[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50646-50647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21788]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Announcement for the Upcoming Small Business Innovation Research 
Program (SBIR) Notice of Funding Opportunity and Procurement Award 
Changes for Fiscal Year 2019 and Beyond

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office 
of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), Technology Partnerships 
Office (TPO), Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice of awards process change and announcement of upcoming 
Small Business Innovation Research grants opportunity for FY 2019.

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    The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) will be processing all Small Business Innovation 
Research Program (SBIR) awards as grants beginning in FY 2019. Our 
goals are:
    1. To transition the SBIR award process from acquisition 
(Contracts) to financial assistance (Grants), in order to:
    a. Expand the scope of SBIR research projects, allowing more 
creativity on the part of interested small businesses and generating 
interest beyond ``veteran'' SBIR participants; and
    b. Streamlining the award and funds distribution processes, 
refining NOAA's internal operations and facilitating prompt and 
seamless payments for participating small businesses.

[[Page 50647]]

    2. To provide Phase I awards as grants in FY 2019 and all new NOAA 
SBIR awards, Phase I and Phase II, in FY 2020 and beyond.
    For over thirty years--since FY 1985--NOAA has awarded contracts to 
small, science and technology-focused companies under the Small 
Business Administration (SBA) administered Small Business Innovation 
Research Program. Historically, NOAA has carried out the goals and 
directives of the program using contract procurement processes. 
However, given the increased emphasis for broader participation, 
specially by socially and economically disadvantaged persons and women-
owned small businesses, NOAA aims to meet these programmatic goals by 
broadening the potential research areas and engendering more innovative 
solutions that have potential for the commercial market.
    The SBIR program is a highly competitive program that encourages 
domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and 
Development with the potential for commercialization. Through a 
competitive awards-based program, SBIR enables small businesses to 
explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to 
profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small 
businesses in the nation's research and development arena, high-tech 
innovation is stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial 
spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.
    Beginning in FY19, however, all new Phase I awards will be made 
through a competitive grants process. During Phase I of the NOAA SBIR 
Program, small businesses are invited to submit innovative research 
proposals related to the research topic areas derived from the 
Department of Commerce Strategic Plan, 2018-2022, https://www.commerce.gov/file/us-department-commerce-2018-2022-strategic-plan. 
While the specific subtopics that NOAA seeks to fund through the SBIR 
program will be available at time of the funding opportunity 
announcement, the broader topic areas are as follows:

1. Aquaculture
2. Recreational and Commercial Fisheries
3. Weather Service Improvement and Evolution
4. NOAA Big Data Partnerships
5. Next Generation NOAA Platforms
6. Next Generation Observation and Modeling Systems
7. Floods

    Phase I gives small businesses the opportunity to establish 
technical merit, feasibility, and proof of concept for the proposed 
innovative solution. At NOAA SBIR, we anticipate awarding multiple 
Phase I grants, with a period of performance of six (6) months and a 
not-to-exceed value of $120,000.00 each. Any organizations or 
individuals receiving grants under Phase I is eligible to compete for a 
follow-up Phase II award.
    The FY19 SBIR Phase I Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be 
issued on or about October 22, 2018. The NAICS Code for this 
acquisition is 541715. The NOAA SBIR NOFO will be available on the 
Grants.gov website. Please do not submit questions regarding this 
specific NOFO at this time. More detailed topic/subtopic information 
will be available in the NOFO when it is published. After the release 
of this funding announcement, it will be the offeror's responsibility 
to monitor Grants.gov for any amendments or updates.
    The NOFO is a restricted eligibility solicitation which is limited 
to small businesses. For purposes of this upcoming NOFO announcement 
for NOAA SBIR, eligibility requirements can be found on http://www.sbir.gov. NOAA plans to select for award the application(s) judged 
to be of the highest overall merit, with consideration given to the 
quality of the technical approach, innovation, commercial-potential, 
and company/personnel experience and qualifications.
    All potential grantees must be registered with the federal 
government System for Award Management (SAM) through the SAM.gov 
website (formerly the Central Contractor Registration database). No 
award can be made unless the vendor is registered in SAM.gov. For 
additional information and to register in SAM, please go to https://sam.gov/ or call 1-866-606-8220. In order to register in SAM and to be 
eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors 
must have a Dun & Bradstreet Universal Systems (DUNS) Number. A DUNS 
number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet 
on-line at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
    Grant applicants must obtain a DUNS number and register in the SAM 
prior to submitting an application pursuant to 2 CFR 25.200(b). If the 
applicant does not provide documentation that they are registered in 
SAM and their DUNS number, the application will not be considered for 
funding. In addition, an entity applicant must maintain registration in 
SAM at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an 
application or plan under consideration by the Agency.
    Additional information concerning DUNS and SAM can be obtained on 
the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov. In addition, 
Grants.gov provides access to technical support by calling 800-518-4726 
or emailing [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vince Garcia, SBIR Program Manager at 
[email protected].

    Dated: October 2, 2018.
David Holst,
Chief Financial Officer/Administrative Officer, Office of Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-21788 Filed 10-5-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-KA-P