About the Path to Excellence and Innovation

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the largest biomedical research organization in the world. In FY 2023, NIH’s 27 Institutes and Centers (I/Cs) obligated approximately $9 billion via contract awards to support the NIH mission. However, less than 1% of NIH’s contract awards are obligated to HBCUs.

The NIH Small Business Program Office (SBPO) administers the Path to Excellence and Innovation (PEI) Initiative in accordance with Presidential Executive Order 14041, “Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Historically Black Colleges and Universities” as a comprehensive vehicle to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to compete for, win, and manage contracts. The PEI FY2021 Cohort, also called PEI 2.0, consisted of 21 HBCUs and 42 small businesses that participated in outreach events, training opportunities, and technical assistance to increase interaction with the NIH acquisition community.

If interested in learning more about the PEI Initiative, please contact us at PEI@nih.gov. 

PEI 2.0 Cohort

Historically Black Colleges and Universities:

Below is a listing of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Business Partners participating in the PEI 2.0 Initiative.

Business Partners: