Phase I and Phase II Info

DOE SBIR/STTR Mission Focus:

Each year (typically in September), the Department of Energy issues a funding opportunity solicitation inviting small businesses to apply for SBIR/STTR grants. The solicitation contains technical topics in such research areas as:

  • Energy production
    • Fossil Energy, Nuclear Energy, Renewable Energy, and Fusion Energy
    • Energy Use
      • In buildings, vehicles, and industry
      • Fundamental Energy Sciences
        • Materials Sciences, Life Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Computational Sciences, Nuclear and High Energy Physics
        • Environmental Management and
        • Nuclear Nonproliferation.

        Grant applications submitted by small businesses MUST respond to a specific Technical Topic and Subtopic during included in the open solicitation.

        Both the SBIR and STTR programs at DOE have three distinct phases.

        • Phase I explores the feasibility of innovative concepts with awards up to $100,000 for about 9 months.
          • Only Phase I award winners may compete for Phase II funding.
          • Phase II focuses on the principal R&D effort, with awards up to $750,000, over a two-year period.
          • Phase III, in which non-Federal funding is used by the small business to pursue commercial applications of the R&D. In addition, under Phase III, Federal agencies may award non-SBIR/STTR-funded, follow-on grants or contracts for products or processes that meet the mission needs of those agencies, or for further R&D.