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Recommendation Followup: 2014 OIG Report: Vulnerabilities in the HHS Small Business Innovation Research Program

Since implementation of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program in 1982, HHS has obligated and funded more than $12.9 billion in awards to small businesses pursuing innovative research. In 2011, HHS provided SBIR funds through four Operating Divisions (OpDivs): NIH, FDA, CDC, and ACF. OIG found that 31 percent of awardees in that year had questionable or unverified eligibility for at least one requirement. Further, OIG found that only one OpDiv checked for duplicative funding within HHS, and none of the four OpDivs completed a required check for duplicative awards across other Federal agencies. OIG has two open recommendations from prior work in this area. The open recommendations state that HHS should (1) ensure compliance with SBIR eligibility requirements and (2) improve procedures to check for duplicative awards. OIG will review the progress HHS has made in implementing these two open recommendations in addition to any challenges or barriers it has encountered in making improvements. We will also determine the extent to which HHS has made any changes to improve the consistency of its oversight across OpDivs.

Announced or Revised Agency Title Component Report Number(s) Expected Issue Date (FY)
Completed Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration Recommendation Followup: 2014 OIG Report: Vulnerabilities in the HHS Small Business Innovation Research Program Office of Evaluation and Inspections OEI-04-18-00230 2019