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Inventions & Innovations Program RFP Released

June 04, 1999
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The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies has issued the solicitation for the Inventions and Innovations Program (IIP). The competitive program provides financial assistance for establishing technical performance and conducting early development of innovative ideas and inventions. Selected projects must have significant energy savings and future commercial market potential.

Total grant funding available is anticipated to be $2.3 million. Two levels of funding are available:

  • Category 1 Applications may receive up to $40,000 for conceptual or technical feasibility. Projects may last no more than two years.
  • Category 2 Applications may receive up to $200,000 for projects in the last two stages of development (development and commercial validation or demonstration). Projects may last no more than three years.

Larger projects involving commercial demonstration are directed to apply for National Industrial Competitiveness through Efficiency, Economics and (NICE3) funding (see related article).

Individual inventors, small businesses, universities, and not-for-profit research institutions may apply for Category 1 projects; only small businesses and inventors are eligible for Category 2 funding.

Cost sharing is not required but will be considered favorably, particularly on Category 2 applications. Funding may not be used for patent applications or solely for advertising or marketing activities.

IIP applications within the nine Industries of the Future focus areas of the Office of Industrial Technologies will be provided special funding consideration. The nine areas are: agriculture, aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, metalcasting, mining, petroleum, and steel. Technology roadmaps for each industry group are available at the website for the Office of Industrial Technologies (see below).

Projects within eight activity areas are ineligible for consideration, including nuclear power generation and waste treatment; weapons; and, oil, gas, and coal exploration. The complete list is available in the solicitation.

Proposals must be submitted to the Golden, Colorado Field Office by 3:00 p.m. Mountain Time on July 30, 1999. Award announcements are anticipated to be made by the end of the year.

Questions should be directed to Jim Damm by phone (303) 275-4788 or by email jim_damm@nrel.gov. The solicitation can be downloaded from the DOE website at: http://www.oit.doe.gov/inventions/