Confirm Eligibility Early
Before investing time in proposal preparation, confirm that your business meets all the EPA SBIR eligibility criteria. EPA follows standard SBIR rules with a few important nuances. To qualify, your company must be:
- A for-profit business located in the United States
- Majority-owned (at least 51%) by U.S. citizens or permanent residents
- Employing no more than 500 people, including affiliates
Additionally, the Principal Investigator (PI) must be primarily employed by your business during the project, and the proposed R&D must be conducted within the U.S.
Unlike other agencies, the EPA allows only one Phase I proposal per company per solicitation. If you’re considering multiple project ideas, select the one that best aligns with the current EPA topic areas and demonstrates strong environmental relevance.
Important:
EPA permits only one Phase I proposal per company per solicitation. Choose your topic carefully.
Study the Solicitation Carefully
Each year, the EPA releases a detailed SBIR Phase I solicitation outlining eligible topics, deadlines, and submission requirements. This document is your blueprint—every decision you make about your proposal should reflect what’s written there.
You can find the most current solicitation on the EPA SBIR website or via FedConnect, which is also the official submission portal. Make sure to:
- Note the solicitation number and closing date
- Review the list of eligible topics and subtopics
- Match your innovation precisely to the wording and focus of a listed topic
EPA topics are often broad but each includes specific guidance on desired outcomes or technology characteristics. It’s not enough to be environmentally beneficial—your project must directly support one of the listed priorities.
Also, keep in mind that EPA awards SBIR contracts, not grants. This means you’ll have stricter deliverables and performance expectations compared to grant-based agencies. Review any EPA-specific contractual obligations described in the solicitation to ensure you’re comfortable fulfilling them.
Complete Registrations Well in Advance
Submitting a proposal to the EPA SBIR program requires several registrations—some of which can take weeks to complete. To avoid last-minute issues, begin these steps as early as possible:
While other agencies often use Grants.gov, the EPA does not—so focus your preparation on FedConnect. Begin registrations as soon as the solicitation opens; EPA does not grant extensions for incomplete registrations.
Develop a Strong Proposal Narrative
Your narrative is the centerpiece of your EPA SBIR Phase I proposal. It must be technically sound, environmentally relevant, and aligned with EPA’s contract requirements. Below are the core components the EPA expects in your submission:
Problem & Environmental Impact
Describe the specific environmental problem your technology addresses. Explain its relevance to EPA’s mission and why it matters to public health or ecological protection.
Project Objective & Innovation
State the main objective of your proposed project and clearly define your innovative solution. Distinguish your approach from existing technologies—EPA reviewers want to see novelty with practical application.
Technical Approach & Work Plan
Outline your R&D plan in detail. Break down the six-month Phase I effort into specific tasks, methods, milestones, and success criteria.
Team Expertise & Facilities
Highlight the qualifications of your Principal Investigator and any key personnel. If you include subcontractors or consultants, explain their roles. Describe the equipment and facilities you’ll use.
Expected Results & Deliverables
Summarize what you expect to accomplish during Phase I. EPA reviewers look for clear outputs such as data, models, or prototypes that prove feasibility.
Commercialization Potential
Even in Phase I, EPA wants to see that you’ve considered market impact. Identify potential customers, licensing pathways, or business models.
Environmental and EPA Relevance
Tie your project directly to the solicitation topic using their language. This helps show alignment and can improve your review score.
Related Work or Prior SBIR Awards
Disclose any related proposals or previous SBIR funding. Transparency is required—even if similar projects are under other solicitations.
Write your proposal in clear, plain language. Use subheadings, avoid unnecessary jargon, and respect any page limits and formatting rules specified in the solicitation.
Create a Realistic, Compliant Budget
A well-prepared budget shows reviewers that your project is feasible and well-planned. For EPA SBIR Phase I, awards are typically capped at around $100,000 for a 6-month project. If you request more than the stated cap, your proposal will be automatically disqualified.
Warning:
Do not exceed EPA’s Phase I budget cap—your proposal will be rejected without review.
Required Budget Categories
You’ll need to complete the EPA’s official budget form, typically found in the solicitation’s appendix. Key categories include:
- Personnel: List staff, hours, and rates—including the PI and any consultants.
- Fringe Benefits: Include insurance, retirement, or other benefits.
- Equipment: Justify any equipment purchases. For small budgets, renting or leasing may be better.
- Materials & Supplies: Estimate costs for anything consumed during R&D.
- Travel: Include only if travel is essential (e.g., field testing).
- Subcontractors/Consultants: You may outsource up to 1/3 of the total cost.
- Other Direct Costs: Include testing fees, licensing, or facility usage.
- Indirect Costs: Apply your overhead rate (or estimate one if you don’t have a negotiated rate).
- Profit/Fee: EPA allows up to 10%. Most applicants include a fee of 7–10%.
Budget Justification
EPA requires a short narrative explanation for each major line item. For example, clarify how many hours each person will work, what a piece of equipment is for, or why a subcontractor is necessary.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Math errors or internal inconsistencies across forms
- Inflated costs or padding
- Missing justification narratives
- Subcontracting more than one-third of total costs
- Including unallowable expenses (e.g., patent costs, sales/marketing)
A good rule of thumb: reviewers should be able to see how every dollar contributes to your Phase I goals.
Final Forms, Formatting & Submission Tips
Even the strongest proposal can be rejected if it doesn’t follow EPA’s formatting and submission rules. Treat this last stage with as much care as your technical work.
Required Forms and Attachments
Most EPA solicitations require the following documents in a specific order:
- Cover Sheet: Use the official form (typically Appendix 1) and include your SBA SBC Control ID.
- Project Summary/Abstract: Must be non-confidential and typically limited to 400 words.
- Technical Narrative: Follow the structure and page limits outlined in the solicitation.
- Budget Form and Justification: Usually found in Appendix 3.
- Optional or Conditional Attachments: For example, letters of support or QA summaries if required.
Double-check the solicitation instructions to make sure all attachments are included and labeled correctly.
Formatting Rules
EPA is strict about formatting. Common requirements include:
- Font: Times New Roman or similar, 11 or 12 pt
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides
- Page limits: Often 25–35 pages for the technical volume
- File type: Usually PDF
- Signature: Electronic or manual signature of an authorized official
Noncompliance Risk:
Violating EPA formatting rules (font, margins, page count) can result in automatic rejection.
Submission via FedConnect
The EPA uses FedConnect for proposal submission. You must:
- Be fully registered and linked to your active SAM.gov profile
- Upload your documents as a single PDF, unless otherwise instructed
- Submit before the deadline—FedConnect timestamps are final
Test the submission process before the deadline if possible. Some applicants also submit a day early to allow time for troubleshooting.