Welcome to the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS
DOE Announces $37 Million for Small Business Research and Technology
August 20, 2009 – Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that $37 million in funding from the Recovery Act will be made available to qualified small businesses through the Department’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Today’s funding announcement emphasizes the Department’s commitment to developing near-term, clean energy technologies while allowing small businesses take part in the new industrial revolution that the sustainable energy economy will bring.
“Small businesses are engines of job creation and innovation, and we need their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to drive a clean energy economy,” said Secretary Chu. “By helping small businesses bring clean technologies to market, we can create jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and reduce carbon pollution.”
DOE’s SBIR/STTR programs target U.S. companies with fewer than 500 employees. Small businesses with strong research capabilities in science or engineering are encouraged to apply. Applications are currently being accepted for topic areas related to improving energy efficiency including:
- Advanced building air conditioning and refrigeration, thermal load shifting, and cool roofs
- Water usage in electric power generation and industrial processes
- Power plant cooling
- Advanced gas turbines and materials
- Sensors, controls, and wireless networks
- Advanced water power technology development
- Smart controllers for smart grid applications
- Advanced solar technologies
- Advanced industrial technologies development
- Advanced manufacturing processes
The deadline for submission of applications is September 4, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. EST. Approximately $8.5 million is expected to be available for new Phase I awards. Successful applicants may receive up to $150,000 for a Phase I grant for a period of six months to demonstrate the feasibility of the ideas that appear to have commercial potential.
For more information about DOE’s SBIR and STTR programs please visit: http://www.science.doe.gov/sbir/
DOE Hosts Small Business Conference in California for Recovery and Contracting Opportunities
 August 18, 2009 – The Department of Energy’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization held its 10th Annual Small Business Conference last week in Long Beach, California to bring together partners in the clean energy and efficiency sector. The conference, titled “Small Businesses Leading the Way to Recovery and Reinvestment,” focused on the availability of over $2 billion in federal small business contracts and subcontracts from the Department of Energy and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
From August 12-14, DOE hosted nearly 1,200 public officials and organizations, private sector contractors, and small businesses to help small businesses in California and across the country capitalize on available contracting, subcontracting and grant opportunities. Workshops included how to build effective teams and coalitions, how to write a strong proposal and application, and how small businesses can best market their products and services.
The conference also featured the first-ever Minority Educational Institution Matchmaking Forum, which included representatives from the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic Serving Institutions. During the forum, small businesses and minority educational institutions were matched with federal government officials and prime contractors to help determine opportunities for collaboration and partnerships.
Prominent speakers at the conference included Matt Rogers, DOE Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy on Recovery Act Implementation, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Senior Advisor to the Secretary on the Recovery Act; Steve Spinner, DOE Small Business Loan Guarantee Program Advisor; Mark Porat, a leading energy efficiency expert and businessman, and a video presentation by Van Jones, Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
In addition, government officials from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Transportation, the Small Business Administration, the Minority Business Development Agency, and California State Energy officials were available to advise small business on the opportunities available in their departments.
More News...
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National Black Chamber of Commerce's 17th Annual Convention
National Veteran Small Business Conference
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Interns Share Lunch with the Under Secretary for Energy
Research Opportunities Session for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
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