The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is soliciting research proposals from small business concerns for its SBIR Innovative Concept Phase I Award Program. The program aims to support the development of transformative R&D technologies for pediatric and rare cancers. Proposals should focus on specific clinical problems and cancer types, with experiments to generate proof-of-concept data. Non-exempt human subjects research will not be supported. The deadline for proposal submission is September 21, 2026. Questions are due by August 1, 2026. Awardees will be informed of opportunities for Phase II. The maximum award for Phase I is $300,000.
Proposals must be received before 5:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time on September 21, 2026. Proposals must be received before 5:00 pm eastern daylight time onseptember 21, 2026.
The government shall make payments, including invoice and contract financing payments, by electronic funds transfer (EFT). Payments on fixed price contracts may be made based on the satisfactory completion, receipt, and acceptance of contract deliverables. The government shall make payments, including invoice and contract financing payments, by electronic funds transfereft.
The evaluation process will consider the technical approach's reasonable chance of meeting the topic objective, its innovativeness with commercialization potential, and the firm's capability to implement the approach. he proposed work represents an innovative approach to the investigation of an important scientific or engineering problem and is worthy of support under the stated criteria.
Offerors must qualify as a small business concern (SBC) at the time of award and meet SBA regulations. A minimum of two-thirds of the research or analytical effort must be performed by the awardee, and the principal investigator must be primarily employed with the SBC. o receive sbir funds, each awardee must qualify as a small business concern sbc at the time of award and at any other time set forth in sbas regulations
The Phase I concept award funding is intended to be $300,000. his initial 300, 000 concept award funding is intended to allow small businesses to perform key derisking research activities