NASA SBIR TABA: How to Use Up to $56,500 for Commercialization Help

Quick answer

NASA's Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) program lets SBIR and STTR proposers request up to $6,500 in Phase I and up to $50,000 in Phase II to pay an independent U.S. vendor for commercialization support. Allowed uses include market research, IP protection, regulatory and manufacturing planning, and a Phase II commercialization plan. You request TABA in your original proposal. The funds come out of your total award rather than on top of it, and NASA reviews the request only after your proposal is selected, so it does not affect your technical score. NASA says fewer than 15% of Phase I applicants use TABA or its companion I-Corps program.

Key takeaways

• Amounts: Up to $6,500 in Phase I and up to $50,000 in Phase II. TABA is not offered for post-Phase II opportunities.
• Inside the award: TABA counts toward your total award value, so it reduces the amount left for the research budget.
• No effect on selection: NASA reviews TABA requests only after a proposal is selected, separate from the technical evaluation.
• Ask up front: Requests made after proposal submission are not considered, and incomplete requests are not reviewed.
• Independent vendor required: The vendor must be a U.S. business that is not your company, an employee, an affiliate, or an investor.
• Underused: Fewer than 15% of NASA Phase I applicants take advantage of TABA or I-Corps.

What is NASA SBIR TABA?

TABA stands for Technical and Business Assistance. It is part of the SBIR and STTR programs at each participating agency, and each agency runs its own process. At NASA, TABA is meant to help companies make better technical decisions, solve technical problems, reduce technical risk, and commercialize their products or processes, including protecting intellectual property.

NASA program staff describe the intent simply: the company stays focused on its core research and development while an expert third party works in parallel on the commercial roadmap.

How much TABA funding does NASA provide?

• Phase I: up to $6,500
• Phase II: up to $50,000
• Post-Phase II: not offered

TABA is included in the total award value. Under NASA's FY 2026-2027 broad agency announcement, Phase I awards go up to $225,000, so a full $6,500 TABA request leaves up to $218,500 for the research itself. Phase II awards go up to $1.275 million. TABA budgets cannot include profit or fee, and they cannot be used in your indirect cost or G&A calculations.

You can request Phase II TABA even if you did not use TABA in Phase I.

What can NASA TABA pay for?

NASA lists examples of approved TABA services, including:

• Product sales assistance and marketing materials
• Market research, validation, and assessment
• Market entry and launch strategy
• Expert and end-user interviews
• Identifying commercialization partners
• Regulatory and manufacturing plan consulting
• Product development consultation
• Financial plan review and fundraising strategy
• Patent costs, IP landscape review, and licensing advice
• Access to online technical and business literature
• A Phase II TABA needs assessment
• Development, review, and editing of the Phase II Commercialization and Business Plan
• Cybersecurity assistance

What can't TABA be used for?

• Work your company can perform internally
• General maintenance of or investment in your business, affiliates, investors, or required subcontractors and consultants
• Audit, bookkeeping, payroll, or general accounting services
• The SBIR or STTR fee, contingency costs, or the award's R&D costs
• Foreign patent fees

How do you choose a TABA vendor?

NASA does not maintain or endorse an approved list of TABA vendors. The vendor must be a legal U.S. business, cannot be your company or one of your employees, affiliates, or investors, and must show it is qualified for the services you request.

NASA suggests starting with an online search for TABA vendors or turning to vendors you already trust whose services fit the approved categories. When you compare options, look for a vendor whose deliverable you will actually use, such as market data or a commercialization plan that feeds directly into your Phase II proposal.

How do you request TABA in a NASA proposal?

• Decide what you need. Tie the request to a specific commercialization gap, such as unvalidated market size, unclear IP position, or no manufacturing plan.
• Get a vendor quote. NASA requires vendor contact information, a description of the vendor's expertise, itemized services and costs (with hours and hourly rates where appropriate), and a description of each deliverable. Quote templates are in NASA's Firms Library.
• Add TABA to your budget. The ProSAMS budget form includes TABA alongside your labor, subcontractor, and other direct costs.
• Include the request in your proposal package. Follow the "Request for Use of Technical and Business Assistance Funds" instructions in the BAA and the appendix checklist.
• Submit it with the proposal. NASA will not consider TABA requests submitted after the proposal, and it does not guarantee approval.

