Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Consulting Services

Step 1 – Eligible companies request participation

During the open request period (announced in the Guide and by email), companies submit information through an online portal describing their need, desired deliverable(s), and vendor criteria.

  The most recent request cycle opened at 8 a.m. EDT on June 7, 2023

  The most recent request cycle closed at 5 p.m. EDT on July 7, 2023

Step 2 – NIH selects projects, notifies companies of their status

NIH staff considers requests and emails company leadership with questions (if any). Prompt responses are required; a lack of responsiveness may decrease your prioritization for the program. This program has a limited number of available spaces per fiscal year.  As a trans-NIH program, equitable access to the program across all sectors of NIH is an important selection criterion.

NIH sends companies one of the following messages:

• Your project has been selected to participate in the program.
• Your project has been waitlisted for the program.
• Your project has not been selected for the program.

  Companies receive the status message within 2 months of the end of the request period. Waitlisted companies receive their final status within an additional 2 months (maximum of 4 months from submitting a request).

Step 3 – Selected companies work with the SEED Innovator Support Team to finalize a Statement of Work (SOW)

Information provided by companies is used to draft an initial SOW for vendor response. Each company refines their SOW during a one-hour teleconference with business and subject matter experts from the SEED Innovator Support Team and the company's Program Officer. 

  Companies are expected to finalize the SOW and return it to NIH within 3 weeks of the teleconference. 

Step 4 – Guidehouse identifies potential vendors* and collects proposals

NIH forwards the final SOW to Guidehouse, to engage up to five potential vendors. Vendors are encouraged to meet with company teams to clarify nuances of the SOW before submitting proposals. Companies should anticipate evaluating 2-4 proposals as not all vendors will submit one. 

A company may suggest a vendor for consideration, but this program is not a "pass-through" of funds to a company's current service provider or provider with whom the company has a long-standing relationship. 

  The maximum time from vendor outreach to receipt of proposals is 4 weeks.

Step 5 – Company reviews proposals and selects a vendor

Guidehouse presents all proposals to the company that meet the requirements in the SOW and are within the program budget. The company evaluates the proposals and selects a vendor. Company leadership may request to speak with a vendor(s) to aid in the decision. 

  Vendor selection is expected within 2 weeks of receipt of the final proposal.

Step 6 – Guidehouse negotiates the contract with the selected vendor

  Finalizing the terms takes approximately 4-6 weeks. 

  Within 2 weeks of the contract execution, the vendor will hold a kickoff meeting with the company. The timeline for completion of each service will vary.