The DOE’s Phase 0 SBIR/STTR Assistance Program is Back and Ready to Assist New Applicants

ROCHESTER, NY (August 14, 2019) – The Department of Energy (DOE) is proud to re-launch its Phase 0 SBIR/STTR assistance program for the FY20 Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The overall goal of the DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program is to increase the number of high quality SBIR/STTR proposals submitted by first-time applicants to the Department of Energy by eligible small businesses.

“We are excited to once again kick off the DOE Phase 0 Program and help these small businesses maximize their chances of securing federal funding through the SBIR and STTR programs,” says Christopher O’Gwin, Outreach Program Manager of the DOE SBIR/STTR Programs Office. “By opening the program to all eligible first-time small business applicants, we are pleased to be able to offer these services to a larger number of people and technologies.”

The Phase 0 program is administered by Dawnbreaker. Business Coaches will work one on one with companies who have a technology related to a DOE need and help them to prepare a compelling SBIR/STTR proposal.

Participant services are tailored based on need and include:

Letter of Intent (LOI) Review, Phase I Proposal Preparation, Review and Registration Assistance, and Market Research Assistance, among others.  

The DOE is particularly interested in providing support to U.S. women-owned, and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses located anywhere in the U.S. and its territories that work with advanced technologies. Also, to any U.S. small, advanced technology firms currently located in the following under represented states, districts, and territories: AK, AR, DC, GA, HI, IA, IN, KS, LA, ME, MN, MS, MO, NC, NE, ND, NY, OK, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN, WV, WI.

DOE’s Phase 0 services are free to participants and designed to be complementary to state assistance and may be used in tandem with services provided by professional organizations, SBDCs, universities, incubators, and other state organizations.

Please visit here  to review the full list of eligibility requirements and to apply for Phase 0 services. The official Funding Opportunity Announcement will be released on Monday, August 12th. You may view the full list of topics here.