SBIR DASHBOARD: OPEN TOPIC FEED Every open SBIR and STTR topic in one file, sorted by deadline. Site: https://www.sbirdashboard.com Updated: 11/12/2026, 5:14:38 AM Pacific Topics in this feed: 55 (23 DoD, 32 civilian) HOW TO USE THIS FEED Give this file to an AI tool. Each topic below carries every field the site holds: the agency, the deadline, the ITAR and CMMC requirements, and the AI drafting rule of the agency that runs the topic. Each topic has a "Full text" link. That link gives the full official text of the topic as plain text, ready to paste into an AI tool. One rule for AI tools. A person who pasted this file into a chatbot, such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, needs nothing else. Use the text below. AI agents that can call an API on their own: use the API instead, at https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topics The API returns the same topics as JSON. It is built for automatic checks and updates. Deadlines are hard. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step before the close time. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only. The firm must be for-profit, based in the United States, with 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. Check eligibility first, before planning work on any topic. ================================================== USDA-NIFA-SBIR-012221: Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II Agency: USDA-NIFA Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/USDA-NIFA-SBIR-012221 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/USDA-NIFA-SBIR-012221 Posted: 10/01/2026 Opens: 10/01/2026 Closes: 11/17/2026 (5 days left) Source: Grants.gov (civilian agency). Official record: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/364020 AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR SOLICITATION USDA-NIFA-SBIR-012221: Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/USDA-NIFA-SBIR-012221 Agency: USDA-NIFA Posted: 10/01/2026 Closes: 11/17/2026 (5 days left) Full official text: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/364020 This pack holds the facts this page holds. Read the full official text at the link above before you draft. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on Grants.gov and the agency site. Open the official record at the link above and follow the steps there. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - A Grants.gov account and a workspace for your firm (https://www.grants.gov). AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DE-FOA-0003631: Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR) Agency: DOE-ARPAE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DE-FOA-0003631 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DE-FOA-0003631 Posted: 10/21/2026 Opens: 10/21/2026 Closes: 11/20/2026 (8 days left) Source: Grants.gov (civilian agency). Official record: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/364135 AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR SOLICITATION DE-FOA-0003631: Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DE-FOA-0003631 Agency: DOE-ARPAE Posted: 10/21/2026 Closes: 11/20/2026 (8 days left) Full official text: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/364135 This pack holds the facts this page holds. Read the full official text at the link above before you draft. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on Grants.gov and the agency site. Open the official record at the link above and follow the steps there. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - A Grants.gov account and a workspace for your firm (https://www.grants.gov). AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DON27BX01-NP001: ONR Open Topic for Low-Cost Heads Up Displays (HUDs) for Virtual & Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Agency: NAVY Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DON27BX01-NP001 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DON27BX01-NP001 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DON27BX01-NP001: ONR Open Topic for Low-Cost Heads Up Displays (HUDs) for Virtual & Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DON27BX01-NP001 Branch: NAVY Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: ONR requests proposals for existing technology demonstration platforms, prototypes, and commercial products that provide domestically-sourced, low-cost HUDs) for first-person view (FPV) drone pilots, and augmented reality (AR) capabilities for Forward Observers (FOs) and Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTACs). For Phase I awardees, ONR will provide operational context and technical thresholds against which technologies will be assessed and provide feedback and guidance on enhancements to align with warfighting objectives. The proposing small business should have an existing hardware solution that meets one or both technical areas listed below: - HUD for FPV pilot operations including integrated display, signal inputs, and locations for mounting organic FPV equipment including antennas, transmitters, and power supplies - Integrated HUD with native 6DOF tracking, using on-board sensors and modalities (cameras, Inertial Measurement or Measuring Units [IMUs], magnetometers), compute, and power (battery) Objective: Develop a commercial technology to address Navy and USMC gaps regarding low-cost, NDAA-compliant heads-up displays (HUDs) with on-board 6 degrees-of-freedom (6DOF) tracking. Phase I work: The DON is planning to issue multiple Phase I awards for this topic but reserves the right to issue no awards. Each Phase I proposal must include a Base and Option period of performance. The Phase I Base must have a period of performance of six (6) months at a cost not to exceed $200,000. The Phase I Option must have a period of performance of six (6) months at a cost not to exceed $115,000. Phase I feasibility will describe the existing proposed technology, existing DON system(s) to improve/replace, expected improvements to existing capabilities, and a transition approach to both the DON system and commercial sector. Phase I results will be detailed in a final technical report (Final Report) and presented during the project outbrief one month prior to Final Report submission. Phase I deliverables include: - Kick-Off Briefing, due 15 days from start of Base award - Progress Report, due 90 days from start of Base award - Final Report, due 180 days from start of Base award - Quad Chart, due 180 days from start of Base award - Initial Phase II Proposal, due 180 days from start of Base award The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build and deliver a prototype solution in Phase II. Phase II work: All Phase I awardees may submit an Initial Phase II proposal for evaluation and selection. The evaluation criteria for Phase II are the same as Phase I (as stated in this CSO). The Phase I Final Report and Initial Phase II Proposal will be used to evaluate the small business's potential to fill a capability gap, improve performance, or modernize an existing capability for DON and transition the technology to Phase III. Details on the due date, content, and submission requirements of the Initial Phase II Proposal will be provided by the awarding SYSCOM either in the Phase I contract or by subsequent notification. The scope of the Phase II effort will be specific to each project but is generally expected to include development of a functional prototype to demonstrate the capability, development of a transition plan addressing production and the fielding approach (including updated logistics and safety consideration) and further commercialization (non-DoW). Phase III work: Support incorporation of low-cost HUDs into the Fires programs of record within the USMC for FOs, JTACs, and FPV drone attack operators. Since the Navy is seeking commercial technologies (e.g., FPV), these technologies already have existing commercial applications. Keywords: Heads Up Display, Augmented Reality, Human-Machine Interface, First Person Drone, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality Technology areas: None Focus areas: Human-Machine Interfaces, Integrated Sensing and Cyber CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Song, Yan, et al. "A Review of Intelligent Vision Enhancement Technology for Battlefield." Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience, vol. 2022, 2022, pp. 1-15. ProQuest, doi:10.1155/2022/6071477 - "Motion-Tracking for Augmented and Mixed Reality: How Good is Good Enough?" Proceedings of SPIE, vol. 12125, 2022, pp. 121250D. SPIE Digital Library, doi:10.1117/12.2616864 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-DV007: Reusable Illumination System Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV007 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-DV007 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-DV007: Reusable Illumination System Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV007 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: The PF300 flash bulbs, that provide high-intensity illumination for high-speed video acquisition, are no longer in production. The objective is to award a contract to a small business to engineer, design, and manufacture a modern, robust, reusable replacement for the legacy PF300 flash bulb. This new system must meet or surpass the existing illumination and performance requirements of the original flash bulbs to ensure seamless integration with current high-speed video systems. The ideal solution would leverage Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) or near-COTS technologies to qualify this project as a direct-to-Phase-II effort. A successful reusable replacement would immediately solve the impending obsolescence issue, securing a reliable illumination source for future missions. Furthermore, transitioning to a reusable system would dramatically reduce consumable cost. This technological update could also pave the way for enhanced capabilities, such as adjustable light intensity and longer duration illumination, offering greater flexibility and improved data quality for high-speed video analysis across various applications Objective: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Develop a reusable illumination system for high-speed photo-optic data collection used at the Holloman High Speed Test Track (HHSTT) and other sled test tracks. Phase I work: As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made as a result of this topic. Offerors must demonstrate completion of Phase I feasibility research and development that is not based upon or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. Prior "Phase I-type" work by other companies has produced similar illumination methods, but not to the requirements needed to operate in the Test Track Environment. The technology exists, but the operating environment of the Test Track is unique enough there is not a readily available product. The Test Track is ready to define requirements up to, but not limited to illumination levels, illumination duration, connectivity and ruggedness. Phase II work: The Phase II effort should develop a detailed design and operational procedures for a prototype reusable illumination system that meets requirements established by 846 TS Customers. Component level prototypes will be developed and tested to validate performance and mitigate risks prior to the development of the complete system prototype. The Phase II effort will culminate with the demonstration of an operational reusable illumination sled on the test track. The demonstration shall showcase the performance and reusability of the system. Phase III work: The Phase III effort should further refine the illumination system design following lessons learned from the Phase II demonstration. The matured system should be ready for operational use at the HHSTT as well as other DoW test tracks. Phase III may involve follow-on non-SBIR/STTR funded R&D or production contracts for products, processes or services intended for use by the U.S. Government. Keywords: Illumination, photo-optic, hypersonic, sled test Technology areas: Electronics Focus areas: Advanced Materials, Hypersonics ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - FlashLED: A Reusable Extended Light Source, Nanohmics, Inc. AF131-176 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-DV008: Technical Data Package Modernization for Information Assurance and Secure Data Exchange Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV008 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-DV008 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-DV008: Technical Data Package Modernization for Information Assurance and Secure Data Exchange Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV008 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Background and Problem Statement: The modernization of Technical Data Packages (TDPs) is imperative to address the Air and Space Force’s operational challenges in securely managing large-scale, complex datasets associated with advanced platforms and their sustainment life cycles. Current TDP systems often lack robust Information Assurance (IA) capabilities, seamless integration with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) environments, and effective mechanisms for secure data exchange across operational networks. This limitation not only hinders data integrity and configuration control but also increases vulnerabilities to cyber threats, jeopardizing mission-critical operations. The rapid pace of platform evolution and the increasing reliance on Model-Based Definition (MBD) and digital twin technologies further exacerbate the need for a comprehensive solution that ensures TDP security, scalability, and operational readiness. Opportunity and Desired Outcome: This Directed to Phase II (D2P2) SBIR effort aims to develop an innovative, scalable, and secure solution to modernize TDPs to support the lifecycle of highly complex Air and Space Force platforms. The envisioned solution will integrate advanced IA protocols, cryptographic protections, and tools for encrypted data exchange to facilitate the secure management of the "as-sustained" configuration state of critical assets. The outcome will be a functional prototype capable of enabling secure TDP lifecycle management while aligning with the Trusted AI and Autonomy modernization priorities and Zero Trust Architecture principles. The proposed solution will enhance operational efficiency, minimize cyber risks, and establish a foundation for scalable implementation across DoD platforms. The project’s Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at the start is anticipated to be TRL 4, with the target of reaching a minimum TRL 6 by the conclusion of Phase II, including validation of core capabilities in a relevant operational environment. Required Efforts and Phase Activities: To achieve the stated objectives, the following efforts and activities are required for each phase of the project: Phase II: Develop a secure visualization tool for displaying large-scale MBD geometry and associated data through encrypted web-based interfaces. Implement an encrypted configuration management system to maintain and update the "as-sustained" asset state while ensuring strict data integrity. Create advanced tools for automated data quality checks, incorporating rules-based IA compliance validation to ensure all TDPs meet security and contractual requirements. Design an end-to-end encrypted exchange framework for TDPs, incorporating user authentication, authorization, and audit trails while conforming to DoD Zero Trust Architecture guidelines. Integrate AI/ML methodologies to enable secure damage detection, sustainment planning, and actionable insights into asset health. Demonstrate the prototype in an operationally relevant environment, proving feasibility, security compliance, and system performance in handling large and diverse data streams. Minimum Deliverables: A secure web-based MBD visualization prototype capable of rendering large-scale geometry and TDP datasets with sub-second response times and role-based access controls. Tools for encrypted configuration management and secure "as-sustained" state maintenance, integrated with PLM systems. An automated framework for data quality checks and IA compliance validation of TDPs using defined security protocols and rules-based engines. A cryptographic data transfer and exchange framework, with test results demonstrating alignment with DoD security policies and successful inter-organizational data exchange. Technical documentation detailing methodologies, system architecture, and IA protocols implemented during the project, including recommendations for further scaling and operationalization. A transition plan for integrating the developed TDP modernization technology into operational environments within the Air and Space Force platforms, supported by a detailed commercialization strategy aligned with mission needs. Significance and Contribution to DoD Objectives: The proposed solution directly addresses the Operational Imperative 7—Readiness to Deploy and Fight—by delivering secure and reliable tools for managing critical asset data. The project also supports the DoD’s Trusted AI and Autonomy priorities by incorporating advanced data protection mechanisms, secure autonomous processes, and scalable solutions for data management across platforms. Successful execution of this effort will enhance the DoD’s ability to maintain readiness, ensure data security, and streamline collaboration with stakeholders while safeguarding sensitive information in a rapidly evolving threat landscape. Objective: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. The objective of this Directed to Phase II (D2P2) SBIR effort is to develop an innovative, secure, and scalable solution for modernizing Technical Data Packages (TDPs) associated with complex Air and Space Force platforms. This initiative seeks to address challenges in managing large, diverse datasets by enhancing configuration control, ensuring data integrity, and strengthening Information Assurance (IA) in support of mission-critical operations. Specifically, the focus of this phase is to demonstrate the feasibility of advanced technologies that enable secure data lifecycle management and seamless data exchange within operational environments. Proposed solutions should align with Trusted AI and Autonomy modernization priorities by incorporating robust cybersecurity measures and leveraging cutting-edge advancements in autonomy, data management, and secure manufacturing capabilities. Outcomes of this phase are expected to validate technical concepts and establish a functional prototype that meets the operational imperative of readiness to deploy and fight, contributing to future scalability and transition opportunities in operational use cases. Phase I work: As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made. Offerors must demonstrate completion of Phase I feasibility research and development that is not based upon or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work, demonstrating clear technical merit, alignment with Trusted AI/Autonomy priorities, and DoD Zero Trust standards, such as validated data, performance metrics, technical reports, prototype success, or demonstrated capabilities in relevant operational environments. Phase II work: The Phase II effort will deliver a secure, scalable prototype for modernizing Technical Data Packages (TDPs). Focus areas include encrypted configuration management, MBD visualization tools, automated IA compliance frameworks, and secure data exchange via Zero Trust Architecture. The solution will achieve TRL 6 with validated performance in operational environments, aiding readiness and alignment with Trusted AI and Autonomy priorities. Phase III work: The Phase III effort will advance the secure TDP modernization prototype to TRL 8, employing non-SBIR funds to integrate with Air and Space Force systems. Military applications include secure lifecycle management of technical data for advanced platforms, enhancing readiness and cybersecurity. Commercial use spans aerospace, manufacturing, and defense industries for data security and configuration management. Transition efforts target expanded adoption within DoD and allied partners. Keywords: Technical Data Packages (TDP); Information Assurance (IA); Secure Data Exchange; Trusted AI; Autonomy; Air Force; Space Force; Digital Twin; Model-Based Definition (MBD); Configuration Management; Data Integrity; Zero Trust Architecture Technology areas: Air Platform Focus areas: Advanced Computing and Software, Advanced Infrastructure & Advanced Manufacturing, Advanced Materials, Human-Machine Interfaces, Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems, Integrated Sensing and Cyber, Mission Readiness & Disaster Preparedness, Sustainment & Logistics, Trusted AI and Autonomy ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - DoD Directive 5000.01, "The Defense Acquisition System," 2023, outlining the importance of data integrity and configuration control for lifecycle management. - NIST Special Publication 800-207, "Zero Trust Architecture," August 2020, providing foundational guidelines for implementing secure and trustworthy data exchange based on Zero Trust principles. - DoDI 8500.01 Cybersecurity, 2020, highlighting policies and strategies for enhancing Information Assurance (IA) within DoD systems and operational environments. - DoD Modernization Strategy Report, 2023, emphasizing priorities in Trusted AI, autonomy, and secure data management as critical focus areas for advancing mission readiness and operational deployment capabilities. - Technical Guide: "Model-Based Definition (MBD) for Digital Engineering Transformation," Air Force Institute of Technology, 2022, exploring the application of MBD in enhancing data handling and lifecycle integration processes. - SBIR Policy Directive, May 2023, detailing requirements for transitioning innovative solutions from development to deployment in alignment with operational imperatives and DoD's modernization priorities. - Technical Report: "Leveraging AI/ML for Predictive Maintenance in Aerospace Systems," AFRL, 2021, discussing secure data analytics approaches in maintaining integrity and enhancing sustainment of DoD platforms. - DoD CIO Cybersecurity Discipline Implementation Plan, March 2023, focusing on cryptography, identity management, and secure data exchange practices ensuring resilience against cyber threats. - AFRL/RX Report on "Secure Digital Twin Technologies in PLM Environments," January 2023, establishing detailed methodologies for integrating digital twin frameworks with advanced IA and scalable solutions. - National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Manufacturing Report, "Advancing Secure Manufacturing through Technical Data Modernization," June 2022, analyzing the role of secure, scalable TDPs in enhancing defense manufacturing capabilities. