FY2019 Phase I Release 1 | DE FOA 0001940

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001940

The FY2019 Phase I Release 1 opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001940) is a Department of Energy (DOE) grant solicitation under the DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. It is a discretionary, science and technology research and development funding opportunity administered by the DOE Office of Science. The goal is to fund early-stage, high-quality research and development (R and D) by eligible U.S. small businesses that are working on innovative scientific or engineering concepts tied to DOE mission needs and that show strong potential to be commercialized in the private sector.

This FOA is explicitly framed as two distinct Phase I pathways: one under SBIR and one under STTR. Both are designed to help small businesses prove the scientific and technical merit of an idea, reduce technical risk, and generate the evidence needed to justify a larger follow-on Phase II effort and, ultimately, a viable product or service. While the FOA encourages ambitious innovation, it also draws clear boundaries around what DOE will not fund under this mechanism: the DOE SBIR/STTR programs do not support basic science (research without a clear applied development direction) and they do not support demonstration projects (late-stage field demonstrations or broad deployment activities). In other words, the emphasis is on applied R and D that is targeted, testable, and positioned for commercialization rather than exploratory science or full-scale implementation.

The solicitation is rooted in longstanding federal authorities that govern SBIR/STTR, including the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 (Public Law 97-219), the Small Business Research and Development Enhancement Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-564), and the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-81). Consistent with those statutes, DOE highlights several program objectives: accelerating commercialization of technology that emerges from DOE-supported R and D, stimulating technological innovation within the private sector, strengthening national economic and social benefits from federally funded research, and broadening participation by encouraging proposals from women-owned and minority-owned small businesses. The FOA also notes that some topic areas may seek manufacturing-related innovations, aligning with Executive Order 13329, "Encouraging Innovation in Manufacturing," which signals DOE interest in innovations that can strengthen U.S. manufacturing capabilities when relevant to program needs.

Eligibility is limited to small businesses as defined in the FOA's eligibility section, and the opportunity is listed under CFDA 81.049. The funding instrument is a grant, with an award ceiling of $225,000 for Phase I projects. DOE anticipated making approximately 125 awards under this release, indicating a relatively large Phase I cohort intended to seed a broad range of promising technical concepts. The FOA was created on August 17, 2018, with an original application closing date of October 15, 2018.

In practical terms, this opportunity is best suited for small businesses that already have strong technical capability in science or engineering and can propose a focused Phase I effort with measurable milestones, credible technical approach, and a clear commercialization path. Competitive proposals typically align tightly with DOE mission-related needs, explain why the innovation is meaningfully better than existing alternatives, and show how Phase I work will validate feasibility and de-risk the concept enough to attract Phase II funding and eventual market 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 "FY2019 Phase I 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 Aug 17, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 15, 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 $225,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 125 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.

Apply for DE FOA 0001940

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