Find a Partner

Partners can help small businesses successfully transform their research ideas and innovations into tangible products to take to market. Partnerships with Research Institutions, National Labs, and universities can provide crucial assistance during Phase I awards when small businesses are conducting research and testing the feasibility of their objectives, whereas partnerships with manufacturing and engineering firms may be critical in Phase II awards when small businesses are developing product prototypes.  In either case, partnerships and collaborations are highly encouraged and the DOE SBIR website contains a great deal of useful information under “Partnering Resources” to help applicants find the right partner for the right stage of their project.   

Partnering with Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)  

Although many small businesses partner with universities on their STTR proposals, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) are also a viable alternative.  In addition to participating as the research institution for STTR applications, FFRDCs may also participate as subcontractors in SBIR proposals.  Partnering with an FFRDC or a research institution can provide prestige and expertise that many small businesses may be lacking, in addition to access to equipment and facilities necessary to carry out the proposed research.   

Considerations for partnering with an FFRDC 

1. If the small business does not already have an established relationship with an FFRDC, reach out to peers who have experience working with FFRDCs.  An additional option for finding a potential partner is to reach out to the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) or explore the DOE’s Lab Partnering Service. The websites are listed at right.  
2. Keep in mind that the benefit to the FFRDC is that in partnering with a small business on an SBIR or STTR project is that it is serving the federal government’s best interests.
3. It may be easier to work with an FFRDC that has previously served on an SBIR or STTR award.
4. There are several types of mechanisms available for collaborating with FFRDCs, including but not limited to, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), Work for Others (WFO), User Facility Agreement, Licensing Agreement, and Technical Assistance Agreement.   

For a list of the 20 DOE National Labs (FFRDCs), their core competencies and contact information, please visit DOE’s Lab Partnering Service at: https://labpartnering.org/labs.  This website is a tremendous resource, searchable by topic, industry, lab assets, in addition to providing guidance on the different types of partnering mechanisms.