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-DV009: US Production of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic-Yielding Preceramic Polymers Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV009 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-DV009 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-DV009: US Production of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic-Yielding Preceramic Polymers Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV009 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: The scaled production of C/C-UHTCs composites (UHTCMCs) for defense applications requires the manufacturing of UHTC precursors in quantities sufficient to support acquisition programs. This SBIR will establish production of an AFRL-patented UHTC preceramic polymers so that the materials are available, at scale and affordable price point, to the high-temperature composite production community. Objective: The Department of the Air Force seeks to establish the domestic production of ultra-high temperature ceramic (UHTC)-yielding preceramic polymers. UHTCs are used for demanding aerospace applications, including propulsion and aeroshell components. Phase I work: This topic is intended for technologies ready to move directly into a Phase II program. As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made. Offerors must demonstrate completion of Phase I feasibility research and development that is not based upon or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. Offerors must provide detailed documentation in their Direct to Phase II (D2P2) proposal that demonstrates the successful completion of a "Phase I-like" effort. This includes a feasibility study showing expertise in synthesizing and handling air/water-sensitive chemical compounds. Demonstrated experience in scaling chemical synthesis processes from the lab to pilot scale (e.g., 5-50 kg batches) is required. The feasibility study should clearly illustrate past successes in producing high-purity materials and a foundational understanding of the safety protocols necessary for handling the relevant precursors and reagents. Phase II work: During the Phase II program, the awardee shall: 1) Establish and document a safe, robust, and scalable chemical process for the manufacturing of the AFRL-patented UHTC-bearing preceramic polymers that meets specified purity and production volume targets. 2) Conduct a thorough safety and handling analysis for all reagents, intermediates, and waste products. Production facilities must ensure safety and environmental compliance are permissible. 3) Deliver a 5x 1 kg samples of the UHTC preceramic polymer to AFRL for internal analysis, characterization, and quality verification. The offeror shall show i) for the produced polymer: NMR, elemental analysis, rheology, and ICP/MS of the produced polymer and ii) for the polymer-derived ceramic XRD, TEM/EDS, and SEM analysis, for each lot of material made. The offeror can assume a cost of $6300/kg in raw material cost if reagents, were to be purchased from commercial chemical suppliers, to produce UHTC preceramic polymers. 4) Establish and demonstrate a dedicated production capability yielding at least 50 kg per month (>600 kg per year). 5) Deliver a total of 75 kg of the qualified UHTC preceramic polymer, appropriately packaged, to the Government by the end of the Phase II effort. 6) Provide a comprehensive cost analysis and business plan for UHTC-bearing preceramic polymer production at the target scale of >1000 kg/year a target retail price of <$5000/kg, preferably <$4000/kg, identifying key supply-chain or processing factors to drive down per-kilogram costs. Phase III work: The awardee will be expected to transition the preceramic polymer production established during Phase II into a viable commercial business unit. This will involve supplying certified preceramic polymers to prime contractors and Tier 1/2 composite manufacturers supporting defense and commercial programs of record. Phase III efforts may include further scaling of chemical operations, qualifying the material across a broader vendor base (for high-speed aeroshells), and establishing long-term supply agreements to support critical national security missions. Keywords: Preceramic Polymer, Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics, UHTC, Precursors, Ceramic Matrix Composites, CMC, Scaled Production. Technology areas: Weapons Focus areas: Hypersonics CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - B. J. Ackley, et al., "Advances in the Synthesis of Preceramic Polymers for the Formation of Silicon-Based and Ultra-High Temperature Non-Oxide Ceramics, "Advances in the Synthesis of Preceramic Polymers for the Formation of Silicon-Based and Ultra-High Temperature Non-Oxide Ceramics" Chemical Reviews, 123 (8), 4188-4236, 2023.S. Zhu, et al., "Progress in preparation and ablation resistance of ultra-high-temperature ceramics modified C/C composites for extreme environment", Reviews on Advanced Materials Science, 62, 20220276, 2023 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-DV010: Low SWaP, 2-micron Fiber Amplifiers Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV010 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-DV010 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-DV010: Low SWaP, 2-micron Fiber Amplifiers Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV010 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: High-power fiber lasers operating in the 2-micron regime offer critical advantages for defense, medical, and industrial applications, including eye-safer directed energy, advanced sensing, and precision materials processing. While kilowatt-class, narrow-linewidth thulium-doped fiber amplifiers have been demonstrated, the Department of the Air Force aims to reduce the size and weight of existing kilowatt-class 2-micron fiber amplifiers into a highly compact system with similar size, weight, and power metrics of existing 1-micron fiber amplifiers. This topic seeks to leverage existing Air Force laboratory architectures to prime industry for production of robust 2-micron fiber amplifiers, paving the way for transition into active directed energy programs. Objective: Develop and demonstrate a rugged, kilowatt class 2-micron fiber amplifier module that matches size, weight, and power metrics of state-of-the-art 1-micron systems to accelerate the transition of laboratory technology to operational Department of the Air Force capabilities. Phase I work: This topic is intended for technologies ready to move directly into a Phase II program. As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made. Offerors must demonstrate completion of Phase I feasibility research and development that is not based upon or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. Applicant(s) should provide documentation demonstrating a clear understanding of high power, 2-micron fiber amplifier design, thermal management in constrained operating spaces, and package ruggedization for high-stress environments. Qualifying 'Phase I-type' efforts would include but not limited to the prior design, development, and demonstration of low SWaP, kilowatt-class, 1-micron fiber amplifier modules. Phase II work: In Phase II, the USAF requires the execution, physical build, and delivery of a fully functional, low SWaP, 2-micron fiber amplifier prototype. This system must deliver kilowatt-class output while complying with the mandatory low-SWaP requirements of state-of-the-art 1-micron fiber amplifiers. The delivered hardware must undergo laboratory verification to validate output power (> 1 kW), beam quality (M2 < 1.2), spectral stability, narrow linewidth (< 5 GHz), and electro-optical efficiency (E-O > 25%). Final deliverables for this effort must include the physical prototype, complete electrical and optical schematics, and a comprehensive test and characterization report. Phase III work: Phase III success will be driven by transitioning the 2-micron fiber amplifier design into full-rate production and securing commercial market pathways.Additionally, work on the system-level integration of the proven 2-micron fiber amplifier into a deployable, multi-kW laser defense system for real-world environmental validation. Keywords: Directed Energy; Laser Weapon System; Ground-to-Air Defense; Low-SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power); Electro-Optical Efficiency; Power Scaling; 2µm High-Power Fiber Amplifier, High-Power 2 Micron Fiber Amplifier Technology areas: Air Platform, Electronics Focus areas: Directed Energy (DE) CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - B. M. Anderson, J. Solomon, and A. Flores, "1.1 kW beam-combinable thulium doped all-fiber amplifier," Proc. SPIE 11665 (2021). Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-DV011: Agile Wire Harness Manipulation and Installation for Unmanned Aerial Systems Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV011 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-DV011 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-DV011: Agile Wire Harness Manipulation and Installation for Unmanned Aerial Systems Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV011 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Context & BackgroundModern Department of Defense (DoD) manufacturing and depot sustainment environments increasingly depend on agile automation to scale up production and maintain rapid operational readiness. While automated assembly technologies have matured substantially for rigid components with predictable geometries, the handling of flexible materials remains a persistent challenge. Specifically, wire harness routing, connector inspection, and insertion operations are ubiquitous across the production lines of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), advanced munitions families, and autonomous collaborative platforms. Currently, these intricate electrical assembly processes represent a bottleneck in UAS assembly operations. Assembly technicians must manually route non-rigid cables through confined structural cavities and execute high-precision connection steps under high-mix, low-volume production conditions. Traditional industrial robotics break down when tasked with these operations because flexible wiring deforms unpredictably during manipulation, completely violating the rigid-part assumptions and fixed, hard-tooled rules of standard automation. Problem, Opportunity, & Unmet Need The complete reliance on manual wire harness installation creates a critical capability deficiency that severely penalizes DoD manufacturing agility and surge capacity. Manual operations are fundamentally non-scalable, meaning production lines cannot dynamically "ramp-to-rate" to meet sudden spikes in theater demand. Furthermore, manual wire routing and insertion introduce human-induced variability, resulting in unquantifiable defects such as partially seated connectors, overstressed wires, or compromised bend radii. These latent defects frequently slip past standard visual inspections and surface as catastrophic electrical or communication failures during critical mission times. Aerospace prime contractors and program offices have identified this manual chokepoint as the largest automation gap in UAS and munitions production. This deficiency creates a major opportunity to implement a flexible automation solution. Resolving this challenge requires a modular, adaptive robotic workcell that handles deformable materials, operates with high positional accuracy in restricted footprints, and can be rapidly retasked between completely different product designs within a single factory shift. Desired Outcome & Technological Improvement The desired outcome of this research and development effort is a fully integrated, single-arm modular robotic manufacturing workcell capable of autonomously handling the core manipulation and installation scenarios for flexible UAS and munitions wiring harnesses. Shifting the technology from manual assembly to adaptive, sensor-driven automation will fundamentally advance the DoD technological state of the art by achieving the following targeted improvements: Deformable Material Control: The platform will combine deterministic offline path planning with adaptive, real-time online sensory feedback (such as tactile, force-torque, and vision monitoring). This closed-loop configuration enables "search and settle" machine behaviors to dynamically correct for micro-misalignments and part variability on the fly. Sub-Millimeter Tolerances: The workcell will successfully execute precise connector insertion and blind-mate assembly steps within tightly constrained geometries to a targeted positioning tolerance of $\le$ 0.5 mm.Rapid Retaskability: The system will break the paradigm of dedicated single-product manufacturing by allowing shop-floor operators to ingest new geometric data and completely retask the workcell to a novel harness family in less than 8 hours.End-to-End Digital Thread: The workcell will generate machine-readable traceability records of every insertion force profile and routing path. This delivers a reliable data audit trail to eliminate quality escapes and predict latent field defects before they manifest in flight.Minimum Acceptable DeliverablesThe following deliverables must be successfully turned over to the government to satisfy the performance requirements of this solicitation:Integrated Single-Arm Robotic Workcell: One fully functional, operational modular automation cell comprising a COTS collaborative arm manipulator, reconfigurable mounting base, interchangeable end-effectors, integrated real-time compute block, and the complete multi-modal sensor stack (vision, tactile, and force-torque instrumentation). Autonomous Software Stack & Executables: Full, unencumbered delivery of the native software architecture, including the offline CAD data-ingestion pipeline, real-time adaptive control algorithms, and localized vision-tactile tracking scripts, along with complete integration documentation.Cross-Program Retasking Report: A documented technical package demonstrating the step-by-step procedures, software tools, and data workflows used to successfully transition the physical workcell between two distinct harness families in less than 8 hours.Comprehensive Technical Data Package (TDP): System layout schematics, wiring diagrams, universal end-effector interface control documents, operational manuals, and interface guides for MES/ERP factory network synchronization. Final Performance & Verification Report: A verified engineering data package from the live prime facility demonstration detailing empirical success metrics. This must validate insertion position accuracy ($\le$ 0.5 mm), insertion force variance curves, production cycle time gains ($\ge$ 2x throughput), labor hour compression ($\ge$ 50%), and a sample data pull of the machine-readable digital thread registry. Objective: Develop and demonstrate a modular, agile robotic manufacturing workcell capable of autonomously routing, aligning, inserting, and verifying flexible, non-rigid wire harnesses and electrical connectors within the highly constrained physical geometries of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and advanced munitions. As a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, the immediate goal is to transition a validated proof-of-concept software and mechanical baseline (Technology Readiness Level 4) into fully integrated, operationally viable production workcells evaluated at defense prime contractor manufacturing sites. The system must eliminate the need for hard-tooled, single-product automation by delivering an agile platform that integrates deterministic planning models with real-time, adaptive online sensory feedback. This enables the robot to navigate the unpredictable, non-rigid deformation behaviors of flexible cabling, achieve sub-millimeter positioning tolerances, and safely execute intricate "blind-mate" connection sequences within tight bulkhead quarters without manual intervention. To support a dynamic, high-mix/low-volume defense production environment, the workcell must be designed for rapid retaskability. Offerors must demonstrate a system architecture that allows shop-floor operators to completely retask the workcell to handle an entirely different munitions or UAS harness family within a single eight-hour shift. Furthermore, the platform must establish the first end-to-end digital thread for harness operations, generating machine-readable traceability records for every routing, tensioning, and insertion step to prevent latent defects and ensure 100% military standard compliance. The ultimate phase outcome must demonstrate a two-to-four-times cycle time improvement over legacy manual wiring techniques and a reduction in skilled labor hours per unit by at least 50%. This will directly remove the primary assembly bottleneck constraining the scale-up, surge capacity, and high-rate production of critical defense systems. Phase I work: As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made as a result of this topic. To qualify for this D2P2 topic, Offerors must demonstrate completion of Phase I feasibility research and development that is not based upon or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. Applicant(s) should provide documentation demonstrating a clear understanding of the mechanical handling of flexible materials, single-arm robotic kinematics, deterministic offline tool-path planning, hybrid position/force control loops, multi-modal sensor fusion (vision, force-torque, and tactile feedback), and the implementation of a machine-readable digital thread within restricted weapon and unmanned system assembly architectures. Phase I Feasibility Context & Technical Goals For the context of this technology's lifecycle, a traditional Phase I feasibility study represents a focused research and development effort to demonstrate the scientific, technical, and commercial merit of an automated single-arm robotic solution for non-rigid material manipulation. A successful Phase I Period of Performance establishes a baseline across the following specified technical goals, operating parameters, and functional requirements: Deformable Material Kinematics: Analytical and simulation validation proving that a single collaborative robotic manipulator arm can grasp, lift, and maneuver flexible wire harnesses without causing structural damage, violating minimum bend radii, or exceeding maximum cable strain limits. Confined Space Operating Parameters: System modeling showing the capacity for a robotic arm to navigate and thread cabling through tight apertures and restricted structural bulkheads typical of unmanned aerial systems and compact missile fuselages. Closed-Loop Alignment Logic: Verification of multi-modal tracking logic that utilizes localized computer vision and tactile feedback to continuously calculate micro-adjustments, allowing the arm to align electrical connectors under dynamic part deformation. Compliant Mating Force Boundaries: Formulation of hybrid position/force control profiles that maintain sub-millimeter insertion accuracy while monitoring force thresholds to detect pin engagement and prevent over-force structural damage. Traceable Digital Logging: Drafting a localized data logging schema capable of recording physical insertion forces, path coordinates, and connector seating confirmations to create an immutable digital thread registry. Successful completion of these Phase I parameters provides a clear, quantitative understanding of the underlying physics and control logic governing non-rigid material manipulation, proving the system is ready for immediate physical hardware-in-the-loop integration. Required Feasibility Documentation for D2P2 Qualification To bypass a traditional Phase I award and qualify for this Direct-to-Phase-II pathway, applicants must submit robust, empirical Feasibility Documentation within their proposal. This package serves as the technical justification proving the small business's technology has already retired early-stage conceptual risk and rests at an acceptable maturity level (Minimum Technology Readiness Level 4). The following documentation types are considered sufficient to substantiate proposal feasibility and must be explicitly provided: Empirical Performance Reports and Laboratory Data Applicants must submit formal engineering reports, test logs, software execution records, or laboratory datasets detailing the execution of prior automated material insertion or routing. This documentation should highlight successful testing of collaborative robotic systems manipulating flexible parts. Data must explicitly demonstrate that the applicant has previously developed software or hardware-in-the-loop