The FY 2025 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This funding opportunity is exclusively open to small business concerns (SBCs) that were awarded a SBIR Phase I Grant in response to the FY 2024 Phase I NOFO (NOAA-OAR-TPO-2024-2008184). The SBIR program was established in 1982 under the Small Business Innovation Development Act to stimulate technological innovation, strengthen the role of small businesses in meeting federal R&D needs, and foster commercialization of innovations derived from federal R&D funding.

The NOAA SBIR Phase II program supports the further development of research conducted in Phase I and focuses on Research and Development (R&D) leading to potential commercial applications. Applicants must submit a comprehensive proposal outlining their research, development, and commercialization plan. The maximum award amount for Phase II is $690,000, and projects must be completed within 24 months. Approximately 18 awards are anticipated for FY 2025, subject to available funding.

Eligible applicants must meet the Small Business Concern (SBC) requirements, including the primary employment of the principal investigator (PI) at the SBC and performing at least 50% of the research work. Applicants must also be registered with the Small Business Administration (SBA) Company Registry and comply with federal cost principles. Submissions from venture capital, hedge funds, or private equity firms are not permitted.

The application process requires the submission of a detailed research proposal, a commercialization plan, budget forms, and other mandatory documentation via Grants.gov. The evaluation process considers scientific merit, technical approach, commercial potential, innovation, and team qualifications. NOAA aims to announce award selections within 90 days of the application deadline and finalize awards within 180 days.

The NOFO specifies strict compliance with fraud, waste, and abuse prevention policies, intellectual property rights, and reporting requirements. Phase II awardees must submit semi-annual progress reports and a final comprehensive report. The award process follows NOAA’s Grants Management Office procedures, with adherence to federal regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Buy America requirements.

The application period opens on January 10, 2025, and closes on March 14, 2025. Interested applicants must submit their proposals through Grants.gov and ensure compliance with all submission and eligibility requirements. The NOAA SBIR program provides priority consideration to projects related to manufacturing innovation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy within NOAA’s mission areas.

For more information, potential applicants can contact NOAA’s SBIR Team via email at noaa.sbir@noaa.gov or Raishan Adams at raishan.adams@noaa.gov for grant administration inquiries.