Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003118
The Revolutionizing Ore to Steel to Impact Emissions (ROSIE) SBIR/STTR opportunity is a Department of Energy ARPA-E funding call aimed at backing high-risk, high-reward small business research and development that can dramatically cut emissions from iron and steel production. ARPA-E is designed to fund transformative applied R&D, meaning projects that can break away from incremental improvements and instead create new cost and performance trajectories that could ultimately disrupt existing industrial approaches. In this case, the disruptive target is the dominant carbothermic blast furnace pathway for making iron, which is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.
ROSIE is structured as a roughly three-year program with a total program scope described as about $35 million, focused on developing and demonstrating new pathways to zero-emissions ironmaking and ultra-low life cycle emissions for steelmaking. The core technical goal is to produce iron-based products from iron-containing ores or alternative feedstocks while eliminating process emissions from the ironmaking step itself. Beyond simply proving a concept, ROSIE emphasizes real industrial relevance: the funded technologies are expected to show a credible path toward competing on cost with incumbent blast furnace ironmaking, because emissions benefits alone are often not enough to drive broad adoption in commodity markets like steel.
The FOA describes two technical categories. Category A covers technologies that run from ore through ironmaking (ore-to-iron). Category B must include ironmaking but can also extend further downstream into steel production steps. This setup allows proposals that focus tightly on the ironmaking unit operation as well as proposals that integrate ironmaking with subsequent processing, as long as ironmaking is a central component.
ROSIE sets aggressive performance and scale metrics that proposals are expected to be capable of reaching if the technology succeeds. These include zero non-biogenic greenhouse gas emissions from the ironmaking process (in other words, no fossil-derived process emissions during ironmaking), and an ultra-low cradle-to-gate life cycle emissions target for the resulting iron or steel product, stated as less than 0.7 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel. The program also stresses industrial scalability, calling for a pathway to greater than 15 million tonnes of production scale, along with cost parity relative to the iron or steel product being displaced and material properties that meet the requirements of the equivalent commercial products. On the demonstration side, the FOA highlights tangible end-of-project deliverables: producing at least 10 kg of the proposed product and demonstrating a production rate of 1 kg per hour by the project end.
Eligibility is aimed at small businesses through the ARPA-E SBIR/STTR mechanism. Like other SBIR/STTR efforts, the intent is to stimulate private-sector innovation and commercialization, with STTR specifically encouraging formal collaboration between small businesses and research institutions. ARPA-E notes that it administers SBIR/STTR in multiple phases (Phase I, Phase II, and a Phase IIB/IIS-style follow-on structure), reflecting a pipeline from early feasibility to more advanced prototype development and validation.
From an administrative standpoint, applicants must access the full Funding Opportunity Announcement through the ARPA-E FOA site and must submit required materials through ARPA-E eXCHANGE. Concept papers or application materials submitted outside eXCHANGE are not reviewed. The listing provides support channels for technical problems with the submission portal (ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov) and a separate contact for FOA questions (ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov), plus a pointer to ARPA-E's FAQ page.
Key opportunity details included in the notice identify the funding opportunity number as DE-FOA-0003118, the agency as DOE ARPA-E, and eligible applicants as small businesses. The assistance instruments include cooperative agreements, grants, and other mechanisms. The notice lists an award ceiling of $4,241,580, and it states the submission deadline as 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on 08/08/2023, with a recommendation to submit at least 48 hours early to avoid last-minute issues. The program rationale is framed in emissions impact: if successful and deployed, technologies meeting ROSIE metrics could reduce emissions by more than 65 million metric tonnes CO2e annually in the United States and more than 2.9 gigatonnes annually globally, reflecting the outsized climate footprint of iron and steelmaking and the value of a truly cost-competitive zero-emissions pathway.Apply for DE FOA 0003118
- The Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy in the opportunity zone benefits, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Revolutionizing Ore to Steel to Impact Emissions (ROSIE) SBIR/STTR" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.135.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 22, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 08, 2023 Submissions to this FOA are due no later than 930 a.m. Eastern Time on 08/08/2023. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit at least 48 hours in advance of the due date.. (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 $4,241,580.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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ROSIE (ARPA-E SBIR/STTR) Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the ROSIE SBIR/STTR opportunity?
ROSIE stands for Revolutionizing Ore to Steel to Impact Emissions. It is a Department of Energy ARPA-E funding call that supports high-risk, high-reward small business research and development aimed at dramatically cutting emissions from iron and steel production.
