To apply for NOAA SBIR Phase II funding, your business must meet several strict eligibility criteria. These requirements are not suggestions—missing even one can disqualify your submission.
First, you must have successfully completed a NOAA SBIR Phase I award during the previous cycle. NOAA explicitly disallows Phase II applications from companies that received or even requested a no-cost extension for Phase I. If your final Phase I report wasn’t submitted on time, your Phase II submission will not be accepted.
Requesting a Phase I no-cost extension?
You will be ineligible for NOAA SBIR Phase II funding. NOAA requires timely completion of Phase I to qualify.
Your company must still meet the Small Business Concern (SBC) requirements, including being U.S.-owned and operated, for-profit, and employing 500 or fewer people. The Principal Investigator (PI) for the project must be primarily employed by your company—at least 51% of their time—during the Phase II performance period. All R&D must take place within the United States unless you’ve secured a waiver.
Workshare is also monitored closely. At least 50% of the R&D effort must be carried out by your business. You can subcontract the rest, but NOAA will not fund proposals where external organizations perform the majority of the work.
NOAA’s program is unique in that it tightly aligns with the agency’s mission areas. This includes weather prediction, ocean and coastal resilience, fisheries management, satellite systems, and cross-cutting technologies such as AI, autonomous systems, and genomics. Your proposed work must directly support one of NOAA’s mission-driven topic areas listed in the annual solicitation.
Only mission-relevant proposals are funded
NOAA SBIR projects must demonstrate relevance to NOAA’s operational or strategic goals—no exceptions.
Evaluation criteria are spelled out in the solicitation. Reviewers assess proposals based on technical merit, innovation, Phase I success, commercialization potential, and alignment with NOAA’s needs. Knowing this from the outset helps you strategically frame your proposal.
To prepare a responsive and fundable application, make sure your project reflects:
- A clear technical advance based on Phase I
- Direct alignment with NOAA’s topic areas
- Evidence of real market potential
- A capable, qualified team
If your technology can support NOAA’s mission while also creating a scalable product or service, you’re on the right track. Now is the time to verify every eligibility box—and if anything is in doubt, resolve it before writing.
Build a Timeline and Assign Roles
A NOAA Phase II application involves multiple components—technical writing, budgeting, forms, support letters, and internal coordination. Without a structured timeline, even well-prepared teams risk missing key elements or scrambling at the last minute. Start planning well before the solicitation is released.
The best way to avoid deadline stress is to work backward from NOAA’s submission deadline (typically 2–3 months after the NOFO drops). Assign dates to each milestone, set internal deadlines at least one week before final submission, and build in time for multiple reviews.
- Week 1–2: Analyze Phase I data
- Week 3–4: Draft technical sections
- Week 5: Draft commercialization plan
- Week 6: Collect support letters
- Week 7: Finalize budget
- Week 8: Proof and submit
- Technical Lead: Usually the PI, writes core narrative
- Commercialization Lead: Gathers market data, drafts strategy
- Budget/Form Manager: Handles cost proposals, forms
- Editor(s): Review clarity, alignment, and errors
Strong project management makes the difference between a polished, fundable application and one that’s rushed and error-prone. Use task lists, calendar reminders, or a project tracker to keep everyone on pace. Treat the proposal like a mini-R&D project—and manage it accordingly.
Verify Registrations and Accounts Early
Before you can submit a NOAA SBIR Phase II proposal, several registrations must be active and correctly configured. While most were likely set up during Phase I, each must be verified for status, accuracy, and access.
Start with the System for Award Management (SAM). Your entity must have an active SAM registration with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). SAM renewals can take over a month, especially if information has changed since Phase I. Don’t assume you’re good to go—log in and confirm.
Next, check your SBIR.gov company profile through the SBA registry. If you already have a Firm Control ID from Phase I, it should still be valid. But if your business structure or ownership changed, update it immediately. New or lapsed SBA registrations can take up to 90 days to process.
For Grants.gov, confirm that your organization’s Workspace account is still active. The person who will upload and submit your application must be listed as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) and able to access all relevant functions. Verify your credentials by logging in—not just assuming you have access.
You’ll also need an active eRA Commons account. While traditionally used for biomedical grants, NOAA now uses eRA Commons for some administrative functions. Link your SAM UEI to eRA if you haven’t already. Set up new accounts well in advance if your team has changed.
Finally, monitor your email for NOAA communications. They may send Phase II details, application links, or webinar invites from [email protected]. Make sure this address is added to your safe sender list and that your NOAA SBIR contact email is up-to-date in all systems.
Test Your Logins Now
Log in and verify passwords, permissions, and expiration dates at least two weeks before submission.
The most common preventable reason for a rejected or late proposal is expired registration or failed system login. Build time into your schedule to test each platform and resolve issues early. It’s not just a technicality—it’s the gateway to being eligible at all.
Write the Technical Proposal (Core Narrative)
The technical narrative is the backbone of your Phase II proposal—and it’s often capped at 25 pages. NOAA provides a defined structure for this section, and following it precisely is critical. Your writing should show that Phase I was successful, that your Phase II plan is technically rigorous, and that your team is equipped to deliver results.
A compliant technical proposal touches all of the following:
- NOAA mission alignment
- Measurable technical goals
- Strong Phase I foundation
- Structured and achievable work plan
- Innovation beyond the current state-of-the-art
- A capable and well-matched team
Refer to the solicitation’s checklist as you write. Each section has a specific purpose in convincing reviewers that your technology is ready for further investment and that your business is the one to build it.
Remember: clarity matters as much as content. Keep jargon in check, use headers for readability, and emphasize quantifiable impact.
Strengthen the Commercialization Plan
Your Phase II proposal must demonstrate a viable path to market. NOAA SBIR evaluators expect a commercialization plan that’s as realistic and robust as the technical work plan. This section often differentiates strong proposals from the rest—especially when technical scores are close.
Start by defining the target customer. Who would buy, license, or use your product once it’s developed? Is it a NOAA office, a commercial fishing fleet, municipal flood planners, or private weather analytics firms? Be specific.
Provide early market validation. This could include feedback from end users during Phase I, letters of interest, quotes from customer interviews, or citations of demand in market reports. Show that you understand the pain points, procurement behaviors, and willingness to pay.
Clarify your revenue model and sales strategy. Will this be sold as a SaaS subscription, a direct product sale, a licensing deal, or a government service contract? Outline the expected go-to-market timeline and any barriers—such as regulatory approvals or capital needs—that might affect adoption.
Explain how Phase II work gets you commercially ready. Will the result be a pilot-tested prototype? A field-validated model? Make it clear what you’ll have in hand and how it supports customer acquisition or follow-on funding.
Finally, outline your Phase III pathway. Will NOAA or another agency adopt your tech? Are you pursuing private capital? A pilot deployment with a commercial partner? Even a rough roadmap shows reviewers that you’re thinking beyond research toward real-world impact.
The commercialization plan should read like a business brief—grounded, strategic, and focused on outcomes.