Department of Energy Forecast of Opportunities

To assist in financial planning, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) publishes upcoming procurement projections online. This website provides efficient and effective access to the DOE’s forecasted procurements over $100,000. These procurement projections are based on the best information available from DOE’s contributing headquarters, field, laboratory and prime contractor offices.

Procurement Technical Assistance Center

The Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is designed to help businesses seeking to compete successfully in federal, state and local government contracting. Funded through cooperative agreements between the Department of Defense and state/local entities, PTACs provide a range of expert services at little or no charge.

Small Business Administration Dynamic Small Business Search

Within the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) is an internal database of firms certified by the SBA under the 8(a) Business Development and HUBZone programs. The DSBS populates those fields in the System for Award Management. The DSBS automatically reviews the North American Industrial Classification Code System codes supplied by a firm and performs calculations against each NAICS code size and standards to determine which NAICS codes the firm qualifies as a small business, based on employment and revenue information entered into SAM.

Small Business Development Center

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides a wide array of technical assistance to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs, supporting business performance and sustainability and enhancing the creation of new businesses entities. SBDCs, made up of a unique collaboration of SBA, state and local governments, and private sector funding resources, provide services such as development of business plans, manufacturing assistance, financial packages, and procurement contracts.

Small Business Partnerships through SBIR and STTR

Each year, 11 federal agencies set aside an average of more than $2 billion in combined annual funding for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

These highly competitive, multi-phase, award-based programs encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization.

Argonne has broad SBIR/STTR experience, unique capabilities and facilities, and established processes to facilitate SBIR/STTR partnerships and to support small business proposals that align with Argonne’s mission. Argonne also makes select laboratory technologies available to small business applicants through Technology Transfer Opportunities (TTO) included in DOE SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA).

Argonne’s Science and Technology Partnership Outreach (STPO) division can help to identify laboratory capabilities, facilities, or technologies in support of small business proposals to SBIR/STTR.

Small Business Vouchers Program

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Small Business Vouchers Program (SBV) provides clean energy small businesses access to select national labs – making the contracting process simple, lab practices transparent, and access to the labs’ unique facilities practical.

Through SBV, selected small businesses receive access to the state-of-the-art facilities and experts at participating DOE national labs, while the labs expand their knowledge of and involvement with the private sector, helping small businesses with advanced technologies contribute to American competitiveness and economic growth.

System for Award Management

System for Award Management (SAM) enables small business owners to register to do business with the federal government and self-certify as a small business, all in one place. This streamlined, integrated approach eliminates data redundancies, improves capabilities of the government-contracting workforce, and saves taxpayers money by reducing costs. If you require assistance with SAM, contact the Federal Service Desk at 866-606-8220.