Doing Business with HHS - FAQs:

If you are new to doing business with HHS, you should register to attend one of our FREE Vendor Outreach Sessions (VOS). They are scheduled for the second Tuesday of every other month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

If you are not able to attend one of these sessions, visit our Web site and review each of our operating divisions within the Department.

• OS - Office of the Secretary
• ACF - Administration for Children & Families
• AoA - Administration on Aging
• AHRQ - Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
• ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease
• CDC - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
• CMS - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• FDA - Food & Drug Administration
• HRSA - Health Resources & Services Administration
• IHS - Indian Health Service
• NIH - National Institutes of Health
• OIG - Office of Inspector General
• SAMHSA - Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

You can also contact our Small Business Specialists within their respective division for further guidance.

Also, be sure to check our Small Business Calendar of Events.

HHS does not provide grants or loans to start small businesses. If you are seeking financial assistance to start a business or expand an existing business, please contact your local Small Business Administration office or visit the SBA Web site to learn the answer to these questions:

• How do I get started in a business?
  
• How do I get a business license?

It should be noted that, the Department of Health and Human Services is the largest grant-making organization in the Federal Government. Our 300 plus grant programs cover mission specific topics and are handled by the various operating components of the Department. All grant announcements across the government are available at: http://www.grants.gov.

Additional information about managing HHS grants may be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/asfr/ogapa/aboutog/grantsnet.html.  

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) profiles all Federal grant programs, which provides financial assistance, including HHS programs, and list a specific point of contact for obtaining additional information and applications. It also includes a helpful section on writing grant applications. The Web site for CFDA is http://www.cfda.gov.

The Small Business Act defines the 8(a) program as a procurement program. At its inception, it sought to develop small businesses that were socially and economically disadvantaged while providing the Federal Government a faster way to obtain goods and services. Unlike Small Business set-asides, there is no statutory requirement for Executive Departments to use the 8(a) program. Contracting Officers must determine if a specific requirement is conducive to the 8(a) program. It has been the practice of the Federal Government to maintain these requirements in the 8(a) program once that determination is made. Contracting Officers are also required to notify the SBA if they intend to “remove” a requirement from the 8(a) program. The SBA has the sole authority over this decision.

Today, Government-Wide Multiple Award, (GWAC) IDIQ type contracts, in addition to GSA Schedule contracts, has become the most expeditious method of acquiring Government goods and services. We strongly encourage you to obtain one or more GSA Schedule contracts and/or GWACs. Being on schedule and/or a GWAC makes good “business sense” and will provide your company with multiple options.

STTR is a highly competitive three-phase program that reserves a specific percentage of Federal research and development funding for award to small businesses in partnership with nonprofit research institutions to move ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace, to foster high-tech economic development and to address the technological needs of the Federal Government.

Phase I is the startup phase for the exploration of the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of an idea or technology. Awards are for periods of up to one year in amounts up to $100,000. Phase II is to expand Phase I results. During this period the R&D work is performed and the developer begins to consider commercialization potential. Awards are for periods of up to two years in amounts up to $500,000. Phase III is the period during which Phase II innovation moves from the laboratory into the marketplace. There is no STTR funding in this phase.

For continuously updated information concerning the program, you should visit the Small Business Administration (SBA) website: http://www.sba.gov/content/small-business-technology-transfer-program-sttr

For general information or questions concerning the National Institutes of Health SBIR/STTR programs, contact:

For general information or questions concerning the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) SBIR program, contact: