The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting applications for the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) Base Annual Appropriations National Laboratory call, Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness (CLIMR). 

Within DOE, the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) leads policy and programs related to technology commercialization and is therefore charged with managing TCF. The goal of TCF is to improve America’s energy competitiveness and security by accelerating commercialization and the shepherding of critical energy technologies from the lab to the market, where the private sector will continue to innovate. 

DOE expects to make $17.3-$20.4 million in federal funding available for awards under this multi-office lab call,1 issued jointly by OTT and the following DOE technology offices:

  • Office of Electricity
  • Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
  • Office of Nuclear Energy
  • Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, Solar Energy Technologies Office, Water Power Technologies Office, and Wind Energy Technologies Office.  

The FY23 TCF Base Annual Appropriations CLIMR solicitation focuses on advancing energy-related technologies and Lab-developed intellectual property (IP) toward commercialization and reducing the systemic barriers to commercializing these taxpayer-funded discoveries.

Topic Areas

Only National Laboratories are eligible for funding from this lab call. All applications must be submitted to DOE from each lab’s respective Office of Research and Technology Application (ORTA) Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). ORTA TTOs are encouraged to propose projects, in collaboration with nonfederal partners, within six topic areas:

  • Market Needs Assessment: Identify and understand emerging market needs and the technology solutions necessary for commercial purposes
  • Curation of IP: Innovate how labs connect their IP to promising technologies in the private sector
  • Matchmaking: Create or expand business incubation programming that will result in the creation of teams to commercialize lab IP
  • Technology Specific Partnerships: Advance the market pathway for individual energy-related technologies and lab-created IP that is already at a stage of generating private sector interest
  • Streamlining Laboratory Processes: Provide a more united, consistent approach to engaging external partners lab-wide and catalyzing synergies
  • Increasing External Partnerships: Improve how labs attract, recruit, and retain external partners to further develop and commercialize technologies.

Interested private partners can reach out to lab TTOs directly or sign up to partner on the public Teaming Partner List. Details on both can be found in the lab call.

Key Dates

  • The deadline to submit concept papers is Jan. 25, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET. 
  • The deadline to submit full applications is March 17, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET. 
  • DOE expects to make selection notifications in the third quarter of FY23. 

All application materials must be submitted through Exchange
 

Teaming Partner List

To expedite external partnerships in support of this lab call, DOE will compile a Teaming Partner List to facilitate the formation of new project teams. 

The list allows organizations that may wish to participate in an application but cannot do so as the prime applicant to express their interest to National Lab applicants and explore possible partnerships.

Any organization that would like to be included on this list should find the Teaming Partner List for this solicitation (DE-LC-000L098) on Exchange and submit the following information:

  • Organization Name
  • Organization Type
  • Website
  • Contact Name
  • Contact Address
  • Contact Email
  • Contact Phone
  • Area of Expertise
  • Brief Description of Capabilities
  • Applicable Topic and Subtopic.

Please refer to the Manuals section on Exchange for more detailed instructions on using the Teaming Partner List.

Disclaimer: By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of the submitted information. By enabling and publishing the Teaming Partner List, DOE is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are identifying themselves for placement on this Teaming Partner List. DOE will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any applicants or requesting organizations for the development of such information.

Additional Information

To learn more about the FY23 Base Annual Appropriations TCF Lab Call, visit the DOE TCF website.

Register to attend an informational webinar OTT will host on Jan. 4, 2023.

 

1At the time of this solicitation release, Congress has not yet passed a full FY23 DOE appropriated budget.