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Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Consulting Services

The Small Business Phase II Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Consulting Services program provides select NIH Phase II small business awardees with one of the consulting services in the areas below worth up to $50,000 from independent vendors.

Requests for participation in this program are announced once a year in the NIH Guide, in SEED's biweekly email (NIH Entrepreneurship News), and through direct email to eligible companies. 

Service Areas

intellectual property

Intellectual Property Strategy and Services

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intellectual property

Market Analysis

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intellectual property

Regulatory Strategy and Services

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intellectual property

Reimbursement Strategy and Services

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Eligibility

A project is eligible for the Consulting Services Program if:

  • It was an active Phase II/IIB award within two years of the date of the TABA Consulting Service request
  • TABA Funding was NOT awarded in either the original Phase II/Phase IIB award or as an Administrative Supplement to the original Phase II/Phase IIB award
  • The company is currently participating in the Small Business Program

Each company may only request one service for one Phase II/IIB project each year. If a request is not selected, the company may resubmit in a future cycle if it remains eligible. 

Watch this webinar recording to learn more about the TABA Consulting Services Program.

 

How It Works

Request 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).

Develop Request and Select Vendor

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. 

Service Provision

  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.

*Does your company have expertise in the supported areas? If your company is interested in receiving SOWs from Guidehouse and preparing proposals for small businesses to consider, please contact Sowmya Sreekanth, MD, FAPCR at Sowmyashree.sreekanth@guidehouse.com.