scripts capable of driving multi-axis trajectories to grip and move non-rigid items dynamically. Cross-Program Proof-of-Concept Benchmarks Sufficient documentation includes technical summaries, contract performance reviews, or closeout reports from prior non-SBIR federal, academic, or internally funded manufacturing R&D efforts. Specifically, applicants can substantiate feasibility by detailing successful milestones from past automated flexible-assembly initiatives, such as: Documented integration of robotic platforms optimized for compliant, multi-modal material tracking (e.g., past project outcomes managed under Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute programs).Validated operational results from previous laboratory validation campaigns focused on flexible component manipulation, demonstrating early-stage handling of part deformation and configuration variability. Prototype Success Criteria and Interface Control Documents Applicants must provide evidence of an existing physical or digital prototype. The documentation must exhibit a functional architecture of a single-arm cell, demonstrating how the software handles geometric inputs to calculate tool paths. Success criteria of the prior prototype must demonstrate that the hardware and software configuration can successfully manage flexible materials under variable lighting or workspace clutter, establishing a stable, cloud-independent edge-computing loop prepared for live factory scaling. By compiling these specific reports, datasets, and mechanical baselines, the applicant provides the Air Force with clear evidence that the foundational technological risks have been thoroughly retired. This proves the single-arm architecture is mature, viable, and prepared to immediately enter the accelerated Phase II prototype integration, laboratory workcell validation, and live TRL 7 pilot production testing schedule. Phase II work: The Phase II period of performance represents a substantial research, development, and hardware-software integration effort. It transitions the single-arm robotic technology from a validated laboratory concept into an operationally viable, modular manufacturing prototype ready for deployment on active aerospace production lines. To establish a clear, unambiguous standard for project success, the following functional requirements, operating parameters, testing regimens, and quantitative milestones are defined as the mandatory baseline for the Phase II effort.1. Functional Requirements & Technical GoalsThe Phase II effort must deliver a fully integrated, single-arm modular robotic manufacturing workcell that achieves the following technical benchmarks:Hardware-Agnostic Core Integration: Physical integration of a single collaborative manipulator arm mounted onto a reconfigurable or mobile mounting base. The control layer and sensory infrastructure must remain entirely program-agnostic, allowing the system to adapt to different vendor components without requiring a structural mechanical redesign.Autonomous Ingestion & Macro Planning: An offline planning engine capable of ingesting 3D CAD models, engineering metadata, and raw wire harness specifications. This engine must automatically produce verifiable, macro-approach robot trajectories and cable-routing path plans that strictly respect part geometry, cable bend radii, and strain limits.Adaptive Online Control Loop: A native, low-latency software control stack that runs in real-time on local hardware without cloud dependency. The system must utilize real-time tactile, force-torque, and vision feedback to dynamically adjust joint positions and execute compliant connector mating.Human-Like "Search and Settle" Behavior: Integration of hybrid position/force control mechanisms. The single arm must actively use force-torque feedback to perform search-and-settle sub-millimeter corrections during blind-mate insertion sequences where direct visual confirmation is obscured or impossible.Machine-Readable Traceability (Digital Thread): The workcell must implement the first end-to-end digital thread registry for harness assembly operations. The software must automatically log machine-readable records of every cable insertion force profile, routing coordinate, and connection seating confirmation to eliminate quality escapes and prevent latent field failures.2. Operating Parameters & Use CasesThe integrated single-arm automation system must operate reliably within the following boundaries:Physical Footprint & Access Clearance: The complete robotic tool head and manipulator assembly must be engineered to operate within the highly constrained physical envelopes and narrow clearance tracks of defensive aircraft and munitions architectures.Part Deformation Management: The system must dynamically adapt to non-rigid part behavior, actively compensating for the unpredictable bending, flexing, and micro-variability introduced during manual pre-assembly or technician handling.Primary Mission Use Case (Single-Arm Munitions Wiring): The primary operational use case involves deploying the modular workcell to automate the core wiring and electrical routing steps for complex defense systems—including the Franklin Affordable Mass Missile (FAMM) and Coyote Missile families. The system must execute aperture threading, vision/tactile-guided connector alignment, force-compliant insertion, and connection verification on representative aerospace hardware.Achieving the above should deliver a fully validated, production-ready manufacturing technology that drops labor constraints, provides comprehensive digital quality data, and dramatically scales the industrial surge capacity required for Great Power Competition. Phase III work: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the technology, targeting government program offices, commercial industrial base stakeholders. and dual use industrial customers. Keywords: Robotic Wire Routing; Deformable Material Manipulation; Autonomous Harness Installation; Single-Arm Workcell; Blind-Mate Connector Insertion; Real-Time Tactile Feedback; Computer Vision Alignment; Multi-Modal Sensory Control Technology areas: Air Platform, Electronics, Space Platforms, Weapons Focus areas: Advanced Infrastructure & Advanced Manufacturing, Hypersonics, Space Technology, Trusted AI and Autonomy CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - DAF Operational Imperative 4 (OI 4): Achieving Affordable Mass2. Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Strategic Plan: Digital Transformation Mandate Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-DV012: Agile Autonomous Technical Data Package to Path Robotic Task Specification Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV012 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-DV012 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-DV012: Agile Autonomous Technical Data Package to Path Robotic Task Specification Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV012 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Here is a draft for a Direct to Phase II SBIR solicitation topic based on the technical capabilities of the data extraction and automated path-planning pipeline. The content has been carefully structured to be precise and concise while protecting all proprietary text.Direct to Phase II Topic DraftTopic ObjectiveObjective: Develop and demonstrate an automated, end-to-end software platform capable of ingesting heterogeneous Technical Data Packages (TDPs)—including 3D CAD models, 2D engineering drawings, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and textual specifications—to autonomously extract engineering intent and generate optimized, collision-free robotic inspection trajectories without manual waypoint programming or hard-coded scripting.The resulting system must bridge the gap between enterprise digital design data and physical automation by converting complex tolerances, geometric constraints, and manufacturing annotations into a standardized data model, simulating the execution in a physics-accurate virtual sandbox, and deploying executable inspection commands directly to physical mobile robotic manipulators. The objective is to drastically compress quality control programming timelines from days to under two hours and enable rapid robotic reconfiguration in highly agile manufacturing environments.Topic DescriptionBackground & Problem Statement: Modern aerospace manufacturing and sustainment pipelines face severe bottlenecks due to legacy quality control (QC) practices. As defense systems shift toward highly modular, rapidly evolving, and low-cost attritable architectures, traditional fixed automation becomes commercially and operationally impractical. Traditional robotic inspection lines require highly specialized programmers to manually teach waypoints, configure physical sensor triggers, and execute tedious trial-and-error collision testing on vendor-specific offline programming utilities. This labor-intensive paradigm introduces severe production delays, as errors or dimensional variations are often caught late in the assembly stream, resulting in compounding downstream costs and extended lead times.While digital enterprise structures routinely house complete engineering intent within comprehensive Technical Data Packages (TDPs)—complete with 3D geometry, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) markers, material specifications, and assembly metadata—translating this multi-format data into actionable instructions remains a manual and error-prone process. To meet the demand for rapid production scaling and point-of-need deployment, the Department of the Air Force requires an intelligent software layer that dynamically parses TDP data and translates it directly into autonomous robotic execution paths.Phase II Expected Outcomes: Proposers responding to this Direct to Phase II topic must demonstrate a mature conceptual foundation, such as completed preliminary software blocks or data-parsing prototypes originally validated under related early-stage research. Phase II efforts must deliver a hardened, end-to-end software prototype validated against representative aerospace assembly geometries.Key technical deliverables include the ingestion/planning software, documentation for enterprise data interfaces, and localized simulation proof-of-concepts. The system performance will be benchmarked against key parameters, targeting a setup time reduction to under 8 hours for novel manufacturing configurations and compressing numerical programming timelines down to less than 1.5 hours. Final validation should culminate in a software-driven execution demo using either high-fidelity simulations or physical manufacturing hardware within a pilot production framework. Objective: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Develop and demonstrate an automated, end-to-end software platform capable of ingesting heterogeneous Technical Data Packages (TDPs)—including 3D CAD models, 2D engineering drawings, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and textual specifications—to autonomously extract engineering intent and generate optimized, collision-free robotic inspection trajectories without manual waypoint programming or hard-coded scripting.The resulting system must bridge the gap between enterprise digital design data and physical automation by converting complex tolerances, geometric constraints, and manufacturing annotations into a standardized data model, simulating the execution virtually, and deploying executable inspection commands directly to physical mobile robotic manipulators. (Design and fabrication of the physical manipulator is not within scope - this project will focus on translating TDPs to robot-ingestible task specification and pathing.) The objective is to drastically compress quality control programming timelines from days to under two hours and enable rapid robotic reconfiguration in highly agile manufacturing environments. Phase I work: As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made as a result of this topic. To qualify for this D2P2 topic, Offerors must demonstrate completion of Phase I feasibility research and development that is not based upon or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. Applicant(s) should provide documentation demonstrating a clear understanding of the technical challenges associated with processing enterprise data, extracting design intent, and validating automated path execution. The purpose of this Feasibility Documentation is to substantiate that the small business's technology is currently at an acceptable maturity level to immediately execute the prototype development, testing, and system integration required in Phase II. Required Substantiation Components Offerors must submit a structured technical package within the proposal (typically matching the Department of Defense Volume 2 Technical Guidance) that clearly defines the current technological baseline. Offerors must explicitly demonstrate that they possess the intellectual property rights or native ownership of the algorithmic baselines being brought forward. This foundational proof cannot be purely conceptual or marketing-driven; it must contain raw technical and analytical validation. To satisfy the specific constraints of an automated enterprise-data-to-robotic-execution pipeline, the documentation must provide evidence across three core domains: Ingestion & Semantic Interpretation Capability: Documentation showing the mature capability of existing code blocks or analytical tools to ingest engineering files (such as 3D CAD models, STEP files, or legacy 2D PDFs) and systematically isolate geometric structures, dimensional annotations, and textual production notes. Standardized Data Architecture: Evidence of a functional relational schema, database template, or centralized data graph structure utilized by the software to catalog and bind extracted dimensions directly to spatial CAD nodes. Kinematic & Simulation Mechanics: Proof that the small business has successfully compiled algorithms capable of reading logical manufacturing sequences and converting them into multi-axis spatial motions or automated path-planning trajectories within a virtual modeling sandbox. Acceptable Forms of Evidence The Air Force will evaluate the proposal based on empirical data rather than speculative milestones. Offerors should supply a combination of the following documentation types to conclusively prove feasibility: Technical Reports and White Papers: Comprehensive white papers detailing the results, architectural limitations, and developmental conclusions of previous internally funded research or non-SBIR commercial software deployments. These reports must highlight how previous iterations successfully managed multi-format document exceptions. Empirical Test and Measurement Data: Quantitative performance charts indicating the precision and accuracy of the software's semantic parsing or extraction engines. This includes specific metrics on Optical Character Recognition (OCR) error rates, geometric normalization latency, or vector parsing precision. Prototype Design Schematics and Software Architecture Models: Logic flow charts, structural class diagrams, API data contract definitions, and interface maps illustrating how data progresses from raw enterprise packages into a centralized repository, and ultimately into automated motion commands. Simulation Benchmarks and Run-Time Measurements: Time-study records, compute logs, or comparative tables tracking the computational time required to automatically generate path trajectories relative to manual offline programming configurations. This data should ideally record baseline path-generation cycle times to validate the scaling potential of the optimization engine. Defined Prototype Success Criteria: Clear operational boundaries, algorithmic tolerances, and pass/fail thresholds under which previous internal iterations achieved successful outcomes. Offerors must list the specific file sizes, component geometric complexities, and degree of nesting variations that their software baseline has successfully parsed without human intervention. Failure to provide rigorous, quantitative proof of a functioning software baseline that bridges data ingestion with basic path computation will result in a determination of technical non-conformance, rendering the proposal ineligible for a Direct-to-Phase-II award. Phase II work: Phase II Expected Outcomes and Technical Framework The Phase II effort represents a major research, development, and engineering push aimed at transitioning the foundational software baseline into a hardened, production-ready enterprise platform. The overarching objective is to eliminate the manual overhead, human parsing errors, and rigid programming loops that bottleneck modern aerospace manufacturing lines. By the conclusion of the Period of Performance, the recipient must deliver a mature, well-defined software ecosystem capable of directly translating raw engineering intent into optimized, collision-free multi-axis robotic paths. The final system must demonstrate operational viability and full structural traceability back to the originating digital assets.Operating Parameters & Use Cases The software suite must maintain operational viability across highly dynamic industrial settings. Phase II development must satisfy the following baseline parameters and specific deployment use cases: Ingestion of Heterogeneous Artifacts: The ingestion system must process and map multi-vendor file formats natively without relying on manual pre-formatting or external template modifications. This includes parsing geometric data types (e.g., STEP, IGES) alongside flat text and visual annotations (e.g., drawings, PDF specification sheets, text-based process blocks).Use Case 1: Rapid Line Reconfiguration: The primary manufacturing usecase is the rapid setup of robotic tasks for modular or short-run components, specifically targeting complex structure profiles typical of autonomous collaborative platforms (ACPs) or unmanned aircraft structures. Use Case 2: Multi-Vendor Kinematic Adaptation: The trajectory engine must adapt logical tasks to varied multi-axis robotic hardware platforms (e.g., varied serial arms paired with mobile transport carts or tracked bases). The software must abstract the path calculations from specific OEM programming semantics, allowing uniform execution across distinct vendor controllers. Technical Goals & Functional Requirements The software platform must be architected as a modular, cohesive system organized across clear functional layers: Engineering Intent Processing and Graphing: The system must isolate complex design specifications—such as Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) callouts, fastener tolerances, and localized surface processing sequences—from raw documents and compile them into a relational schema or centralized data architecture. This framework must programmatically bind quantitative quality boundaries directly to the respective spatial locations on the 3D target geometry. Autonomous Path & Sequence Generation: Using the compiled structural schema, the planning block must calculate the sequence of activities independently. It must automatically optimize physical tracking angles, sensor stand-off distances, and surface normal orientations without traditional waypoint scripting or manual joystick teaching. No-Code Operator Interface: To support floor personnel who lack advanced programming backgrounds, the platform must include an intuitive, no-code graphical layer. This dashboard must visually highlight the automatically derived inspection points, outline the planned tool paths, and provide a human-in-the-loop review portal to allow manual modifications or explicit process validation before runtime deployment. The culmination of this project will be a software platform has reached a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6/7, fully capable of driving multi-vendor industrial manipulators directly from enterprise data packages. Phase III work: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the technology, targeting government program offices, commercial industrial base stakeholders. and dual use industrial customers. Keywords: Autonomous Path PlanningTechnical Data Package (TDP)Automated InspectionEnterprise Data IngestionSemantic Feature ExtractionDigital Manufacturing Technology areas: Air Platform, Materials, Weapons Focus areas: Advanced Computing and Software, Advanced Infrastructure & Advanced Manufacturing, Hypersonics, Space Technology, Sustainment & Logistics, Trusted AI and Autonomy ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - DAF Operational Imperative 4 (OI 4): Achieving Affordable Mass2. Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Strategic Plan: Digital Transformation Mandate Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-DV013: Advanced Reserve Power Source Technologies Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV013 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-DV013 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-DV013: Advanced Reserve Power Source Technologies Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-DV013 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Power source performance in terms of power and energy density is the major objective with affordability, safety, and reliability secondary objectives of Air Force Armament Directorate programs for advanced reserve power sources for weapon systems. Secondary objectives are not distant relative to the major objective, but power and energy density is emphasized in order to enable new concepts and integration strategies. Current reserve thermally activated battery technology is at risk of becoming obsolete due to increasing specific power and specific energy requirements, while other battery technologies with similar or greater specific energy suffer from multiple failure modes, have limited storage life, or have not been tailored to meet the unique requirements for Air Force weapon programs. An advanced reserve power source lasting 20+ years without the need for maintenance or significant energy loss while in storage, is reliable, and is inherently safe, e.g. is not susceptible to thermal runaway, is required. Weapons typically have storage lifetimes of 20+ years; and must maintain reliable operation at any point within this time period without the power source being inadvertently activated. When the power source is activated, it must rise to full voltage within 600 ms and have an activated life of 5+ minutes. The power source must be able to survive shock, vibration, and temperatures (MIL-HDBK-310 1% Hot/ 1% Cold Days, worldwide) associated with external and internal carriage, high speed free flight, and storage environments. The power source will be required to provide power for weapon avionics, guidance, and ordnance initiation events for the entire flight profile. The load on the power source must be capable of periods of pulse power with an average 2.5 kW/kg minimum and a goal to exceed 5 kW/kg load over 60 seconds. The goal of this technology development is to design, develop, and test an advanced design for a power source capable of 20+ years of storage, 5+ minutes of activated life, with a specific energy at a minimum of 40 Wh/kg and a goal to exceed 100 Wh/kg. The power source must be inherently safe during its entire lifetime. Due to the safety issues associated with lithium battery technologies and the process to receive certification through the Naval Ordnance Security and Safety Activity (NOSSA) for use on an ordnance system, lithium battery technologies will need to demonstrate no venting under NAVSEA S9310-AQ-SAF-010 test conditions. Objective: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Develop and demonstrate advanced power source technologies capable of meeting weapon requirements with specific energy and power equal to or greater than current reserve battery technologies. Phase I work: As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made as a result of this topic. To qualify for this D2P2 topic, Offerors must demonstrate completion of Phase I feasibility research and development that is not based upon or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. Prior efforts used to demonstrate feasibility must identify candidate materials, technologies and designs including the rationale for being acceptable in addition to performance data. Phase II work: Conduct performance testing to establish design performance characteristics (Wh/kg, Wh/L, temperature range, power capability) and safety. Upon selection government provided data may be used to develop prototype designs. The deliverables for this phase consist of: 1) Prototype power source delivering 2.5 kW/kg for 60 seconds. 2) Performance characterization through testing to include captive carry and free flight shock and vibration : a. Wh/kg, b. Wh/L, c. power capability, d. temperature range, e. safety characterization.3) A manufacturing assessment of a concept design. Phase III work: Phase III will range from prototype testing and qualification to possible transition to a program of record. Must be able to support producing quantities in the 100-1000s. PEO Customers include AFLCMC/EB, Army PEO M&S TAGM, Navy PMA-242, and SOCOM. Keywords: Weapons Power Source; Battery; Reserve Battery; Thermal Battery; Reserve Power Source; Electrochemical Power Source; Efficiency. Technology areas: Air Platform, Battlespace, Materials Focus areas: Advanced Materials, Emerging Threat Reduction, Hypersonics ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - 'Film Coating of Electrodes for High Power Density Thermal Batteries,' Eric Allcorn, et Al. https://www.powersourcesconference.com/Power%20Sources%202018%20Digest/docs/32-2.pdf - 'Development of Magnesium Oxide (MgO) Binder for Thermal Batteries,' Viswanath Krishnamoorthy, et Al. https://powersourcesconference.com/PowerSources23/docs/19-1.pdf - 'Novel Materials for High Voltage Thermal Batteries,' Joe Edington, et Al, https://www.powersourcesconference.com/Power%20Sources%202018%20Digest/docs/25-1.pdfNavy Lithium Battery Safety Program: Responsibilities and Procedures. NAVSEA S9310-AQ-SAF010. Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity (NOSSA). - http://www.public.navy.mil/NAVSAFECEN/Documents/afloat/Surface/CS/Lithium_Batteries_Info/LithBattSafe 2. - 'Department of Defense Handbook: Global Climatic Data for Developing Military Products. MIL-HDBK-310 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-NV001: Shallow Jet Spurt Engineering Model Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV001 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-NV001 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-NV001: Shallow Jet Spurt Engineering Model Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV001 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: This topic seeks the development of a computationally efficient engineering-level model to predict the formation and characteristics of the "spurt" in fluid cavity created jets. The hydrodynamic spurt is the initial, often unsteady, ejection of material from the liner, preceding the formation of the main, stable jet. Current hydrocodes can model this phenomenon but are computationally expensive and ill-suited for rapid design iteration. This project will develop a validated, reduced-order model that accurately predicts spurt velocity, mass, and geometry as a function of liner material, geometry, and threat characteristics, enabling faster design and optimization of advanced warheads. Objective: Create a physics-based engineering model solution for shallow fuel jet spurts Phase I work: Identify and analyze the key physical mechanisms governing spurt formation using existing literature and high-fidelity hydrocode simulation- Identify and analyze the key physical mechanisms governing spurt formation using existing literature and high-fidelity hydrocode simulations. Develop a preliminary analytical or semi-empirical framework for the model. Demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model to predict spurt characteristics for a baseline test case. Develop a preliminary analytical or semi-empirical framework for the model. Demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model to predict spurt characteristics for a baseline shaped charge design. The final report detailing the model's theoretical basis and demonstrating a proof-of-concept correlation with high-fidelity simulation data for at least one configuration. Phase II work: Develop the engineering model into a robust software prototype. Expand the model to account for a wider range of liner materials, geometries, and explosive types. Conduct extensive validation of the model against a matrix of existing or newly generated experimental data. A validated software tool capable of predicting spurt parameters with a defined level of accuracy. The tool should be significantly faster (orders of magnitude) than full hydrocode runs. Phase III work: Harden the software for integration into the DoD's standard warhead design toolchains. Provide training and support to government and prime contractor engineering teams. Explore dual-use applications in commercial sectors such as high-speed metal forming, explosive welding, or industrial perforation. Keywords: Warhead, Engineering Model, Hydrodynamic Spurt Technology areas: Air Platform, Weapons Focus areas: Advanced Computing and Software CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - O'Connell, Patrick. Sept 2013. Discrete Rod Testing Against Aircraft Representative Panels: Test Report. JASPO M-12-05-001 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-NV002: Optimally Packaged Assembly for Laser Systems (OPALS) Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV002 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-NV002 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-NV002: Optimally Packaged Assembly for Laser Systems (OPALS) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV002 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: The Air Force requires light weight, compactly packaged optical systems to perform critical beam control functions for airborne high energy laser systems. The purpose of this topic is not to develop new outer moldlines or turret designs for airborne systems but rather focus on optimizing the packaging and performance of the internal optical system required to perform the core beam control functions. A canonical layout of such system is available in Reference 1. The Government expects the designed beam control system will perform all functions laid out in the canonical design - or that any deviations are thoroughly understood and technically justified. Additionally, designs should prioritize ease of alignment and component replacement, potential for line replaceable units, beam path conditioning, and material free of shedding contaminants which could lead to foreign object damage. In order to achieve these objectives, the Government anticipates investigations into the following areas, although this list is informational and is intended to be neither proscriptive nor comprehensive:Ruggedized Optical Design and MaterialsRobust Packaging and Assembly TechniquesNovel Optical Architectures: Explore and develop innovative optical designs inherently tolerant to vibrations, shocks, and thermal gradients.Advanced Materials Selection: Investigate and characterize advanced materials with superior thermo-mechanical properties. This includes exploring specialized glasses, ceramics, and composites for optical elements and mounting structures.Advanced Manufacturing and Assembly Processes: Investigate and implement advanced manufacturing techniques, such as additive manufacturing and precision micro-assembly, to fabricate intricate components and achieve high-precision alignment and bonding of optical elements.Athermalized Design Strategies: Implement passive and active athermalization techniques to mitigate the performance degradation caused by temperature fluctuations. This involves optimizing material choices, employing thermal compensation methods. Objective: High-energy lasers integrated onto airborne platforms hold immense potential for a variety of applications, relevant to DAF missions. However, the demanding operational environments encountered by airborne systems, characterized by factors like vibration, shock, temperature fluctuations, and pressure variations, pose significant challenges to the performance and reliability of traditional optical systems. To achieve demanding pointing and line of sight stabilization requirements necessary for the laser to have the desired effect on target, a precision optical beam control system is required to sense and correct platform induced disturbances, acquire and track targets, and sense and compensate for atmospheric and aero-optical disturbances. Historically these optical systems are implemented on flat optical benches or breadboards, in a similar manner to a ground-based laboratory. To fully realize the potential of airborne laser systems, there is a critical need for innovative optical systems designed specifically for ruggedness and environmental stability. This research effort aims to develop and demonstrate a ruggedized, environmentally stable, and optimally packaged optical beam control system specifically tailored for airborne high-energy laser applications, in a more optimized form factor for an airborne system than a conventional flat optical bench or breadboard. Phase I work: In phase I the basic concept for the beam control mounting structure will be developed and investigated. Initial performance estimates will be modeled and an initial estimate of size and weight will be calculated. The Government anticipates numerous trade studies and design excursions to create the conceptual design for the OPALS beam control subsystem. During Phase I, concepts developed should be as platform agnostic as feasible. The Government will provide platform representative vibration spectra for performance analysis. The Government anticipates the majority of the concept development to support a Phase II prototype capable of propagating an up to ~20kW laser. However, the concept should also address issues relating to the transition to the phase III operationalized system, capable of accepting a laser of at least 300kW. Phase II work: For the Phase II, the proposals should include development, installation, integration, demonstration, test and evaluation of the proposed optimally packaged beam control prototype system. This Phase II will seek to implement and demonstrate the feasibility of the optimally packaged beam control subsystem using a government furnished laser with power <= 20 kW, for both ground and airborne laboratory tests. AFRL is developing an Airborne Laser System Integration Laboratory to perform experimentation of advanced technologies and concepts relating to airborne high energy laser systems. The first iterations of this laboratory system will have a conventionally implemented (i.e. bench based) beam control subsystem, but subsequent upgrades are planned, and if successful we anticipate demonstrating the OPALS beam control subsystem in this laboratory. AFRL will work collaboratively to define interfaces, develop requirements, and further refine performance estimates. The work done as part of this proposed effort should be applicable to reduce risk for a full-scale system design. Efforts will include:- Perform relevant modeling and simulation to facilitate system design- Design, build, and field test a ground-based demonstration beam control subsystem to collaboratively operate with AFRL laser source- Deliver the system and associated documentation to AFRL Phase III work: Phase III will focus on scaling up the phase II prototype into an beam control subsystem for integration onto a large, operationally relevant aircraft. The developer and AFRL will work directly with a transition partner in order to incorporate the OPALS technology into a high energy laser system significantly more powerful than the prototype system - anticipated to be at least 300kW. Keywords: beam control, high energy laser, opto-mechanical packaging Technology areas: Air Platform Focus areas: Directed Energy (DE) CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Spencer, M., Merritt P., Beam Control for Laser Systems 2nd Edition, 2018, Directed Energy Professional Society Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-NV003: Multiple Telemetry Site Signal Source Synchronization Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV003 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-NV003 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-NV003: Multiple Telemetry Site Signal Source Synchronization Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV003 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Flight test missions that traverse multiple Test Ranges (e.g. hypersonic vehicles/weapons, cruise missiles, long-range weapon systems etc.) or that require different test support infrastructures (e.g. sea range, targets, threat simulators, etc.) at remote Test Ranges, require telemetry receive stations along the flight paths to receive real-time telemetry and then relay that data via ground networks to the control room monitoring the mission. In past mission pre-flight scenarios, remote telemetry receive site to control room links were checked individually. This was accomplished with a local bore sight signal simulator that transmitted a known test pattern at the center frequency of the actual test article. The telemetry receive site would receive the radio frequency signal, demodulate/decode it, then send the data via Internet protocol (IP) networks to the control room. In the control room the received data was verified to be correct as the bit pattern received could be compared to the bit pattern transmitted. This was accomplished for each local and remote telemetry receive site prior to the mission.During the test, each local and remote telemetry receive site would send data to the control room and a manual switch would be accomplished between each data source based on data quality that was determined manually. Note, this selection was not automated.With the invent of best source selection using data quality metrics transferred over IP networks via data quality encapsulation [1], no longer is election of multiple data sources done manually. Telemetry receivers now assess received data quality and assign a bit error probability to a packet of data prior to sending it to the best source selector in the control room. A best source selector (BSS) inputs these multiple streams, performs time alignment, then using the data quality metric, selects the best data to output on a bit-by-bit basis. This output is the best data using all available data streams from diverse receive sites.Though higher quality, near error-free data is now provided to the control room, the addition of the BSS has revealed a shortfall. The entire data path from remote receive sites to transport through best source selection to control room cannot be tested as a complete system to assess mission readiness. The traditional method of pre-flight checks cannot be used. Why? The best source selector will not be able to correlate the multiple data streams from remote sites as the signal sources will not be correlated. This results in the configuration and operation of the BSS being unknown until the test mission. The proposed work will focus on solving this shortfall resulting in a networked, synchronized telemetry validation system capable of simulating a test vehicle's telemetry signal at multiple ground stations simultaneously. Stated another way, the proposed system must simulate the test article signal as if all telemetry receive stations could "see" the test article and simultaneously receive the telemetry signal. This capability will allow test ranges to perform pre-mission verification of the entire telemetry infrastructure. This would include all participating receive antennas, distribution networks, and best source selector(s) to control room displays to ensure full system connectivity and performance before supporting a live mission. Objective: The objective of this project is to study, develop, test, and field a system that addresses a critical gap in pre-mission verification and validation of receive systems supporting flight test missions that transition between multiple, geographically diverse Test and Training Ranges. The end goal is to achieve a fully operational system that enables synchronized telemetry test signals across all participating ranges. This will allow for a comprehensive, end-to-end system checkout before a live test, significantly reducing operational and data fidelity risks, enhancing test accuracy, and strengthening mission readiness for advanced DoW test scenarios. Phase I work: Phase I should assess the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of the concept proposed for Inter-Range telemetry receive system synchronization and signal source correlation. Objectives and expectations in Phase I are as follows: Thoroughly describe the shortfall identifying all components and interfaces. Reference all appropriate standards and provide a use case(s) that clearly illustrates the shortfall.Propose an architecture that addresses and solves this shortfall. A solution should provide a solution that incorporates multiple, spatially diverse telemetry signal sources/simulators and synchronizes these sources with precise, common time and frequency reference across all sites.Derive a master-client network architecture with a centralized command and control graphical user interface. This will allow an operator to remotely configure, manage, and monitor all signal sources/simulators from a centralized location.At the core of this solution, develop a protocol that precisely aligns all remote pseudo-random bit sequences (PRBS) generated by each simulator. Phase II work: The Phase II effort will focus on the research, development, and delivery of a prototype system. The principal objectives include:Objective 1: Telemetry Signal Synchronization: Develop a master-client protocol and integrate a timing solution to achieve time-aligned signal generation across multiple remote telemetry signal simulators.Objective 2: Command and Control: Implement a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) for centralized configuration, status monitoring, and control of all remote simulators from a single centralized interface.Objective 3: Multi-Site Telemetry Signal Source Verification and Testing: Demonstrate multi-site correlation through bit error rate (BER) testing integrating best source selection (BSS). This includes simulating real-world impairments such as network latency and jitter. This can be simulated or with actual hardware (see Objective 4).Objective 4: Lab Verification of Hardware: Demonstrate proposed hardware in a lab environment.Objective 5: In the Field Validation of Hardware: Demonstrate the prototype system, consisting of a minimum of three signal sources controlled via a central control hub. The prototype system will be installed and tested at three geographically diverse locations. For example, that can be three sites at one Range, or one site at three Ranges (e.g. Edwards AFB, China Lake Range, Pt. Mugu Sea Range).Success criteria will be based on the system's ability to achieve and maintain PRBS synchronization of the three remote signal simulators, successful execution of remote commands via the GUI, and passing multi-site BER testing at the output of the BSS. Phase III work: The Phase III effort will focus on transitioning the prototype system to a fully operational