“For a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IIB grant application, must my existing Phase II award be a grant, or would a Phase II contract award also suffice?”

If you have an SBIR Phase II contract award, you would be eligible for a Phase IIB grant award (assuming all other eligibility criteria are met, e.g., submission within six receipt dates of the end date of the Phase II project).

To learn more about the purpose of Phase IIB awards, read SBIR and STTR Are Phased Programs and Compare the NIAID Small Business Programs.