National Institutes of Health (NIH) 

Accounting and Grant Management Services

National Institutes of Health (NIH) research is funded under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants and other grant programs. Request for applications, government grants, and grant management for NIH grants involve requirements found nowhere else in the government contracting realm. We have years of experience successfully developing, negotiating, and managing NIH SBIR and STTR grants, both Phase I and II and other types of grants as well. We also have experience with SBIR Phase III commercialization efforts. Our objective with our NIH Grantee clients is to ensure that they:
  1. Receive the maximum benefit from their grants for commercialization,
  2. Have an accounting system that is adequate to avoid refunding money to the Government after a project is complete while making a profit (or not losing money on grants with no fee)
  3. Provide a financial framework that will enable company growth
  4. Navigate through the requirements referred to in NIH policies, OMB & FAR, and NIH audit support
  5. Help create a strategy to move from being a US Government grantee to a commercial company.

SERVICES

ReliAscent Provides:

  • Budget - Planning and preparation of annual budgets and proposal budgets
  • NIH Audit Support - Resolving NIH DFAS issues and interfacing with their auditors
  • Establish/Negotiate Indirect Billing Rates - Calculate monthly indirect billing rates used by NIH
  • NIH Accounting - From full accounting (including bookkeeping to CFO services) to monthly financial statement prepared with fully burdened job costs and indirect billing rates
  • Commercialization and government grantee management services during the development of your technology from an idea through commercial sales.

Proposal Grant Application Preparation/Funding Proposal

Using our experience assisting small business clients, we can guide you in submitting a compelling grant application. We also assist in pricing your proposal to the strict requirements of the SBIR, STTR, or other NIH grant request. This is a critical factor in pricing a NIH grant application and can affect your business for years to come. We know how to develop, negotiate, and manage Facilities and Administration rates to properly position your business for success and a profitable future with NIH contracting.

Grant Management

The following are just a few of the services and skills we offer to NIH grantees:

  • Grant Application Preparation and Costing
  • Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) review
  • Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) review
  • Office of Management and Budget Directives (OMB) review
  • NIH Grant Policy Statement
  • Negotiations
  • Intellectual Property Rights with the Federal Government
  • Subcontract Management and Government Flow Down Requirements
  • Use of Different Types of Contracts (CPFF, FFP, Time & Material, etc.) in subcontracts
  • Property Administration
  • National Institute of Health (NIH) Grant Officer and Auditor Communications

Intellectual Property

New clients often do not know the requirements available to preserve their intellectual property when dealing with the Federal Government. The development and protection of intellectual property is one the most important assets a small research company can preserve. We know how to get you started in the right direction.

Budget and Financial Control

We offer detailed budgeting assistance for NIH grantees.  This budget can provide month-by-month tracking and calculates the projected month and year-end indirect rates. This enables your top management team, as well as project managers, to develop coordinated plans that support the company's sales and profit goals.


Grant Negotiation and Advice During the Award Process

On occassion, our Phase I and II clients experience difficulty in understanding what the NIH Grants Officer (GO) needs in order to justify giving clients the full price on their application. We know exactly what the GO wants.

NIH Audit Support

The NIH contracting officer may request a review of your Phase II grant application to verify that proposed costs are reasonable and allocable. This review, or audit, is often conducted by an NIH auditor who asks for information (such as rate backup). The audit typically causes great concern for our clients and, unless we can intercede on their behalf, may result in the decrease in the price of our client’s proposal. We know how to deal with the NIH auditor or how to help with a private audit (whichever the grant specifies).

Establish/Negotiate Facilities and Administration Rates

Facilities and Administration (F&A) rates are very important to your company’s future. The Government will reimburse you for all reasonable costs incurred to make your business successful. We can coach you through the process (or do it all for you if you wish) of creating a budget to enable you to understand the type of cost necessary to grow your company, and to deal with the Government in a manner they understand. We advise most of our clients not to settle for the default F&A rate.