximum of nine new, renewal, resubmission, or revision applications (including grants, cooperative agreements, and contract proposals) from a Small Business Concern, including its affiliates, in a fiscal year. This policy applies to all SBIR and STTR activity codes.
Inquiries
Please direct all inquiries to:
SEED (Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development)
Office of Extramural Research
[email protected]
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) NIH... Turning Discovery Into Health ®
Related changes
Get daily alerts for NIH Guide Funding Opportunities
Daily digest delivered to your inbox.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Source
About this page
Every important government, regulator, and court update from around the world. One place. Real-time. Free. Our mission
Source document text, dates, docket IDs, and authority are extracted directly from NIH.
The summary, classification, recommended actions, deadlines, and penalty information are AI-generated from the original text and may contain errors. Always verify against the source document.
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when NIH Guide Funding Opportunities publishes new changes.
Subscribed!
Optional. Filters your digest to exactly the updates that matter to you.