Enabling Federal Technology Transfer Program (EFTT) | 2019 NIST TPO 02

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2019 NIST TPO 02

The Enabling Federal Technology Transfer Program (EFTT) is a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) funding opportunity, issued on behalf of the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Executive Board, that supports a cooperative agreement focused on improving how non-federal organizations connect with and use federal laboratory innovations. The core aim is to strengthen federal technology transfer and research commercialization by building practical outreach, education, and engagement mechanisms that make it easier for companies, universities, and other partners to work with federal labs. In plain terms, the program is about reducing friction between federal research capabilities and the outside groups that can turn that research into products, services, and real-world impact.

A key feature of this opportunity is that it is structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a typical grant, meaning the awardee is expected to work closely and continuously with the FLC Executive Board, including NIST, during the period of performance. The collaboration is intended to produce tools, services, and best practices that help non-federal partners identify, access, and make productive use of federal assets such as intellectual property (for example, patents and other federally developed technologies), user facilities, and broader research and development resources. Instead of funding a single research project, EFTT is geared toward building enabling infrastructure and programming that improves the overall technology transfer ecosystem.

The activities described in the announcement emphasize three connected outcomes. First, the awardee is expected to develop outreach and educational programs that raise awareness and improve understanding of how federal technology transfer works and how to participate in it. Second, the awardee should create or expand training and education infrastructure for relevant stakeholders, which can include materials, curricula, workshops, guidance tools, or other capacity-building resources designed to help organizations navigate federal collaboration pathways and commercialization processes. Third, the program prioritizes active engagement across industry, academia, and state and local government communities so that access to federal R and D collaboration and technology transfer opportunities is strengthened both regionally and nationally. The intention is not just to publish information, but to actively build connections and usable pathways that increase participation.

Administratively, the opportunity was posted by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NIST under Funding Opportunity Number 2019 NIST TPO 02, categorized as discretionary funding and aligned with the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category. The CFDA listing is 11.620. The notice indicates an award ceiling of $3,200,000, with an expected number of awards listed as 100. The opportunity was created on June 17, 2019, and the original closing date was August 16, 2019. Eligibility is broadly labeled as "Others," with the expectation that applicants consult the additional eligibility information in the full announcement for precise definitions and any restrictions.

Overall, EFTT is best understood as a capacity-building and engagement program designed to modernize and expand the practical channels through which non-federal partners access federal inventions, facilities, and expertise. It targets the common barriers to technology transfer such as lack of awareness, unclear processes, insufficient training, and weak cross-sector networks, and it funds work that produces scalable tools, programs, and collaborative frameworks to make federal lab innovation easier to find, license, collaborate on, and ultimately commercialize.

• The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enabling Federal Technology Transfer Program (EFTT)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.620.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 17, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 16, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 2019 NIST TPO 02

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