and commercially available and sustainable product. Technology is expected to enter Phase III at TRL-6 and be matured to TRL-8. Working with the Test Ranges will be key to this maturation as real-world testing will aid in process. Direct interaction with the Telemetry Group of the Range Commanders Council will ensure customer needs are integrated into the hardware as it is matured. A successful SBIR Program would result in the standardization of the end product in the Telemetry Standard IRIG-106 with adoption into the major Test Ranges.DoW Applications: The end goal for this system would be to secure procurement contracts via the SBIR Phase III pathway to deploy the end system as a standardized solution across Air Force, Army, and Navy Test Ranges. Known customer opportunities include the 412th Test Wing (Edwards AFB), 96th Test Wing (Eglin AFB), NAWCAD (Point Mugu and Patuxent River), and White Sands Missile Range as all support flight test programs that require range airspace and assets spanning multiple Ranges.Commercial Applications: Market the end system to commercial aerospace prime contractors (e.g., Boeing, Lockheed Martin) and commercial space launch providers (e.g., SpaceX, Blue Origin, ULA) to improve the efficiency and reliability of their own flight-testing programs.Business Model: The commercialization strategy will blend direct sales to DoD ranges with commercial applications. Keywords: Signal Synchronization; Integrated Network Systems; Best Source Selection; Test and Training Ranges; Flight Test Missions; Data Quality Metrics; Hypersonic Vehicles; Real-Time Data; System Validation; Telemetry Infrastructure; DoW Test Scenarios Technology areas: Battlespace, Electronics, Information Systems, Sensors, Weapons Focus areas: Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems, Integrated Sensing and Cyber, Space Technology CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Telemetry Standards, Range Commanders Council Telemetry Group Std. IRIG 106-24, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.trmc.osd.mil/wiki/display/publicRCC/106+Telemetry+StandardsM. Rice and E. Perrins, "Maximum Likelihood Detection from Multiple Bit Sources", in Proceedings of the International Telemetering Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 27-29 October 2015.M. Geoghegan and R. Schumacher, "Performance Results Using DQE and Best Source Selection in Aeronautical Telemetry Environments", in Proceedings of the International Telemetering Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 23-26 October 2017.M. Geoghegan, "Data Quality Metric (DQM) – How Accurate Does It Need To Be?", in Proceedings of the International Telemetering Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 23-26 October 2023.M. Rice, G. Sheets, T, Gross, C. Gembarowski, A. Weiss, "On the Use of Bit Error Rate Testers to Test the Data Quality Metric", in Proceedings of the International Telemetering Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 23-26 October 2023.Error Performance of an International Digital Connection Operating at a Bit Rate Below the Primary Rate. ITU-T Rec. G.821. https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-G.821/General Requirements for Instrumentation for Performance Measurements on Digital Transmission Equipment – Digital Test Patterns. ITU-T Rec. 0.150, 151, 152, 153, https://www.itu.int/rec/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-NV004: Long Rod Delivery System Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV004 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-NV004 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-NV004: Long Rod Delivery System Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV004 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: The lack of a non-destructive, high-precision launching method for high length-to-diameter (L/D) projectiles fundamentally degrades the fidelity of Live Fire Test and Evaluation (LFT&E) data. For the Air Force, this deficiency directly compromises the development of penetrating munitions, degrades the survivability assessments of aerospace platforms, and introduces significant acquisition risks due to flawed test data and increased testing costs. Currently, there is not means of reliably controlling or manipulating the flight of a long rod projectile such that it consistently reaches a target location at a specific orientation. Providing means of accomplishing this feat advances DoW test capabilities for critical data underpinning analytical vulnerability assessments and engineering designs improving the survivability posture of current and next generation combat aircraft. Objective: Create a system capable of launching long rod threats with controlled angle of attack Phase I work: Conduct a comprehensive feasibility study evaluating alternative launching technologies (e.g., advanced light-gas, hybrid electromagnetic, pneumatic) against the requirement to launch high L/D ratio projectiles (1,400 m/s to >2,300 m/s) without structural degradation. Develop a conceptual design and utilize analytical modeling and simulation to predict internal ballistics, projectile acceleration curves, and exit velocities. Identify technical risks and propose mitigation strategies. Phase II work: Execute the Phase I maturation plan by engineering, fabricating, and testing a sub-scale or full-scale prototype launching system. Conduct live-fire demonstrations using inert long-rod projectiles to validate the system's velocity range, repeatability, and precision. Integrate high-speed diagnostics (e.g., flash X-ray, high-speed imaging) to conclusively verify the structural integrity, pitch, and yaw of the projectile upon muzzle exit. Validate the system's operational viability for generating actionable LFT&E data (e.g., ballistic limit testing). Phase III work: Transition the mature technology to government and contractor testing facilities. Integrate the launching system into major Department of War (DoW) LFT&E ranges (Army, Navy, Air Force) to support acquisition programs evaluating next-generation vehicle, aviation, and body armor. Concurrently, pursue commercialization pathways by adapting the technology for dual-use applications, such as civilian materials science research, spacecraft micrometeoroid shielding evaluation, and industrial hypervelocity impact studies. Keywords: Missile Fragments, Projectile, LFT&E, Survivability Technology areas: Air Platform, Materials, Weapons Focus areas: Advanced Materials, Sustainment & Logistics CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - O'Connell, Patrick. Sept 2013. Discrete Rod Testing Against Aircraft Representative Panels: Test Report. JASPO M-12-05-001 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-NV005: Luminescence-Based Surface Measurement Technique for Simultaneous Pressure and Temperature Measurements within Non-Oxygen Based Hypersonic Ground Test Facilities Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV005 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-NV005 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-NV005: Luminescence-Based Surface Measurement Technique for Simultaneous Pressure and Temperature Measurements within Non-Oxygen Based Hypersonic Ground Test Facilities Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV005 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Within aerodynamic testing, pressure sensitive paint (PSP) provides crucial global surface pressure data that is utilized in calculating aerodynamic loads [1] and identifying small scale features within the flow. The working principle behind PSP involves luminophores that fluoresce at an intensity inversely proportional to the number of oxygen molecules present i.e., oxygen quenching [2]. While these paints/luminophores have been sufficiently researched, the use-case of these paints is severely limited due to the requirement of oxygen in the flow field. Advanced hypersonic wind tunnels such as the blowdown facility at AEDC Tunnel No. 9 which utilizes nitrogen as the working fluid, are unable to utilize PSP to capture global pressure data with this method and are therefore severely limited to discrete measurement techniques. It is required that a novel technique be developed to capture simultaneous global pressure and temperature measurements in nonoxygen-based hypersonic wind tunnels. Objective: Develop and validate a non-intrusive, luminescence-based surface measurement technique for simultaneous pressure and temperature measurements within non-oxygen-based hypersonic ground test facilities. Phase I work: Phase I efforts outline technique/paint development and establish feasibility through thorough characterization of the paint properties/sensitivities and reduction process using benchtop testing and testing within small-scale (educational) supersonic/hypersonic facilities. Phase II work: Phase II efforts outline full scale prototype demonstrations within a hypersonic test facility through either test probes or full-scale model testing on a well-known/standard test article. The completed technique and refined data reduction process will be delivered at this phase. Phase III work: The technique can be marketed for non-intrusive simultaneous pressure/temperature measurements in non-oxygen-based high-speed wind tunnels. Keywords: hypersonic, instrumentation, non-intrusive, wind-tunnel Technology areas: Sensors Focus areas: Hypersonics CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Gregory, J. W., Asai, K., Kameda, M., Liu, T., & Sullivan, J. P. (2008). A review of pressure-sensitive paint for high-speed and unsteady aerodynamics. Proceedings of the institution of mechanical engineers, part G: journal of aerospace engineering, 222(2), 249-290. - Sellers, M. E. (2000, June). Application of pressure sensitive paint for determining aerodynamic loads on a scale model of the F-16C. In 21st aerodynamic measurement technology and ground testing conference (p. 2528). Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27BZ01-NV006: High Speed, Low Temperature Hyperspectral Imager for High Enthalpy Ground Testing Agency: USAF Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV006 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27BZ01-NV006 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27BZ01-NV006: High Speed, Low Temperature Hyperspectral Imager for High Enthalpy Ground Testing Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27BZ01-NV006 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: AEDC requires a method to resolve temperature and emissivity across the surface of test articles. Specifically, there is a need for a high-speed low-temperature measurement solution that overlaps with other higher-temperature capabilities. The solution threshold requirements are to measure surface temperature from 0-1500 F (2000 F objective), at 4000 Hz (5000 Hz objective), with a pixel footprint of at most 0.1 inch (0.05 inch objective) and an accuracy of +/- 10 deg F (+/- 5 deg F objective). Objective: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Accurately measure material surface temperature at high speed (5000 Hz +) and low range (0-2000 F) in high enthalpy ground test facilities. Phase I work: Compile low temperature, high sampling rate hyperspectral imager feasibility research that Addresses the solution threshold included in the Description of this topic. Awardee will perform research and present a feasibility report that describes a benchtop proof-of-concept that will be used for fabrication activities during Phase II. Phase II work: Fabricate a well-defined prototype of a low temperature, high sampling rate hyperspecral imager that meets the objectives stated above and can become operationally viable. Phase III work: Hyperspectral imager deployment. Keywords: Temperature Measurement, Emissivity, Hyperspectral Imager, High Enthalpy Ground Testing, Hypersonics, Materials Technology areas: Materials, Nuclear, Weapons Focus areas: Advanced Materials, Hypersonics, Nuclear ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - References relating to hyperspectral imaging used to measure the surface temperature and emissivity of various materials: 1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9920743/ - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X21003178 - https://opg.optica.org/oe/fulltext.cfm?uri=oe-30-2-2186 - https://www.aps.anl.gov/APS-Science-Highlight/2026-07-09/hyperspectral-imaging-improves-temperature-measurements-in-laser - https://voljournals.utk.edu/utk_gradthes/11797/ 6. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1644750 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DON27BZ01-NV001: Cleaner for the Time Domain Reflectometer Tank Level Indicator Agency: NAVY Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DON27BZ01-NV001 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DON27BZ01-NV001 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DON27BZ01-NV001: Cleaner for the Time Domain Reflectometer Tank Level Indicator Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DON27BZ01-NV001 Branch: NAVY Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Fouling on the TDR sensor used for TLI is a persistent problem. The TDR is necessary to provide accurate and precise readings for fuel measurement. Over time, TDRs can experience sensor fouling through a buildup of crystallization and other contaminants on TDR rods and tubes, contributing to false readings or other failures if not properly maintained and cleaned. The operational readiness of the U.S. Navy's DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers is being undermined by a persistent and unsolved equipment failure. The TDR sensors, a TLI technique, which are critical for managing fuel, buoyancy, and stability, are consistently rendered unreliable due to fouling. Current cleaning methods are operationally untenable; they require taking fuel compensating tanks offline, emptying fuel and/or compensating seawater, and significant follow-on maintenance, which directly reduces the Fleet's readiness and deployability. These efforts are not a permanent solution and often fail to resolve the underlying issue, making this a high-priority challenge for the DDG 51 Program Office. The Navy urgently seeks an innovative solution that remedies fouled TDR units without requiring ships to cease operations or undergo costly, invasive maintenance, thereby increasing mission readiness and reducing the risk of fuel spills. Effective methods for cleaning these sensors in-situ are very limited. The existing approach involves decompensation of fuel tanks (removal of fuel and compensating seawater) and manual removal of TDR sensors for cleaning, which can be costly and time consuming. It is not generally feasible while the ship is underway. Removal of TDR sensors during these manpower-intensive efforts can sometimes lead to TDR sensor miscalibration during re-installation. The inability to effectively clean TDR sensor fouling is a critical point of failure. The buildup of crystallization and other contaminants on TDR rods and tubes creates false readings and electrical shorts, leading to inaccurate fuel measurement and extensive tracking errors. This directly compromises the precise fuel management necessary for the ship's stability and mission readiness. Current ships have had fuel spills due to TDR TLI fouling. Additionally, scheduled maintenance periods to remove and clean fouled TDR TLI units inherently cause time delays and ship-wide disruptions affecting other planned work. . The Navy seeks a product that cleans and potentially reverses the fouling buildup throughout the entire TDR assembly while being compatible with the existing sensor architecture. The technology must return the installed TDR and TLI technique to full operational status upon one execution of the developed technology/technique over an objective period of 36 months, but not less than a threshold period of 8 months of full TDR TLI operability. This effort is required to develop a comprehensive technique that resolves this persistent reliability challenge. A more precise fuel management and reduction in potential failures will result in greater ship stability and increased mission readiness. Objective: Develop a technology to clean and potentially reverse fouling on Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) Tank Level Indicating (TLI) components in-place. The solution must function within fully compensated fuel tanks aboard DDG 51 class ships without requiring depressurization, defueling, or dewatering. Phase I work: Develop a concept for a product/technology to clean a fouled TDR TLI in-situ, returning it to full operational status within the challenging environment of a compensated fuel tank. Detail how the cleaning technology would be employed on an in-service ship while underway. Establish feasibility through small-scale testing, analysis, or modeling. If the Phase I Option is exercised, include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in a Phase II plan. Phase II work: Develop, deliver, and demonstrate a prototype of the anti-fouling solution that meets the requirements in the Description. Prove in a demonstration that the technology can return a fouled TDR TLI to full operability in a simulated confined space without requiring the tank to be emptied or causing fuel spills. Design the solution to minimize or eliminate the need for personnel to access the tank, a key limitation of current procedures. Identify all necessary Navy testing for shipboard certification. Prepare a Phase III commercialization/transition plan. Phase III work: Support the Navy in transitioning the cleaning technology for Fleet-wide use, providing the necessary equipment, training, and logistical documentation. A successful solution to this problem on the DDG 51 class is expected to be highly applicable to other ships facing similar challenges with compensated fuel tanks and TDR TLIs, including the LHD 1 and LHA 6 classes. The goal is to field a fully qualified and certified solution that resolves this long-standing maintenance and readiness issue across the surface fleet. Commercial fuel tank farms as well as other industrial operations requiring high level of awareness of tank full status can benefit from development of this technology. Keywords: Time Domain Reflectometry; Tank Level Indicator; Fuel Fouling; TDR rods and tubes; Compensated Fuel Tanks; Crystallization Technology areas: None Focus areas: Sustainment & Logistics CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Dular, Matevz; Bachert, Bernd; Stoffel, Bernd and Sirok, Brane. “Relationship Between Cavitation Structures and Cavitation Damage.” Sci-Hub,. Elsevier, 2004. https://www.pismin.com/10.1016/j.wear.2004.08.004 - Donnelly, Bradley; Sammut, Karl and Tang, Youhong. “Materials Selections for Antifouling Systems in Marine Structures.” ProQuest, Flinders University, 2022. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2674371579/fulltext/E04A8683594B4AC3PQ/1?accountid=34963&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DON27BZ01-NV002: Fire Resistant Joiner Bulkhead Agency: NAVY Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DON27BZ01-NV002 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DON27BZ01-NV002 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DON27BZ01-NV002: Fire Resistant Joiner Bulkhead Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DON27BZ01-NV002 Branch: NAVY Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Fire represents a grave hazard to Navy vessels. Recent fire events have propagated through joiner bulkheads and resulted in significant fire damage, which poses a substantial threat to personnel and equipment. Uncontrolled fires can propagate throughout a ship and cause extensive damage to machinery, equipment, and ship compartments; additionally, fires represent an extreme risk to ship personnel. The Navy has made numerous improvements to make ships more fire-resistant but is seeking improvement for containment of compartment-level fire events seen in recent and historical ship fires (i.e., USS OSCAR AUSTIN, USS CONYNGHAM, USS STARK, and the cruise ship Star Princess). More fire-resistant joiner bulkheads would allow damage control teams to contain and extinguish fires more easily before they could grow to threaten the ship. Innovation is needed to meet Navy goals with regard to weight, cost, fit, and performance. The Navy seeks an improved fire-resistant joiner bulkhead that would reduce the damage ships sustain during fires, as well as improve safety for the crew. Development of a fire-resistant joiner bulkhead faces several technical challenges. First, any fire-resistant joiner bulkhead must not have a significant weight increase. Given the quantity of joiner bulkheads onboard ships, any weight increase could add significant weight to the ships, which will impair and degrade ship performance. Second, the improved joiner bulkheads must not excessively exceed the width of current joiner bulkheads. Destroyers have confined spaces and for the comfort and operational capability of the crew, any new joiner bulkhead cannot greatly exceed the dimensions of the existing panels. Third, any fire-resistant joiner bulkhead must be a cost-effective solution for the Navy. In particular, the fire-resistant joiner bulkhead must not substantially increase the costs to install at the shipyard. The reason for this concern is that joiner bulkheads sometimes require modification at the shipyards to fit the exact dimensions of the ship. Any solution that requires expensive edge treating or would otherwise be cost-prohibitive to modify at the shipyards will not be considered. Lastly, the improved joiner bulkhead must meet or exceed the requirements to be certified for shock and fire performance as AN-30 class per MIL-STD-3020 and pass Navy Fire, Smoke, Toxicity (FST) testing per MIL-STD-1623. This is a vital requirement to demonstrate that any new material in the joiner bulkhead will not release dangerous particulates as it burns or fails if there is an impact. Research into fire-resistant materials has revealed several technology advances in the areas of intumescent coatings, coatings that incorporate nanomaterials to aid in thermal regulation, or advanced high-performance fibers; however, there is no current commercial solution available. The Navy is also open to bio-composites, bio-polymers, or other materials that have the potential to provide superior fire-resistance with reduced toxicity as compared to many commercially available products. Objective: Develop a material/system to increase the fire-resistance of joiner bulkheads on ships and compartment-level fire containment while meeting Navy requirements for weight, fit, cost, fire, smoke and toxicity. Phase I work: Develop a concept for a fire-resistant joiner bulkhead that meets the requirements above. Demonstrate the feasibility of the concept in meeting the Navy needs prescribed above and establish that the concept can be developed into a useful product for the Navy. Establish feasibility of a new fire-resistant material/system via small-scale testing. If the Phase I Option is exercised, include the initial design specifications and a capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II. Phase II work: Develop and deliver a prototype fire-resistant joiner bulkhead for evaluation. (Note: The prototype will be evaluated to determine capability in meeting the performance goals defined in the Phase II SOW.) Demonstrate product performance through prototype evaluation, modeling, and demonstration over the required range of parameters as defined by the Navy. Participate in an extended evaluation in a land-based test environment to refine the prototype into a design that will meet Navy requirements. Prepare a Phase II manufacturing and development plan, including drawings of connection details, to transition the improved fire-resistant joiner bulkhead to Navy use. Phase III work: Support the Navy in transitioning the fire-resistant joiner bulkhead to Navy use. Develop installation and maintenance manuals for the improved fire-resistant joiner bulkhead to support transition to the Fleet. Many potential commercial applications for improved fire-resistant joiner bulkheads exist; examples include commercial shipping, construction, aerospace, and automotive industries. Keywords: Fire Safety; Intumescent Coatings; Bio-Composites; Bulkhead Fire Containment; Fire Protection; High-performance Fibers Technology areas: None Focus areas: Advanced Materials, Sustainment & Logistics CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Nguyen, Tuan Anh and Nguyen, Quang Tung. "Hybrid Biocomposites Based on Used Coffee Grounds and Epoxy Resin: Mechanical Properties and Fire Resistance." Wiley Online Library, June 2021. Hanoi University of Industry, January 26, 2026. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1155/2021/1919344 - Liu, Bo-Wen; Zhao, Hai-Bo; and Wang, Yu-Zhong. “Advanced Flame-Retardant Methods for Polymeric Materials.” Sci-Hub, 2021. Sichuan University, January 26, 2026. https://sci-net.xyz/10.1002/adma.202107905 - "Report on the Investigation of the Fire Onboard Star Princess off Jamaica." United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Assets Publishing Service, 2006. Marine Accident Investigation Branch, June 2, 2026. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/547c706ae5274a4290000097/Star_Princess.pdf - "Fire Resistance of U.S. Naval Surface Ships." MIL STD 3020. Naval Sea Systems Command (Ship Systems), 2024. Department of Defense, June 3, 2026. https://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsDocDetails.aspx?ident_number=275893 - "Fire Performance Requirements and Approved Specifications for Interior Finish Materials and Furnishings (Naval Shipboard Use)." MIL STD 1623. Naval Sea Systems Command (Ship Systems), 2015. Department of Defense, June 3, 2026. https://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsDocDetails.aspx?ident_number=37021 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DON27BZ01-NV004: Input-Output Unit (IOU) for Secure Processing and Routing of Hull, Mechanical, & Electrical (HM&E) and Navigation Signals Agency: NAVY Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DON27BZ01-NV004 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DON27BZ01-NV004 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DON27BZ01-NV004: Input-Output Unit (IOU) for Secure Processing and Routing of Hull, Mechanical, & Electrical (HM&E) and Navigation Signals Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DON27BZ01-NV004 Branch: NAVY Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: IOUs are used on all Navy DDG 51 class ships to transfer Steering Control, Machinery Control, and Damage Control signals, as well as Interior Communication Alarm and Indication, Synchro and Digital Navigation data. They are also used on USN LHA(R) class ships, in Aegis Ashore facilities, and across a variety of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases. IOUs serve as a translation point when sending and receiving non-Ethernet traffic, such as synchro and low-level serial data, to Ethernet user systems. IOUs are installed in a variety of air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned spaces. Their use in engineering spaces that historically have relied on Halon 1301 (safe for sensitive electronics) for fire suppression has been complicated by the Navy's transition away from Halon and toward water mist protection systems. Additionally, existing IOUs rely on the integration of a wide variety of circuit card assemblies (CCA) to process different types of signals, creating hardware challenges for lifetime support and technology refresh. The Navy seeks to reduce lifecycle costs with a simplified design that has fewer hardware dependencies, hardware component updates, and more open and modular system architectures. The IOU is intended to be operated continuously. The IOU shall be designed to permit routine maintenance and troubleshooting. Repair actions should be possible while the IOU is energized without loss of required functionality and operating. Reliability and Survivability are essential and all IOU components must demonstrate Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) in excess of 10,000 hours. While the IOU as a whole product does not exist commercially, the base technology required is available in industry. The focus of this SBIR topic is to integrate the capabilities into a synergized product. Requirements: The Navy requires a dust-protected, water splash-resistant (IEC 60529 IP54-rated) IOU capable of interfacing with legacy and future equipment to send, receive, process, and route signals throughout the hull and superstructure of naval vessels. The enclosure must protect the power supply, cooling components, and electronics necessary to connect serial (RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, NTDS-E), fiber Ethernet, Cat 5 Ethernet (unicast, multicast), analog synchro (60 and 400 Hertz), and analog voltage (AC and DC) capabilities. External connections are made by triaxial, 42-pin, and 92-pin cables, as well as fiber optic connectors to redundant Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) shipboard networks. Design must accommodate an additional fifty percent capacity for future growth from initial defined design specifications and capability descriptions. It must also provide adequate internal cooling while meeting or exceeding IP54 dust and spray requirements. All hardware components must be compliant with Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive 2011/65/EU. Enclosure: Maximum size and weight (excludes external mounting dimensions): Weight: 188 pounds; Depth: 17 inches; Width: 26 inches; Height: 27 inches. The IOU must be mountable from the rear or the bottom and allow cable attachment/removal and reasonable access to all user interfaces and cable attachment points in any mounted configuration. Power Supply: Internal Alternating Current (AC) power supply will connect to two independent 120V, 60Hz shipboard lighting circuits (2 of 3 phases) for redundancy. Synchro reference power (400Hz and 60Hz) is necessary for some user interfaces (separate from IOU AC power). IOUs should require less than 600 Watts of power when fully loaded. IOU must strictly comply with MIL-STD-1399-300, operating reliably on both Type I and Type II power. The design must tolerate all specified voltage and frequency fluctuations, withstand severe voltage spikes, and limit maximum instantaneous input current (inrush current) when initially energized. To maintain ship-wide power quality and ensure system compatibility, the IOU must also adhere to strict limits on harmonic distortion, maintain a high-power factor, and meet the electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements of MIL-STD-461. To ensure the IOU design is suitable for shipboard environments, the IOU must meet the requirements of the latest revisions of MIL-STD-810 (currently Rev H with Change Notice 1), MIL-DTL-901 (currently Rev E), MIL-STD-167 (currently Rev 1A with Validation Notice 1), and MIL-HDBK-2164 (currently Rev A), IOU must remain fully operational through momentary power interruptions from the selected power source. If all AC power is lost, the IOU will automatically restart within 30 seconds following restoration of at least one power source. Adequate cooling must be maintained in any power-on condition. User Interfaces, Routing, Processing: IOU must adhere to a defined set of core networking standards. The unit must ensure full compliance with the foundational protocols for internetworking, including IPv4 (RFC 791) and IPv6 (RFC 8200). To support efficient one-to-many data distribution, the IOU must implement IP Multicasting (RFC 1112). For high-availability and fault tolerance, the IOU must also support the Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) in accordance with IEC 62439-3. Fiber optic cables connecting the IOU to shipboard networks will be supplied by the shipbuilders and will utilize a four-fiber cable per MIL-PRF-85045/18 with a fiber cable class of single mode per MIL-PRF-49291/7. Reliance on legacy hardware and proprietary data currently limits the Navy's ability to use open competition. Updating the design to include commercially available components will eliminate these constraints and significantly reduce lifecycle costs. Objective: Develop a dust-protected, water splash-resistant Input-Output Unit (IOU) capable of interfacing with legacy and modern equipment to send, receive, process, and route signals throughout the hull and superstructure of naval vessels. Phase I work: Develop a concept for an IOU that meets the requirements described above. Demonstrate through modeling and simulation and other supporting documentation the efficacy of the proposed system design for satisfying prototype system requirements. If the Phase I Option is exercised, include the initial design specifications and capabilities or description to build a prototype solution in Phase II. Phase II work: Construct, test, and deliver a prototype in accordance with the above Description that can be inserted in a network lab environment to verify continuity and throughput of all required signal types with legacy connections. Ensure that the prototype must demonstrate adequate cooling capability under sustained heavy loading and meet or exceed IP54 as verified by testing in accordance with IEC 60529 (Ingress Protection codes for electrical equipment enclosures) and MIL-STD-1399 (Shipboard Electric Plants), paragraph 300F. Phase III work: With enclosures that maintain adequate cooling while maintaining IP54 protection, IOUs may continue to be used in a wide variety of shipboard spaces and use could be more readily expanded to commercial industrial operations. Future designs could investigate expanding processing and storage capability at IOUs to create distributed processing capabilities across industrial networks or translate hardware signals to a cloud architecture. Additionally, IOUs could be tailored and optimized for specific activities or modified for use in other types of networks or at higher classification levels. Support the Navy in transitioning the IOU technology for fleet-wide use, providing the necessary equipment, training, and logistical documentation. Potential commercial applications for an IOU include commercial maritime systems, offshore extraction, and advanced industrial processes. Keywords: Ethernet Networks; Alternating Current; AC; Input Output Unit; Parallel Redundancy Protocol; PRP; Dust-Protected; Water Splash-Resistant Technology areas: None Focus areas: Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems, Microelectronics, Sustainment & Logistics ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Meier, S. J. and Manfredi, A. "Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS) - Enabling the Net-Centric Evolution of Navy Combatants." IEEE Xplore, October 2006, IEEE. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4086704 - European Parliament & Council of the European Union. "Directive 2011/65/EU on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment." EUR-Lex., June 8, 2011, Official Journal of the European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32011L0065 - McHale, J. "Demanding high-speed I/O." Military & Aerospace Electronics, Volume 20, September 2009, pp. 34-37, 42. https://www.militaryaerospace.com/computers/article/16713292/demanding-highspeed-io - Keller, J. "Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System installed on Navy destroyer for shipboard networking." Military & Aerospace Electronics, Volume 23, February 2012., p. 27. https://www.militaryaerospace.com/home/article/16714441/gigabit-ethernet-data-multiplex-system-installed-on-navy-destroyer-for-shipboard-networking - Cooney, M. "Gigabit Ethernet goes to war: Navy, NASA and others deploying Gigabit Ethernet networks." Network World (Online), Volume 1, July 8, 2009: inclusive pages. https://www.networkworld.com/article/731388/lan-wan-gigabit-ethernet-goes-to-war.html - International Electrotechnical Commission. "Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code) (IEC Standard No. 60529:1989+AMD1:1999+AMD2:2013 CSV)." IEC Webstore, August 2013. https://webstore.iec.ch Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== OSW27BZ01-DV002: Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Rapid Maturation Agency: OSD Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/OSW27BZ01-DV002 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/OSW27BZ01-DV002 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC OSW27BZ01-DV002: Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Rapid Maturation Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/OSW27BZ01-DV002 Branch: OSD Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Inexpensive, highly maneuverable, commercially available unmanned aerial systems (UAS) threaten tactical forces, critical infrastructure, and installations. Current defenses are limited by cost, by the operator attention they require, and by their vulnerability to countermeasures. A capability gap against Group 1 and Group 2 UAS remains. This topic seeks mature or maturing technology at any point in the counter-UAS kill chain. The three areas below are where capability is most needed. They are examples. A proposal may address one area, more than one, or a gap not listed here. Detection and Tracking. Detect and hold track on highly agile targets in cluttered low-altitude airspace. The proposer selects the sensing modality. Approaches that hold track when the target is not emitting are preferred. Solutions that require permanent site infrastructure or mains power, including fixed perimeter sensor installations, are out of scope for this area. The system must move with the force. Identification and Decision Support. Classify and identify unauthorized platforms and support an engagement decision. Processing must run on tactical computing hardware carried or emplaced with the force. Proposals should describe a pathway to interoperate with existing command and control. Conformance to a named standard is not required at this stage and will not be scored. Mitigation and Defeat. Kinetic, non-kinetic, or cyber approaches that defeat hostile UAS in remote tactical theaters and in densely populated areas. Proposals must address collateral effects. Operating preferences. The operating environment is denied, contested, and unattended. The four conditions below are preferences, not eligibility requirements. Every proposal must state where it stands against each one. (a) The system does not require the target to emit radio frequency (RF) energy. Passive RF may be part of a solution; the preference is that track holds when the target is silent. (b) The system does not radiate. The Government favors kinetic and cyber defeat over approaches that require the friendly system to emit. Jamming, active illumination, and transmission into a target's control or navigation link are in scope. A proposal that uses any of them must say so and describe the operational effect. (c) The system does not require cloud services or reachback. Training and analytics may occur off-platform. The processing that produces the operational output should run on the platform, and the system should continue to function with all external network interfaces disabled. (d) The system does not require a dedicated operator, meaning no person whose only task is attending it. Human judgment over the use of force is expected and is not addressed by this preference. Out of scope: work requiring classified access or a facility clearance at the time of award, and approaches that depend on cooperative identification, including Remote ID broadcast. Objective: Mature commercial and dual-use technologies that detect, track, identify, or defeat small low-flying drones (Group 1 and Group 2 unmanned aerial systems) in hostile or contested areas. Phase I work: This topic solicits Direct-to-Phase-II (DP2) proposals only. Direct to Phase II proposers shall submit documentation showing that Phase I-equivalent feasibility has already been achieved outside the SBIR/STTR program. Adequate documentation is a written record of at least one test of the proposed approach stating the conditions under which the test was conducted, the dates, the target, threat, or surrogate used, the measured result, and how it was measured.Test data, technical reports, and third-party evaluation metrics are acceptable. A system design alone is not sufficient. A self-declared technology readiness level unsupported by a documented test is not sufficient. As required by the DoW solicitation, the feasibility documented may not rest solely upon, or logically extend from, prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work; the proposing firm and/or the principal investigator must have substantially performed the work relied upon; and the firm must demonstrate ownership or licensure of the associated intellectual property prior to proposal submission. Phase II work: Phase II is a major research and development effort. Performers refine the Phase I concept into an operational prototype that demonstrates real-world functionality. The primary deliverable is a functional system, software package, or physical prototype ready for test and evaluation in a militarily relevant or simulated field environment. The technology shall reach TRL 6 by the end of Phase II. The period of performance is twelve months rather than the twenty-four the announcement allows. The intent is to move a demonstrated capability to a transition decision within one year. Proposals should be scoped to that schedule. The Government may host a showcase about six months after award. Attendance is by invitation and is based on end user interest in the capability. It is not required of every performer. Performers shall provide operational evidence supporting a follow-on funding decision whether or not they are invited. Phase III work: Commercial applications are those in which the equipment deploys with a team rather than being installed at a site: temporary airspace security for outdoor events, venues, and construction or energy sites; convoy, executive, and site-survey protection; wildfire, disaster, and critical infrastructure response; and mobile detection kits for law enforcement and allied partners. Detection, tracking, and identification technologies have a direct commercial market in these roles. Authority to mitigate or defeat unmanned aircraft in the United States is limited by statute to covered federal entities. A defeat-focused proposal is not expected to show a near-term domestic commercial market for that function. Military applications include integration into point-defense systems for tactical units, forward operating bases, and naval vessel protection platforms, which may be funded via non-SBIR/STTR acquisition budgets. Keywords: Counter-UAS; C-sUAS; Group 1 UAS; Group 2 UAS; autonomous threat detection; edge artificial intelligence; multi-sensor fusion; denied environment Technology areas: Battlespace, Electronics, Sensors Focus areas: Advanced Infrastructure & Advanced Manufacturing, Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems, Integrated Sensing and Cyber, Trusted AI and Autonomy ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Congressional Research Service. Department of Defense Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Background and Issues for Congress. Report R48477. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48477 - Statement of General Michael E. Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command, before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the posture of U.S. Central Command, 10 June 2025. - U.S. Department of Defense Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Strategy (2021). https://media.defense.gov/2021/Jan/07/2002561080/-1/-1/1/DEPARTMENT-OF-DEFENSE-COUNTER-SMALL-UNMANNED-AIRCRAFT-SYSTEMS-STRATEGY.PDF Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== OSW27BZ01-NV001: Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Rapid Maturation Agency: OSD Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/OSW27BZ01-NV001 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/OSW27BZ01-NV001 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC OSW27BZ01-NV001: Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Rapid Maturation Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/OSW27BZ01-NV001 Branch: OSD Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Inexpensive, highly maneuverable, commercially available unmanned aerial systems (UAS) threaten tactical forces, critical infrastructure, and installations. Current defenses are limited by cost, by the operator attention they require, and by their vulnerability to countermeasures. A capability gap against Group 1 and Group 2 UAS remains. This topic seeks mature or maturing technology at any point in the counter-UAS kill chain. The three areas below are where capability is most needed. They are examples. A proposal may address one area, more than one, or a gap not listed here. Detection and Tracking. Detect and hold track on highly agile targets in cluttered low-altitude airspace. The proposer selects the sensing modality. Approaches that hold track when the target is not emitting are preferred. Solutions that require permanent site infrastructure or mains power, including fixed perimeter sensor installations, are out of scope for this area. The system must move with the force. Identification and Decision Support. Classify and identify unauthorized platforms and support an engagement decision. Processing must run on tactical computing hardware carried or emplaced with the force. Proposals should describe a pathway to interoperate with existing command and control. Conformance to a named standard is not required at this stage and will not be scored. Mitigation and Defeat. Kinetic, non-kinetic, or cyber approaches that defeat hostile UAS in remote tactical theaters and in densely populated areas. Proposals must address collateral effects. Operating preferences. The operating environment is denied, contested, and unattended. The four conditions below are preferences, not eligibility requirements. Every proposal must state where it stands against each one. (a) The system does not require the target to emit radio frequency (RF) energy. Passive RF may be part of a solution; the preference is that track holds when the target is silent. (b) The system does not radiate. The Government favors kinetic and cyber defeat over approaches that require the friendly system to emit. Jamming, active illumination, and transmission into a target's control or navigation link are in scope. A proposal that uses any of them must say so and describe the operational effect. (c) The system does not require cloud services or reachback. Training and analytics may occur off-platform. The processing that produces the operational output should run on the platform, and the system should continue to function with all external network interfaces disabled. (d) The system does not require a dedicated operator, meaning no person whose only task is attending it. Human judgment over the use of force is expected and is not addressed by this preference. Out of scope: work requiring classified access or a facility clearance at the time of award, and approaches that depend on cooperative identification, including Remote ID broadcast. Objective: Mature commercial and dual-use technologies that detect, track, identify, or defeat small low-flying drones (Group 1 and Group 2 unmanned aerial systems) in hostile or contested areas. Phase I work: Phase I shall determine the technical, scientific, and commercial feasibility of the proposed approach. Work may include developing a concept architecture, modeling critical software components, or bench testing key hardware elements. Phase I deliverables are a feasibility study, a technical report, and an initial system design package showing the path to a prototype. The technical report shall state the conditions, dates, and target or threat surrogate used in any testing performed, and the measured result. It shall also state where the approach stands against each of the four operating preferences. Phase II work: Phase II follow-on depends on the availability of future-year funds and will be considered among the Phase I awardees under this topic. Phase II is a major research and development effort. Performers refine the Phase I concept into an operational prototype that demonstrates real-world functionality. The primary deliverable is a functional system, software package, or physical prototype ready for test and evaluation in a militarily relevant or simulated field environment. The technology shall reach TRL 6 by the end of Phase II. The period of performance is twelve months rather than the twenty-four the announcement allows. The intent is to move a demonstrated capability to a transition decision within one year. Proposals should be scoped to that schedule. The Government may host a showcase about six months after award. Attendance is by invitation and is based on end user interest in the capability. It is not required of every performer. Performers shall provide operational evidence supporting a follow-on funding decision whether or not they are invited. Phase III work: Commercial applications are those in which the equipment deploys with a team rather than being installed at a site: temporary airspace security for outdoor events, venues, and construction or energy sites; convoy, executive, and site-survey protection; wildfire, disaster, and critical infrastructure response; and mobile detection kits for law enforcement and allied partners. Detection, tracking, and identification technologies have a direct commercial market in these roles. Authority to mitigate or defeat unmanned aircraft in the United States is limited by statute to covered federal entities. A defeat-focused proposal is not expected to show a near-term domestic commercial market for that function. Military applications include integration into point-defense systems for tactical units, forward operating bases, and naval vessel protection platforms, which may be funded via non-SBIR/STTR acquisition budgets. Keywords: Counter-UAS; C-sUAS; Group 1 UAS; Group 2 UAS; autonomous threat detection; edge artificial intelligence; multi-sensor fusion; denied environment Technology areas: Battlespace, Electronics, Sensors Focus areas: Advanced Infrastructure & Advanced Manufacturing, Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems, Integrated Sensing and Cyber, Trusted AI and Autonomy ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Congressional Research Service. Department of Defense Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Background and Issues for Congress. Report R48477. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48477 - Statement of General Michael E. Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command, before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the posture of U.S. Central Command, 10 June 2025. - U.S. Department of Defense Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Strategy (2021). https://media.defense.gov/2021/Jan/07/2002561080/-1/-1/1/DEPARTMENT-OF-DEFENSE-COUNTER-SMALL-UNMANNED-AIRCRAFT-SYSTEMS-STRATEGY.PDF Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27TZ01-DV001: AI-Enabled Computed Vision Air-to-Air Refueling Performance Assessment and Automated Pilot Debrief System Agency: USAF Program: STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27TZ01-DV001 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27TZ01-DV001 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27TZ01-DV001: AI-Enabled Computed Vision Air-to-Air Refueling Performance Assessment and Automated Pilot Debrief System Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27TZ01-DV001 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Air-to-air refueling (AAR) is a critical Department of the Air Force and Department of the Navy capability enabling global mobility, long-range strike, combat airpower projection, and sustained aviation operations. However, aerial refueling remains one of the most technically demanding and safety-critical aviation tasks performed by aircrews. Successful execution requires precise aircraft positioning, coordinated control inputs, accurate closure rate management, continuous situational awareness, and effective crew coordination between tanker and receiver aircraft.Current aerial refueling training and post-flight assessment processes rely heavily on instructor observation, pilot self-assessment, manual video review, and subjective evaluation of performance. These approaches provide limited ability to quantitatively assess the thousands of individual performance variables that influence successful refueling operations. Existing methods do not provide pilots with objective, moment-by-moment feedback on aircraft positioning, closure rates, control inputs, deviations from desired procedures, or trends in individual performance over time.This topic seeks to develop, demonstrate, and transition an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled computed vision capability that (post-flight) automatically analyzes aerial refueling operations and provides objective, data-driven pilot performance feedback. The desired capability will mature existing advances in autonomous aerial refueling analytics and apply them toward training, readiness, and safety improvement by transforming aerial refueling video and available aircraft performance data into actionable post-flight debrief products.The developed system shall provide an automated "hot wash" which analyzes aerial refueling events, identifies performance deviations, and generates intuitive visualizations that allow pilots and instructors to better understand execution quality and areas for improvement. The system shall reduce reliance on subjective recollection and manual review by providing objective measurements of aircraft performance throughout the refueling profile.The capability shall focus on analysis of tanker-mounted video data, such as KC-46 aerial refueling camera systems, while maintaining an architecture capable of expanding across additional tanker and receiver platforms. The vendor may pick (with Government concurrence) the first 3-5 receiver platforms to use in developing this system. Future applicability includes KC-135, C-17, all fighter receiver aircraft, naval aviation communities, autonomous aerial refueling systems, and other aviation training environments requiring advanced performance analytics.The desired solution shall leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and advanced human-machine interfaces to provide capabilities including:• Automated detection and tracking of tanker (boom and hose) and receiver aircraft during aerial refueling operations.• Measurement of relative aircraft position, movement, velocity, and alignment throughout the refueling engagement.• Assessment of aircraft position within the approved refueling envelope.• Analysis of closure rates, approach vectors, aircraft stability, and deviations from nominal procedures.• Ability to correlate video with other aircraft data if/as available (e.g. telemetry, fuel transfer rate, fuel state, and pilot inputs) to evaluate performance drivers.• Generation of objective performance scores and trend analysis across multiple training events.• Creation of visual performance assessment products for receiver pilot post-flight review of their performance during refueling, including graphical overlays, heat maps, event timelines, and immersive or interactive debrief environments.• Support for instructor review, adjudication, and refinement of automated assessments during initial deployment.The system should evaluate innovative approaches for integrating automated analytics with existing or future aviation training environments, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mission rehearsal systems, simulator environments, or other computer-based training tools.The solution must address operational challenges associated with military aviation data, including secure processing of controlled aviation video, automated data protection, and protection of sensitive operational information. The capability should consider approaches for minimizing processing burden on operational units while enabling rapid generation of post-flight assessments.The Government seeks solutions which provide an operationally relevant prototype supporting aerial refueling training organizations. Successful completion of this effort will provide Air Force and joint aviation communities with a next-generation training and assessment capability that improves pilot proficiency, increases the training value of each refueling event, reduces equipment damage and maintenance impacts, and enhances overall mission readiness.The desired end state is an operationally demonstrated capability ready to implement for at least one type of receiver aircraft and that can support transition into existing aviation training ecosystems and provide a scalable foundation for future AI-enabled aviation performance assessment across the Department of Defense. Objective: Develop, integrate, and demonstrate an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled computed vision and human-machine interface capability that transforms aerial refueling operations from subjective, observation-based evaluation into an objective, data-driven performance assessment and adaptive training environment. The system shall leverage advanced computer vision, machine learning, and aviation (flight dynamics) analytics techniques to automatically extract operationally relevant performance metrics from aerial refueling events, quantify deviations from desired flight profiles, and generate actionable post-flight feedback to improve aircrew proficiency, reduce human-factor-driven mishaps, and enhance mission readiness.The capability shall analyze video from cameras mounted on the tanker (esp. the KC-46) to provide near-real-time post-flight reconstruction of aerial refueling engagements by correlating aircraft position, motion dynamics, refueling geometry, pilot inputs, and operational context to identify performance trends and training opportunities. The developed system shall perform automated assessment of complex aerial refueling behaviors including aircraft stability, closure rate management, alignment accuracy, control surface position, other situational awareness indicators, and adherence to established refueling procedures.The objective is to mature existing advanced AI-enabled aviation analytics into an operationally relevant post-flight "hotwash" and training capability that increases the instructional value of each aerial refueling sortie, reduces reliance on subjective human assessment, accelerates pilot proficiency development, decreases equipment damage associated with refueling deviations, and establishes a scalable foundation for future intelligent aviation training systems across Department of the Air Force and joint aviation communities.The resulting prototype shall demonstrate the ability to ingest operational aerial refueling data, autonomously generate objective performance assessments, provide intuitive visualization and debrief products, and support transition into existing aviation training, evaluation, and modernization ecosystems. Importantly, the system will also include automated security management of the video so that implementation is seamless and complies with security classification guidance. Phase I work: As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2)2) topic, no Phase I proposals will be accepted and no Phase I awards will be made under this topic. Offerors responding to this topic shall demonstrate "Phase I-type" technical feasibility through prior research, development, laboratory validation, commercial development, or operational demonstrations performed outside of the SBIR/STTR program. The purpose of this demonstration will be for the Government to determine the feasibility of the ideas that appear to have the potential to satisfy the objectives of this topic: The Government is seeking offerors with demonstrated experience and technical maturity equivalent to a successful Phase I effort. Proposals shall demonstrate existing capabilities, relevant past performance, or validated technologies applicable to the development of an AI-enabled aerial refueling performance assessment and automated pilot debrief capability. Qualified offerors shall demonstrate experience in at least half of following technical areas:  Development and application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision algorithms for analyzing dynamic objects in video imagery.  Processing and interpretation of high-speed motion imagery to determine object position, movement, velocity, orientation, and spatial relationships.  Development of algorithms capable of tracking aircraft, vehicles, or other dynamic platforms in complex operational environments.  Aviation-focused data analytics, flight performance monitoring, flight simulation, or aircrew training systems.  Development of human-machine interfaces, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), immersive training environments, or advanced visualization tools.  Integration of sensor data, video analytics, telemetry, or flight performance information into automated assessment systems.  Experience handling, processing, protecting, or analyzing controlled aviation or operational data.  Automated video processing techniques including object recognition, classification, filtering, masking, or data protection methodologies.  Development of secure software systems capable of operating within government aviation environments. Offerors shall demonstrate prior technical maturity equivalent to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 or greater at contract award. Relevant experience may include laboratory demonstrations, commercial applications, government-sponsored research, operational prototypes, or other non-SBIR/STTR funded development activities. The offeror shall demonstrate the ability to transition existing technical capabilities into an operational prototype supporting aerial refueling performance analysis. Successful offerors will demonstrate sufficient technical foundation to immediately begin Phase II activities including adaptation of computer vision algorithms, integration of aviation video data, development of automated performance metrics, and operational prototype demonstration. Evaluation of Phase I-equivalent experience will consider:  Relevance of previous computer vision, artificial intelligence, or machine learning development efforts.  Demonstrated ability to analyze complex motion-based systems, especially aviation maneuvers.  Experience applying technology within aviation, aerospace, defense, and related training environments.  Demonstrated ability to mature existing technologies into operationally relevant prototypes.  