What should you use Phase I TABA for?

NASA encourages Phase I TABA for two things: a Phase II TABA needs assessment and a commercialization business plan.

The needs assessment defines what Phase II TABA services you need and what they will cost. The commercialization plan matters even more. Every NASA Phase II proposal requires a Commercialization and Business Plan, which NASA uses to evaluate your ability to commercialize the innovation and your firm's financial viability. Using Phase I TABA to build that plan means the work done during Phase I goes straight into your Phase II proposal.

What are the NASA TABA reporting requirements?

If NASA approves your TABA request, your contract will include TABA deliverables that summarize the outcomes.

• Phase I: A TABA report is due at the end of the period of performance, along with a final TABA invoice and certification.
• Phase II: A report is due at the end of year one, when up to $25,000 may be invoiced, followed by an interim invoice and certification. A final report, final invoice, and certification are due at the end of the period of performance.

Reports summarize outcomes, itemized services, and actual costs, and the vendor may draft them with your input. Invoices go through the Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform, and reports and certifications go through ProSAMS. Services must be delivered and invoiced during the original period of performance, and NASA reimburses only actual vendor services.

How is TABA different from NASA I-Corps?

NASA also offers I-Corps, a seven-week customer discovery program run through a partnership with the National Science Foundation. The two work well together but differ in important ways.

• Funding: I-Corps provides $23,000 for SBIR teams and $35,000 for STTR teams, in addition to the Phase I award. TABA comes out of the award.
• Who does the work: TABA pays an outside vendor. I-Corps trains your own three-person team: an entrepreneurial lead, a technical lead, and an industry mentor.
• How to apply: Every NASA proposal package includes an I-Corps interest form. If you are selected for a Phase I award and opt in, NASA requests a short I-Corps proposal.
• Output: I-Corps produces customer discovery data and a business model canvas. Both programs can feed your Phase II commercialization plan.

How BW&CO helps with TABA

BW&CO helps companies plan the full NASA pursuit, including whether TABA and I-Corps fit, how a TABA request affects the research budget, and how Phase I commercialization work can set up a stronger Phase II proposal. NASA makes all TABA approval and award decisions.

Program names are used for identification only. BW&CO is not affiliated with or endorsed by the sponsoring agencies.

Frequently asked questions

How much TABA funding can I get from NASA?

Up to $6,500 in Phase I and up to $50,000 in Phase II. NASA does not offer TABA for post-Phase II opportunities.

Does requesting TABA affect my chances of a NASA SBIR award?

No. NASA reviews TABA requests only after a proposal is selected, and the request does not affect your technical review score.

Is TABA added on top of my NASA SBIR award?

No. TABA funds are included in the total award value, so they reduce the amount available for the research budget.

Does NASA have an approved list of TABA vendors?

No. NASA does not maintain or endorse a vendor list. The vendor must be a U.S. business that is independent of your company, its employees, affiliates, and investors, and it must be qualified for the services requested.

Can I request Phase II TABA if I did not use it in Phase I?

Yes. Phase II TABA eligibility does not depend on using TABA in Phase I.

Can I add TABA after I submit my proposal?

No. TABA must be requested in the original proposal package. NASA does not consider requests submitted after the proposal.

Sources

• NASA SBIR/STTR: Technical and Business Assistance (TABA)
• NASA FY 2026-2027 SBIR/STTR BAA, Appendix 26B STTR
• SAM.gov: NASA SBIR/STTR FY 2026-2027 Broad Agency Announcement
• NASA SBIR/STTR program webinar: Dissecting the BAA (2026)

Related: How to talk to NASA before the SBIR blackout, SBIR and STTR guide, and BW&CO's foreign risk scanner.