SBIR/STTR Contract or Omnibus

For biomedical startups and small businesses, the SBIR/STTR programs are often top of mind when thinking about early-stage funding, and—as the the two most prominent federal agencies supporting innovative public health research in the U.S.—the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are likely at the top of your list.

But, of course, federal funding can’t be straightforward.

The NIH and the CDC recently released the PHS 2025-1 Contract Solicitation for SBIR grants. But what exactly is it, and how does it differ from the familiar Omnibus Solicitation?

This article breaks down the differences between these options and helps you decide which path is the best fit for your research—so you can focus less on bureaucracy and more on getting funded.

Table of Contents

• What are SBIR/STTR contracts?

• How is it different from the SBIR/STTR omnibus?

• A Quick Comparison Chart

• Set aside funds: what’s their advantage?