SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA ES 24 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 24 003

The SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response funding opportunity (RFA-ES-24-003) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program run through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), specifically supporting the NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP). It invites Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) applications under the R43/R44 mechanism (Phase I/Phase II). The focus is on advancing technology-enhanced training products that strengthen health and safety training for people who face hazardous exposures during routine work or emergencies. The FOA is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," so proposed work needs to fit product development and evaluation that does not meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial.

At its core, the program is trying to reduce work-related harm by improving how workers and responders learn to protect themselves, their coworkers, and surrounding communities from hazardous materials. The target audiences are broad and practical: hazardous materials (HAZMAT) workers, waste treatment personnel, and other skilled support personnel connected to emergency or disaster response. It also includes responders involved in biological hazard response, infectious disease response, medical waste cleanup, disaster response more generally, and training focused on worker resiliency. In other words, it is not only about chemical spills or industrial waste; it also covers scenarios where workers may be exposed to biological agents, contaminated materials, or high-stress disaster environments where fatigue, trauma, and burnout can affect safety and performance.

The "technology-enhanced training products" the FOA is looking for can take many forms, as long as they meaningfully support and improve training. Examples named in the announcement include online training, mobile device training, virtual reality, and serious gaming. The intent is to use modern delivery methods to complement the full training lifecycle, such as onboarding, refresher training, scenario practice, hazard recognition, decision-making under pressure, and reinforcement of safe work practices. Importantly, these tools are expected to supplement and strengthen health and safety training rather than replace the underlying goals of WTP-supported training programs. Successful projects should clearly tie their product design and learning approach to the WTP mission: practical prevention, real-world applicability, and better protection from hazardous exposures.

Funding for this initiative comes directly from the NIEHS Worker Education and Training Branch SBIR funds, which signals that this is not a generic e-learning opportunity. Applicants should expect reviewers to look for alignment with WTP priorities, training realism, and the likelihood that the product can be used by workers and responders in the field. Projects that show a credible path from prototype to implementation, along with thoughtful plans for usability, accessibility, and dissemination in worker training environments, are likely to fit the spirit of the FOA.

Eligibility is limited to small business concerns, consistent with SBIR rules. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible either. However, foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed in some circumstances, meaning certain discrete international elements could be permitted if properly justified and compliant, but the applicant organization itself must be eligible as a U.S. small business. The closing date listed for the opportunity is July 26, 2024. The FOA is associated with CFDA 93.142 and falls under the Environment and Health activity category.

• The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.142.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.

Apply for RFA ES 24 003

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: