FY 2022 SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 2 | DE FOA 0002555

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002555

The FY 2022 SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 2 opportunity (DE-FOA-0002555) is a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science funding announcement that supports early-stage research and development by small businesses under the SBIR/STTR programs. It is a discretionary, science and technology research grant opportunity (CFDA 81.049) intended to help companies test the scientific and technical feasibility of high-potential ideas that align with DOE mission needs and have a credible path toward commercialization.

Awards made under this announcement are Phase I grants issued during FY 2022, with maximum award sizes set at either $200,000 or $250,000 depending on the specific topic area. Applicants are expected to follow the topic-specific cap exactly; proposals that request more than the stated maximum for their topic will be declined without review, meaning the application will not advance to a merit evaluation. While the overall “award ceiling” listed is $200,000, the announcement makes clear that some topics allow up to $250,000, so the controlling limit is the cap listed in the topic you choose.

The Phase I period of performance is flexible based on the scope of the proposed work but cannot exceed 12 months. A key planning constraint is the Phase II timing: the Phase II application is due about 9.5 months after the Phase I start date, and this submission window is described as the only chance to apply for Phase II based on a Phase I award made under this funding opportunity. In practical terms, this makes schedule selection and milestone planning especially important. If a company chooses a Phase I performance period of 9 months or less, it can complete the full Phase I effort before the Phase II application is due, allowing the final Phase I results to inform the Phase II proposal. If a company selects a Phase I longer than 9 months, it may continue R&D work after submitting the Phase II application, but the additional results generated after submission cannot be used to strengthen or update the Phase II application, since they will not be available at the time of writing and submission.

Programmatically, Phase I is framed as a feasibility and merit demonstration stage. The DOE’s intent is for Phase I projects to focus on proving whether the underlying concept or approach works, with emphasis on scientific or technical merit, technical soundness, and evidence that the idea could lead to a commercially viable product or service and/or provide substantial benefit to DOE mission research. Applications are therefore expected to concentrate on the R&D needed to validate the core technical hypothesis, reduce key uncertainties, and establish that the proposed innovation is plausible within the Phase I scope, budget, and time limits. The announcement also makes the progression requirement explicit: successful completion of a DOE Phase I is a prerequisite for further DOE support through Phase II, which is where more extensive development and scaling typically occur.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was created on December 13, 2021, and originally closed on February 15, 2022. DOE anticipated making a large number of awards (expected awards: 260), reflecting the broad SBIR/STTR pipeline nature of the program. Eligibility is listed as “unrestricted” in the summary field, but applicants should read the full announcement and any additional eligibility text carefully, since SBIR/STTR awards generally require that the applicant qualify as a small business and meet program-specific requirements regarding ownership, place of performance, and (for STTR) collaboration with a nonprofit research institution.

Overall, this FOA is designed for small businesses that have a strong technical idea with DOE relevance and commercial promise, need Phase I funding to demonstrate feasibility, and are prepared to manage the tight Phase II submission timeline by structuring Phase I work so that meaningful, defensible results are available before the Phase II application deadline.

• 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 2022 SBIR/STTR 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 13, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 15, 2022. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 260 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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