Our Impact

The Technology Partnership Office's Impact

The Technology Partnerships Office at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has been instrumental in the economy of the United States and in citizen’s lives every day. The office is split into two different departments: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Technology Transfer (T2).

Since 2010, the NOAA SBIR Program has awarded over $54 Million to 152 innovative small U.S. companies working in the NOAA mission space. Learn more about how to apply for the SBIR Program and about the technologies NOAA has funded.

Our Technology Transfer program has helped execute 109 Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) since 2000 and has successfully patented 187 innovative technologies. 

Global Successes

Science on a Sphere, a global display system used to educate citizens about weather patterns, has been installed in 177 exhibits in 23 countries. Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) buoys log changes in seafloor temperatures and pressure for instant, accurate tsunami forecasts all over the world. Omega 3 Fish Oil supplements are taken by over 18 million Americans a day. The National Weather Service data drives the ability for every citizen to have accessible, real-time weather information at the click of a button. 

Learn more about our Technology Transfer program.

Science on a Sphere
Science on a Sphere Boulder, CO. Credit: NOAA

FY21-22 - Accomplishments

The TPO is committed to excellence and to providing the maximum value to NOAA and to the U.S. taxpayer.  To ensure we are meeting these goals, we are providing our key deliverables from the previous and current Fiscal Years in relation to our Strategic Plan.

Enhance Innovation

  • Executed highest-ever number of CRADAs in a single year in 2021.
  • Introduced fully updated NOAA Administrative Order 201-103a covering intellectual property disclosure, licensing, and royalties, and updated CRADA rules and regulations for NOAA.
  • Launched intranet site dedicated to provide enhanced technology transfer training and communications across NOAA.
  • Chair of NOAA Science and Technology Partnerships Sub-Committee.
  • Launched NOAA Technology Marketplace to increase awareness of NOAA-developed technologies available for commercial adoption.

Enhance Job Creation in U.S.

  • Developed stakeholder engagement and communications plans to increase outreach to underserved populations.
  • Developed partnership with TMA BlueTech to feature NOAA SBIR innovations in the blue tech space.
  • Highlighted NOAA S&T Priorities for ‘Omics, Citizen Science, UxS, Artificial Intelligence, and the Blue Economy in SBIR Notices of Federal Opportunity.
  • Launched NOAA Technology Marketplace to increase awareness of NOAA-funded SBIR technologies available for commercial sale.

Improve Office Function and Profile

  • Hired dedicated Stakeholder Engagement and Communications specialist.
  • Launched revised and updated website and intranet sites
  • Representing NOAA on all NSTC Lab-to-Market Strategy Teams.
  • Chair NSTC Lab-to-Market Sub-Committee Strategy Team 5.
  • Chair Federal Laboratory Consortium Website Sub-Committee.
  • Partnership with TMA BlueTech to promote U.S. blue innovation and blue tech clusters.