FY 2023 Phase I Release 2 | DE FOA 0002903

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002903

FY 2023 Phase I Release 2 (DE-FOA-0002903) is a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science funding opportunity under the SBIR and STTR programs designed to help eligible U.S. small businesses move promising science and engineering innovations from early proof-of-concept toward commercialization and DOE mission impact. The FOA offers two paths: a traditional Phase I award focused on feasibility and merit, and a Fast-Track option that combines Phase I and Phase II into a single, jointly reviewed application for projects that are ready to move quickly and have strong commercial potential. The overall focus is research and development in science and technology areas aligned with DOE priorities, with some topics also emphasizing manufacturing innovation.

Under the traditional Phase I track, DOE plans to make awards during FY 2023 to small businesses, with maximum award amounts set by topic at either $200,000 or $250,000. Applicants have to stay at or below the topic-specific cap; proposals that exceed the cap are declined without review. The Phase I period of performance can be tailored to the work proposed but cannot exceed 12 months. Phase I is meant to test the scientific or technical merit of the idea and demonstrate feasibility in a way that supports later development and commercialization. The application is expected to focus on the R&D needed to prove the approach can work, rather than full product development.

A key timing detail in this FOA is the Phase II application deadline relative to the Phase I start date. Phase II applications are due about 9.5 months after the Phase I grant start date, and this is described as the only chance to apply for Phase II for projects funded under this Phase I FOA. That creates a practical planning issue: if a company chooses a Phase I project period of 9 months or less, it can wrap up Phase I before submitting the Phase II proposal and use the completed Phase I results directly in that Phase II application. If the company chooses a Phase I period longer than 9 months, it can keep working after it submits the Phase II proposal, but it cannot use those later results in the Phase II application package because the application will already be in. Only Phase I awardees from this FOA are eligible to apply to the corresponding Phase II competition later (FY 2024 Phase II Release 2). DOE indicates that roughly 40 Phase I awardees who submit Phase II applications are expected to receive Phase II awards, with Phase II instructions to be posted later on Grants.gov.

The Fast-Track option is intended for applicants with a strong technical plan and a credible path to commercialization who want a faster route through Phase I and Phase II. Instead of applying for Phase I first and Phase II later, the applicant submits one combined application that includes both Phase I and Phase II plans and is reviewed as a package. The Fast-Track application must lay out clear, measurable Phase I milestones that act as a gate to Phase II; if the project does not meet the Phase I milestones, DOE may stop the award after Phase I and not authorize Phase II work. Fast-Track projects are expected to be positioned to move beyond SBIR/STTR funding into Phase III, meaning follow-on non-SBIR/STTR funding and commercialization or deployment.

Applicants must choose one route per R&D effort: either submit a traditional Phase I application or a Fast-Track application, but not both. If both are submitted, DOE will evaluate only the one with the most recent submission timestamp in Grants.gov. There is also a notable downside to Fast-Track: if a project is selected for Fast-Track but fails to meet objectives, it cannot later apply for Phase II funding, since Phase II was already part of the combined application pathway. Fast-Track awards in this FOA have much larger maximum amounts, set by topic at either $1,300,000 or $1,850,000, with a total period of performance up to 33 months depending on the scope.

Administratively, the opportunity is a discretionary grant program (CFDA 81.049) run by DOE Office of Science, and it is limited to eligible small business concerns as defined in the FOA. The FOA was created December 12, 2022, and originally closed February 23, 2023. DOE anticipated a large number of total awards (listed as 196 expected awards), reflecting the broad SBIR/STTR topic area coverage. The program is authorized under several SBIR/STTR statutes, including the Small Business Innovation Development Act, later SBIR/STTR reauthorization laws, and the 2022 extension. Applicants are directed to consult the DOE SBIR/STTR topic descriptions on the DOE Office of Science SBIR/STTR website for topic-specific caps and requirements, and to monitor Grants.gov for Phase II instructions and future postings.

• 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 2023 Phase I Release 2" 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 Dec 12, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 23, 2023. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 196 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.

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