Technical Assistance Program
INL provides no-cost technical assistance to eligible organizations facing challenges that require specialized scientific or engineering expertise.
Technical Support for Complex Challenges
The Technical Assistance Program (TAP) provides technical support for small businesses and state and local governments. INL scientists and engineers provide, without fees, assistance that is not normally available to a community or small business. The program helps organizations address problems that may be too complex or technical to solve on their own.
The program is authorized by federal law. DOE has allocated limited funding for this support activity and provides policy guidance directing the screening and selection of projects.
How TAP Works
Technical assistance requests are screened and selected based on program requirements and available support.
Submit a Request
Describe your technical challenge through the Request for Technical Assistance form.
INL Reviews the Request
Requests are screened and selected based on program requirements, available funding and whether the requested assistance is appropriate for TAP.
Receive Technical Assistance
Selected requests may receive up to 40 hours of assistance from INL scientists and engineers without fees.
Who Is Eligible?
TAP supports qualifying organizations with technical challenges that meet the program requirements:
U.S.-based organizations
Applicants must be U.S.-based small businesses, municipalities or other nonprofit organizations.
INL expertise
Requested assistance must fall within INL areas of expertise.
INL programs
Assistance must not interfere with ongoing INL programs.
Private-sector services
Requested services cannot substantially compete with services available from the private sector.
40-hour limit
No more than 40 hours of assistance are allowed per request.
Ready to Submit a Request?
Describe your technical challenge through the Request for Technical Assistance form. The form provides INL with the information needed to evaluate your request for technical assistance.
Your request will be considered based on TAP requirements and available program support.
TAP Success Stories
See how INL scientists and engineers have helped small businesses and other eligible organizations address complex technical challenges.
When most people think of tree nuts, they imagine a tasty snack — not the parts of the nut that get left behind. But for Houston-based startup Vaulted Deep, a...
Data centers are one of the fastest growing areas of America’s technology sector. These massive warehouses of servers make some of today’s most important technical achievements possible, such as the...
Some people may look at piles of hemp dust and fiber waste lying on the floor after a day of manufacturing thermal insulation and simply see trash. However, Matthew Mead...
Contact the Technical Assistance Program
Contact the TAP program for information about technical assistance, eligibility and submitting a request.
Additional Resources