FY 2018 SBIR/STTR Phase II Release 1 | DE FOA 0001794

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001794

The FY 2018 SBIR/STTR Phase II Release 1 opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001794) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), specifically through the Office of Science. It is part of DOE's broader Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) pipeline and is designed to fund the next stage of development for projects that have already proven early technical merit under prior DOE SBIR/STTR awards. The overall focus is science and technology and other research and development activities, aligning with DOE mission needs and the technical topic areas published on the DOE SBIR/STTR website.

This FOA invites eligible Phase I and Phase II awardees to apply for Phase II funding, covering both initial Phase II awards and sequential Phase II awards. The central goal of an initial Phase II award is to carry out the research and development work needed to meet the DOE objectives laid out in the relevant topic and subtopic from the earlier Phase I FOA. In practical terms, the Phase II period is meant to take what was demonstrated at feasibility or proof-of-concept level in Phase I and push it toward a more complete, validated solution. The FOA also emphasizes commercialization readiness: by the end of Phase II, the small business should be positioned to pursue real-world applications of the technology, whether that means entering private markets, working with federal customers, or engaging DOE programs directly.

A key expectation of this Phase II program is that the work will often culminate in something tangible and demonstrable. Many Phase II projects are anticipated to produce a prototype, a product candidate, or a functioning process that can be shown to potential investors, commercial customers, or government users. The idea is to bridge the gap between early R&D and deployment by generating credible performance evidence and a more mature technical package that supports investment or adoption decisions. That can include improved engineering, scale-up work, validation testing, integration into a relevant environment, and other development steps that reduce technical risk and improve the pathway to use.

This FOA is explicitly described as supplemental to the FY 2017 SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 1 FOA (DE-FOA-0001618). That matters because it means the Phase II competition is anchored to the rules, definitions, and general guidance already provided in the associated Phase I announcement, and applicants are expected to rely on that earlier FOA for broader program requirements and context. The Phase II topics and subtopics are not reproduced in the summary text provided; instead, applicants are directed to the DOE SBIR/STTR website for the topic descriptions tied to eligibility and technical scope.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was created on November 9, 2017, and had an original closing date of January 23, 2018. Eligibility is limited to small businesses, consistent with SBIR/STTR statutory requirements. The CFDA number listed is 81.049, indicating the assistance listing for DOE Office of Science financial assistance. DOE anticipated making about 76 awards under this release, with an award ceiling of up to $1,000,000 per award. In short, this funding opportunity is aimed at helping small businesses that have already completed earlier DOE SBIR/STTR work advance their innovations through a more intensive R&D phase that supports DOE mission goals while also producing outputs that are compelling for commercialization and adoption.

• The Department of Energy - Office of Science, Office of Science in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2018 SBIR/STTR Phase II Release 1" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.049.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 09, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 23, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 76 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.

Apply for DE FOA 0001794

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