DOE SBIR/STTR Programs Office Announces FOA Topics For FY 2021

On July 13, 2020, DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs Office (SBIR/STTR Programs Office) issued topics for its FY 2021 SBIR/STTS Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The topics are available online. DOE participating program offices include the Office of Science’s (SC) Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR), Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER), and Office of Nuclear Physics (NP). DOE SBIR/STTR will hold a webinar on August 14, 2020, to discuss the FOA and application process, as well as important changes to the SBIR and STTR programs for 2021. Important upcoming dates include:

• August 31, 2020 – Letter of Intent (LOI) Due;

• September 21, 2020 – Non-responsive LOI Feedback Provided;

• October 13, 2020 – Application Due;

• January 4, 2021 – Award Notification; and

• February 16, 2021 – Start of Grant Budget Period.

The 2021 important dates are subject to change.

DOE Selects R&D Projects In The Biomanufacturing Sector

On July 10, 2020, DOE EERE announced that it has selected eight projects totaling more than $5 million to conduct R&D needed to accelerate the U.S. biomanufacturing sector. These projects are a part of the Agile BioFoundry (ABF) consortium and will leverage National Laboratory capabilities to address challenges in biomanufacturing. Each of these ABF selected projects has been invited to collaborate with National Laboratory research facilities to conduct their proposed research. The seed awards provide up to $500,000 in DOE funds to the laboratories for up to two years. Full awards, however, will receive up to $2 million for up to three years. The aim is for the projects to develop novel microbial hosts and bioproducts, use artificial intelligence and machine learning in synthetic biology, and address the problem of production heterogeneity in industrial microbiology. Each awardee has committed to a minimum of 20 percent cost-share contribution.