FY 2020 Small Business Innovation Research Phase II

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) invites small businesses to submit research proposals under this NOFO. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is not a substitute for existing unsolicited proposal mechanisms. Unsolicited proposals are not accepted under the SBIR program.

Only Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Phase II applications may be submitted in response to this NOFO. Phase I applications are not being accepted at this time. Only FY 2019 NOAA SBIR Phase I awardees in response to NOFO number NOAA-OAR-OAR TPO-2019-2005899 with project start dates of January 1, 2020 and project end dates of no later than September 30, 2020 are eligible to submit a Phase II application in response to this NOFO.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program was originally established in 1982 by the Small Business Innovation Development Act (P.L. 97-219), codified at 15

U.S.C. § 638. It was then expanded and extended by the Small Business Research and Development (R & D) Enhancement Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-564), and received subsequent reauthorization and extensions, the most recent of which extends the SBIR program through 2022. (P.L. 114-328).

Eleven federal agencies set aside a portion of their extramural R & D budget each year to fund research proposals from small science and technology-based firms. The goals of the SBIR program are to: stimulate technological innovation; strengthen the role of small business in meeting Federal R & D needs; foster and encourage participation by socially and economically disadvantaged Small Business Concerns and by women-owned SBCs, in technological innovation; and increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from federal research and development funding. The NOAA SBIR Program identifies and solicits proposals in subtopics that fall within NOAA's mission.

NOAA is not obligated to make any awards under this NOFO, and all awards are subject to the availability of funds. NOAA is not responsible for any costs expended by the applicant in the development of the proposal and prior to award of any finance assistance award.