What is the main problem ROSIE is trying to solve?
ROSIE targets the dominant carbothermic blast furnace pathway for making iron, which is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The program is looking for disruptive approaches that can replace or fundamentally change this pathway rather than delivering incremental improvements.
What kind of R&D does ARPA-E fund under ROSIE?
ARPA-E is focused on transformative applied R&D. Under ROSIE, that means technologies that can create new cost and performance trajectories for ironmaking (and potentially steelmaking), with the potential to disrupt existing industrial approaches.
How long is the ROSIE program and what is the overall funding scope?
ROSIE is described as a roughly three-year program. The total program scope is described as about $35 million.
What is the core technical goal of ROSIE?
The core technical goal is to produce iron-based products from iron-containing ores or alternative feedstocks while eliminating process emissions from the ironmaking step itself.
Does ROSIE require more than a lab-scale proof of concept?
Yes. In addition to technical feasibility, ROSIE emphasizes industrial relevance. Funded technologies are expected to show a credible path to competing on cost with incumbent blast furnace ironmaking, since emissions benefits alone may not be enough to drive adoption in commodity markets like steel.
What are the two technical categories in the FOA?
The FOA describes two technical categories:
- Category A: Technologies that run from ore through ironmaking (ore-to-iron).
- Category B: Technologies that must include ironmaking but can also extend downstream into steel production steps.
Is ironmaking required in both categories?
Yes. Category A is explicitly ore-to-iron, and Category B must include ironmaking even if it also includes downstream steelmaking steps.
What emissions performance is ROSIE aiming for during ironmaking?
ROSIE sets a target of zero non-biogenic greenhouse gas emissions from the ironmaking process. In practical terms, this means no fossil-derived process emissions during the ironmaking step.
What life cycle emissions target does ROSIE specify for the product?
ROSIE calls for ultra-low cradle-to-gate life cycle emissions for the resulting iron or steel product, stated as less than 0.7 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel.
What scale and manufacturability expectations are described?
The program stresses industrial scalability and calls for a pathway to greater than 15 million tonnes of production scale, along with cost parity relative to the iron or steel product being displaced.
Does ROSIE specify product quality requirements?
Yes. ROSIE indicates that material properties should meet the requirements of the equivalent commercial products.
What end-of-project demonstration deliverables are highlighted?
The FOA highlights tangible end-of-project deliverables, including producing at least 10 kg of the proposed product and demonstrating a production rate of 1 kg per hour by the project end.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is aimed at small businesses through the ARPA-E SBIR/STTR mechanism. The notice identifies eligible applicants as small businesses.
What is the purpose of using the SBIR/STTR mechanism for ROSIE?
Like other SBIR/STTR efforts, the intent is to stimulate private-sector innovation and commercialization. STTR specifically encourages formal collaboration between small businesses and research institutions.
What phases of funding does ARPA-E SBIR/STTR use?
ARPA-E administers SBIR/STTR in multiple phases: Phase I, Phase II, and a Phase IIB/IIS-style follow-on structure, reflecting a pipeline from early feasibility to more advanced prototype development and validation.
Where do applicants find the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)?
Applicants must access the full FOA through the ARPA-E FOA site.
How do applicants submit materials for ROSIE?
Required materials must be submitted through ARPA-E eXCHANGE. Concept papers or application materials submitted outside eXCHANGE are not reviewed.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is DE-FOA-0003118.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The agency is the Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
What types of assistance instruments may be used?
The assistance instruments listed include cooperative agreements, grants, and other mechanisms.
What is the award ceiling listed in the notice?
The notice lists an award ceiling of $4,241,580.
What is the submission deadline?
The submission deadline is 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on 08/08/2023.
Is there any recommendation about when to submit?
Yes. The notice recommends submitting at least 48 hours early to avoid last-minute issues.
Who should be contacted for technical problems with the submission portal?
For technical problems with the submission portal, the notice lists: ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov.
Who should be contacted for questions about the FOA itself?
For FOA questions, the notice lists: ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov.
Is there an ARPA-E FAQ resource mentioned?
Yes. The notice points applicants to ARPA-E's FAQ page (in addition to the email contacts provided).
What kind of emissions impact does ARPA-E associate with successful ROSIE technologies?
The rationale is framed in large potential emissions reductions if technologies meeting ROSIE metrics are deployed: more than 65 million metric tonnes CO2e annually in the United States and more than 2.9 gigatonnes annually globally.
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