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The Department of Energy’s Phase 0 SBIR/STTR Assistance Program is Back and Ready with Virtual Assistance for New Applicants and New Technologies

DOE Phase 0. City lights glow in the distance.ROCHESTER, NY (November 11, 2020) – With the release of the Department of Energy (DOE)’s FY21 Phase I Release 2 Topics Document, the agency is pleased to re-launch its Phase 0 SBIR/STTR assistance program. The DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program aims to increase the number of high quality SBIR/STTR proposals submitted by first-time applicants to the Department of Energy by eligible small businesses.

The DOE SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance program is administered by Dawnbreaker and provides a variety of services – free of charge – to eligible small businesses. These services become available once an SBIR/STTR Topics Document is released from the DOE, and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants. During the program, business Coaches will work one on one with companies who have a technology related to a DOE need and help them to prepare a compelling SBIR/STTR proposal. As always, these services are provided remotely and leverage virtual platforms for all participants. Eligible parties receive one or more specialized services following an initial assessment by a member of the Dawnbreaker team. Available services include:

  • Letter of Intent (LOI) writing assistance
  • Phase I Proposal Preparation, Review and Registration Assistance
  • Market Research Assistance
  • Indirect Rates and Financials
  • Intellectual Property Consultation
  • Technology Advice and Consultation

If you have a background in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM), you are the ideal applicant, and if you have never submitted an SBIR or STTR application to the Department of Energy, you meet the first eligibility criteria. While all first time applicants are eligible the DOE particularly encourages applications from U.S. women-owned, and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses located anywhere in the U.S. and its territories that work with advanced technologies. Further, any U.S. small, advanced technology firms currently located in underrepresented states, districts, and territories are encouraged to apply.

DOE’s Phase 0 services are designed to be complementary to state assistance and may be used in tandem with services provided by professional organizations, SBDCs, universities, incubators, and other state organizations.

Please visit https://doephase0.dawnbreaker.com to review the full list of eligibility requirements and to apply for Phase 0 services. The official Topics Document was released on Monday, November 9th. You may view the full list of topics at: https://science.osti.gov/sbir/Funding-Opportunities.

About Dawnbreaker

Dawnbreaker is a leading provider of commercialization services that support the Small Business Innovation (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) communities. Since 1990, Dawnbreaker has provided commercialization assistance to over 9,600 Phase I and Phase II SBIR/STTR awardees. Cumulatively these firms have received more than $2.5B in Phase III funding.

Disaster Contracting Webinar: How to Do Business with FEMA and the State of Florida

A business owner is holding a digital tablet while standing in the doorway of her shop.

Thank you for participating in the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Headquarters’ and Florida PTAC at FAMU‘s “How to Do Business with FEMA and the State of Florida” webinar that took place on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.  During the webinar, representatives from the Florida PTAC, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Industry Liaison Program, and the Florida Division of Emergency Management discussed specialized topics for small businesses including the agencies’ procurement policies and practices, business registrations and requirements, and common goods and services purchased.

The webinar materials can be downloaded here:

Webinar: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 1 Training | June 17, 2020, 10:00 AM (EST)

New DoD Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMCC): Everything you need to know.

Though contracting opportunities for small businesses are abundant, cybersecurity poses a threat to small businesses in the defense industrial base and our national security. To help mitigate cybersecurity threats, the Department of Defense (DoD) will soon require all businesses bidding on contracts and performing on current contracts to certify that they meet at least a basic level of cybersecurity standards when responding to solicitations. 

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a five-level certification process developed by the DoD to help ensure contractors have a system for protecting sensitive data and information. 

  • Level 1: Demonstrate basic cyber hygiene 
  • Level 2: Demonstrate intermediate cyber hygiene 
  • Level 3: Demonstrate good cyber hygiene
  • Level 4: Proactive 
  • Level 5: Advanced/progressive

Project Spectrum, an initiative of the DoD Office of Small Business Programs to strengthen the cybersecurity of small and medium-sized businesses, and the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), will host a no-cost webinar to help small business owners understand the CMMC Level 1 certification.

Don’t miss out! Join us for this no cost, informative event to better understand the CMMC requirements to help better position your business as a government contractor.

Register through GoToWebinar by clicking the Register Here button below. You will receive a “virtual ticket” to attend the webinar. If you have trouble accessing the webinar, please contact Ron Scott, Chief Curriculum Architect at Project Spectrum at ron.scott@eccalon.com.

Register Here

Click here to download the flyer.