Ability to address cybersecurity, data protection, and integration challenges associated with military aviation applications. Phase II work: Phase II will develop, integrate, and demonstrate an operational prototype of an AI-enabled computer vision air-to-air refueling (AAR) performance assessment and automated pilot debrief system. The effort will mature existing autonomous AAR analytics into a post-flight training and evaluation capability providing objective, data-driven feedback to tanker and receiver aircrews.The prototype shall ingest AAR video and available aircraft performance data, identify deviations from desired procedures, and generate automated post-flight hotwash products. The system shall reduce reliance on pilot memory and manual instructor video review through objective measurements, visualization, and historical trend analysis.Task 1: System Architecture, Data Acquisition, and Secure ProcessingEstablish the architecture to ingest, process, analyze, and protect AAR video and associated aircraft data.Activities shall include:Develop system architecture, data flows, and cybersecurity approach.Establish procedures for CUI and operational aviation data.Integrate available tanker-mounted cameras, aircraft video, and applicable flight-performance data.Evaluate local processing with transfer of lightweight outputs versus secure video transfer to approved computing environments.Develop data-management procedures supporting expansion across tanker/receiver platforms.Deliverables: System Architecture Design; Data Management and Security Plan; CUI Processing Workflow; Initial Prototype Data Ingestion Capability.Task 2: Computer Vision Model Adaptation and Performance AnalyticsAdapt and mature existing computer vision technologies for automated AAR analysis, including aircraft motion, relative positioning, and flight-performance assessment.The capability shall:Detect/track tanker boom or hose and receiver aircraft.Determine relative position, orientation, and movement.Measure closure rates and approach vectors.Assess position within the approved refueling envelope.Identify boom, probe, or hose/drogue alignment.Analyze stability and deviations from nominal procedures.Support multiple tanker and receiver configurations.Demonstrate performance equivalent to TRL 6+ through prototype demonstration in a relevant operational environment.Deliverables: Adapted Computer Vision Models; Aircraft Tracking Algorithms; Performance Assessment Algorithms; Technical Validation Report.Task 3: Automated Performance Assessment and Pilot FeedbackConvert AAR data into objective post-flight performance feedback, including:Moment-by-moment scoring against nominal profiles.Positioning heat maps relative to the refueling envelope.Closure-rate and approach-vector analysis.Timeline reconstruction of key events.Identification of deviations/improvement areas.Historical individual and crew trend analysis.Where available, correlate performance with pilot inputs/data including fuel state/transfer rate, control inputs, throttle response, aircraft corrections, response timing, crew coordination indicators, and situational-awareness factors.To support organizational change and adjudicate corner cases, provide an instructor/"master debriefer" capability for trained personnel to review, validate, and provide feedback on automated assessments during initial deployment.Stretch Goal: Recognize, or provide a growth path to recognize, bent/broken boom, probe, or hose conditions and associated FOD.Deliverables: Automated Performance Assessment Engine; Pilot Feedback Products; Instructor Review Interface; Performance Analytics Dashboard.Task 4: Automated Data Protection and Video ProcessingDevelop secure video-processing capabilities that minimize operational burden and protect sensitive information.The system shall:Detect when a receiver aircraft is present and activate analytics only during relevant events.Identify and prevent processing/retention of unauthorized aircraft or sensitive platforms.Remove/obscure sensitive geographic information, terrain, markings, and other operationally sensitive information.Support automated masking/filtering before distribution.Demonstrate an architecture supporting future cybersecurity certification.Deliverables: Automated Video Processing Capability; Data Protection/Filtering Methodology; Cybersecurity Assessment Documentation.Task 5: Pilot Debrief Visualization and Training IntegrationDevelop intuitive visualization methods translating analytics into actionable training feedback. Evaluate/demonstrate:Immersive VR/AR replay environments.Squadron-level 2D visualization.Graphical overlays depicting aircraft position, closure rates, desired flight paths, deviations, and refueling-envelope margins.Apply instructional-design principles to support pilot learning, instructor evaluation, and squadron training discussions.Deliverables: Visualization Trade Study; Pilot Debrief Interface Prototype; Training Integration Plan.Task 6: Operational Demonstration, Testing, and TransitionDemonstrate the prototype with operational military aviation users and validate:Accuracy of automated assessments.Correlation with experienced instructor evaluations.Negligible manual video-review workload.Usability within existing training/mission-debrief workflows.Ability to generate actionable post-AAR pilot feedback.Desired Technical Performance Objectives:Generate automated debrief products within 15 minutes of video ingestion.Accurately track aircraft position, movement, and refueling geometry.Identify significant deviations from nominal procedures.Achieve ≥95% agreement between experienced instructors and automated assessments during validation.Demonstrate integration with at least one operational AAR training organization.Deliverables: Operational Prototype Demonstration; Test and Evaluation Report; User Feedback Assessment; Phase III Transition Plan. Phase III work: Phase III will support transition of the AI-enabled aerial refueling performance assessment capability into operational Air Force, Navy, USMC, and select foreign aviation communities through program office integration, operational funding pathways, and sustainment planning.Potential transition applications include:· KC-46 aerial refueling training and readiness improvement.· KC-135 and legacy tanker modernization efforts.· C-17 and other receiver aircraft training applications.· Fighter receiver aerial refueling proficiency improvement.· Navy and Marine Corps aerial refueling operations.· Autonomous aerial refueling development and validation.· Advanced aviation training and performance analytics.Commercialization opportunities may include adaptation of aviation analytics, pilot training analytics, flight performance monitoring, and simulation technologies for commercial aviation, allied aviation partners, and other safety-critical transportation environments. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Aerial Refueling, Pilot Training, Flight Analytics, Aircraft Performance Assessment, Human Machine Interface, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Aviation Safety, Trusted AI, KC-46, KC-135 Technology areas: Air Platform, Electronics Focus areas: Human-Machine Interfaces, Trusted AI and Autonomy CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - ATP-3.3.4.2: Standard Operating Procedures for Air-to-Air Refueling. - AFI 11-202 Volume 1: Aircrew Training Standards. - AFIT Autonomous Air-to-Air Refueling (A3R) Technical Publications: Baseline CV tracking and modeling publications. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27TZ01-DV002: Cyber Resiliency for Fog and Edge Computing Devices Agency: USAF Program: STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27TZ01-DV002 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27TZ01-DV002 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27TZ01-DV002: Cyber Resiliency for Fog and Edge Computing Devices Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27TZ01-DV002 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detailed documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a "Phase I-like" effort, including a feasibility study. This feasibility study should include an approach, architecture and previous demonstration of a limited-scope prototype with the ability to prevent or mitigate a single class of cyber-attacks on an edge-node device, embedded device, or a similar device. The approach should be capable of scaling to a large of number of edge-nodes and have the ability to autonomously detect and respond to an attack. Objective: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Develop a capability to prevent and/or mitigate cyber-attacks on fog and edge computing (FEC) devices and associated networks to provide mission assurance in highly contested environments. Phase I work: As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2)2) topic, no Phase I proposals will be accepted and no Phase I awards will be made under this topic. Offerors responding to this topic shall demonstrate "Phase I-type" technical feasibility through prior research, development, laboratory validation, commercial development, or operational demonstrations performed outside of the SBIR/STTR program. This feasibility study should include an approach, architecture and previous demonstration of a limited-scope prototype with the ability to prevent or mitigate a single class of cyber-attacks on an edge-node device, embedded device, or a similar device. The approach should be capable of scaling to a large of number of edge-nodes and have the ability to autonomously detect and respond to an attack. Phase II work: The D2P2 effort should expand upon previous work to increase the robustness of the cyber protection and the classes of threats being addressed, specifically improving detection and response capabilities. The D2P2 should also demonstrate the ability of the FEC devices to fight through a supply chain or a remote exploit attack to accomplish mission objectives. Phase III work: The final product will have both commercial and military avionics and space system applications, as well as a broad class of commercial applications, including Internet of Things (IoT) [6], Internet of Battle Things (IoBT) [5], and Internet of Space Things (IoST) [7]. Keywords: Cyber Resiliency, Cyber Security, Fog and Edge Computing, Internet of Things, Avionics Systems, Space Systems. Technology areas: Electronics, Information Systems Focus areas: Advanced Computing and Software ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - https://www.cto.mil/cta/ - ftikhar, Sundas, et al. "AI-based fog and edge computing: A systematic review, taxonomy and future directions." Internet of Things (2022): 100674. - Javed, Safdar Hussain, et al. "An intelligent system to detect advanced persistent threats in industrial internet of things (I-IoT)." Electronics 11.5 (2022): 742. - Carpenter, Brian "How the IoT Intensifies Software Supply Chain Risks," https://www.cyberark.com/resources/blog/how-the-iot-intensifies-software-supply-chain-risks, Dec. 2, 2022. - Kott, Alexander, Ananthram Swami, and Bruce J. West. "The Internet of Battle Things." Computer 49.12 (2016): 70-75. - "Internet of Things." Wikimedia Foundation, Accessed March 28, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_things. - Internet of Space Things, Georgia Tech, Accessed March 28, 2023, https://licensing.research.gatech.edu/technology/internet-space-things. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DAF27TZ01-DV003: Fusion of Cooperative Information Sharing for Uncrewed Air Systems (FOCISAUS) Agency: USAF Program: STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27TZ01-DV003 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DAF27TZ01-DV003 Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: Yes, ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DAF27TZ01-DV003: Fusion of Cooperative Information Sharing for Uncrewed Air Systems (FOCISAUS) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DAF27TZ01-DV003 Branch: USAF Posted: 10/07/2026 Opens: 10/28/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: Distributed air operations increasingly depend on timely awareness of objects, hazards, and activities beyond the field of view of any individual platform. Cooperative perception offers a path to extend sensing coverage and reduce blind spots by allowing multiple platforms and supporting nodes to share sensor-derived information. Yet this benefit is limited by the large size of modern sensor data, the variability of wireless links, the need for rapid decision making, and the difficulty of combining observations from different platforms, geometries, and sensing modalities. This topic seeks prototype-ready solutions that build on prior feasibility work in distributed information sharing, compression, adaptive transmission, and sensor data fusion. The government is interested in capabilities that can select and transmit the most relevant information, manage latency and bandwidth constraints, and fuse data from multiple sources into improved perception outputs for autonomy or operator use. Offerors should address the data fusion aspect as a core requirement of the overall solution, whether through point cloud fusion, image or radar correlation, feature or object fusion, track association, or other mission-appropriate methods. Solutions should also describe how fused outputs are exposed to mission applications, edge processing nodes, or user interfaces. Approaches that can operate under degraded or intermittent communications and can scale across multiple sensing platforms are of particular interest. Prototype capabilities may include, but are not limited to: Distributed organization, naming, publication, discovery, or retrieval of sensor information; Adaptive data selection, fidelity control, compression, and transmission policies; Real-time or near-real-time fusion and correlation of data from multiple platforms or sensor types; Delivery of fused perception products to autonomy software, edge analytics, or mobile mission applications; and Measurable improvements in latency, bandwidth efficiency, blind-spot reduction, and detection or tracking performance. Objective: The Department of the Air Force seeks mature, innovative solutions ready for prototype development and demonstration in cooperative perception for uncrewed or autonomous air systems. The objective of this topic is to develop and demonstrate a scalable prototype that enables distributed sensing nodes to share, prioritize, and fuse mission-relevant information in near real time to improve object detection, tracking, navigation, and operator situational awareness in cluttered and bandwidth-constrained environments. Solutions should support efficient information exchange, adaptive transmission under changing network conditions, and a credible data fusion design that converts distributed sensor observations into actionable fused products. Offerors should propose technologies with demonstrated Phase I-type maturity and a clear path to prototype integration, testing, and transition. Phase I work: This topic is intended for technologies that are sufficiently mature to proceed directly into prototype development. Therefore, Phase I awards will not be made for this topic and Phase I proposals will not be accepted. Offerors must provide detail and documentation in the D2P2 proposal demonstrating completion of a Phase I-type effort. This should include evidence of scientific and technical feasibility, relevance to a Department of the Air Force need, and a clear basis for moving directly into integrated prototype development. The "Phase As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2)2) topic, no Phase I proposals will be accepted and no Phase I awards will be made under this topic. Offerors responding to this topic shall demonstrate "Phase I-type" technical capability through prior research, development, laboratory validation, commercial development, or operational demonstrations performed outside of the SBIR/STTR program. This should include evidence of scientific and technical feasibility, relevance to a Department of the Air Force need, and a clear basis for moving directly into integrated prototype development. The "Phase I-type" effort should have: Identified representative operational needs and stakeholders for cooperative perception and distributed situational awareness; Demonstrated technical feasibility in distributed information exchange, sensor-data management, compression, or adaptive transmission; Established an initial and credible data fusion approach appropriate to the mission problem; Produced evidence of prototype-readiness through modeling, simulation, laboratory integration, or early demonstration; and5 Described a clear path to Phase II integration, testing, and transition.I-type" effort should have:1. Identified representative operational needs and stakeholders for cooperative perception and distributed situational awareness;2. Demonstrated technical feasibility in distributed information exchange, sensor-data management, compression, or adaptive transmission;3. Established an initial and credible data fusion approach appropriate to the mission problem;4. Produced evidence of prototype-readiness through modeling, simulation, laboratory integration, or early demonstration; and 5. Described a clear path to Phase II integration, testing, and transition. Phase II work: Phase II will focus on developing and demonstrating an integrated prototype for cooperative perception and sensor data fusion using distributed air and ground sensing nodes. The prototype should build on validated prior work and demonstrate how shared sensor information can be selectively transmitted, fused, and delivered to mission applications with measurable operational value. Phase II efforts may include implementation of distributed data-sharing mechanisms; adaptive policies for what information to exchange and at what fidelity; integration of compression, decompression, or bandwidth-management functions; real-time or near-real-time fusion of representative sensor products; delivery of fused outputs to edge or user applications; and evaluation of performance under representative wireless and mission conditions. Key deliverables may include: A functioning prototype demonstrating cooperative perception among multiple sensing nodes; Fusion-enabled outputs delivered to an autonomy, edge, or user-facing application; Performance results addressing latency, bandwidth efficiency, perception quality, and mission relevance; and System documentation and a transition plan for operational experimentation or integration. Phase III work: Phase III efforts will focus on transition, operational deployment, and scaling of prototype cooperative perception capabilities. Defense applications include counter-UAS, tactical reconnaissance, base and perimeter security, special operations, disaster response, search and rescue, and other missions requiring distributed awareness from mobile sensors. Commercial applications include public safety, infrastructure monitoring, industrial inspection, autonomous delivery, emergency response, and remote operations where shared perception and efficient data fusion provide value. Keywords: cooperative perception; sensor fusion; data fusion; uncrewed air systems; autonomy; adaptive transmission; compression; edge processing; distributed sensing; situational awareness; object detection Technology areas: Bio Medical, Sensors Focus areas: Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems, Trusted AI and Autonomy ITAR applies to this topic. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Kim, S.-W., Chong, Z. J., Qin, B., Shen, X., Cheng, Z., Liu, W., and Ang, M. H., "Cooperative perception for autonomous vehicle control on the road: Motivation and experimental results," IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2013. - Chen, Q., Tang, S., Yang, Q., and Fu, S., "Cooper: Cooperative Perception for Connected Autonomous Vehicles Based on 3D Point Clouds," IEEE International Conference on Distributed Computing Systems (ICDCS), 2019. - Aoki, S., Higuchi, T., and Altintas, O., "Cooperative Perception with Deep Reinforcement Learning for Connected Vehicles," IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV), 2020. - Liu, Y.-C., Tian, J., Glaser, N., and Kira, Z., "When2com: Multi-Agent Perception via Communication Graph Grouping," CVPR, 2020. - Hu, Y., Fang, S., Lei, Z., Zhong, Y., and Chen, S., "Where2comm: Communication-Efficient Collaborative Perception via Spatial Confidence Maps," NeurIPS, 2022. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== DPA26BZ06-DV028: TRIAGE-X: Autonomous Casualty Triage and Treatment in Chemically Contaminated Mass Casualty Events Agency: DARPA Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DPA26BZ06-DV028 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/DPA26BZ06-DV028 Posted: 09/02/2026 Opens: 09/23/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) ITAR: No. CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Source: DoD, via DSIP. AI drafting rule: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR TOPIC DPA26BZ06-DV028: TRIAGE-X: Autonomous Casualty Triage and Treatment in Chemically Contaminated Mass Casualty Events Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/DPA26BZ06-DV028 Branch: DARPA Posted: 09/02/2026 Opens: 09/23/2026 Closes: 11/25/2026 (13 days left) Description: DARPA seeks innovative approaches to autonomous chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear (CBRN) triage that measurably improve casualty survival and increase the effective capacity of a medical response during CBRN disasters. Early situational awareness and timely treatment is a matter of life and death in battlefield and disaster medical triage. Responder vulnerability in hazardous environments caused by CBRN attacks adds significant difficulty to the medical response. When a mass casualty incident (MCI) occurs within a chemically contaminated area, the medical response is hindered by uncertainty while the threat is assessed and characterized. To ensure safety of the responders, they must don protective equipment before entry, delaying initial assessment, triage, and treatment with life-saving interventions (LSIs). Personal protective equipment (PPE) also imposes a physiological and functional penalty on responders resulting in slower movement, higher energy expenditure, heat stress, impaired respiration, and reduced manual dexterity; these penalties further impede responders' ability to perform life-saving interventions. Effective stabilization occurs in the cold zone after casualties have been decontaminated [1,2], compounding the delay to evacuation and definitive care. The DARPA Triage Challenge (DTC) has demonstrated that autonomous air and ground systems, using standoff sensors, can locate casualties, characterize injury patterns, and support triage prioritization in realistic MCI conditions [3]. Using DTC triage support capabilities as a starting point, this solicitation aims to extend capabilities to operating in chemically hazardous environments where injury patterns have distinct signatures or toxidromes. Success here extends proven autonomous triage into the one of the most challenging settings where human entry is dangerous and delayed, and where early antidote delivery most directly determines casualty survival [4].Proposed systems should be able to locate and assess casualties for traumatic injuries and chemical toxidromes, generate triage recommendations, and deliver appropriate initial treatments to reverse, stabilize, or prevent the toxic effects of chemicals. Solutions should be designed for realistic operational use in difficult terrain under challenging environmental conditions. DARPA does not prescribe a specific platform, sensor suite, or level of autonomy. Offerors are encouraged to propose the human-machine teaming arrangement that best improves decision quality and casualty outcomes, and to define how their system fails safely when conditions exceed its competence. Approaches should be realistic in scope, repurposed within the period of performance, and grounded in how CBRN mass casualty response actually unfolds.At minimum, the effort shall deliver a demonstrated prototype that detects at least two representative chemical toxidromes and applies appropriate initial treatments for the assessed toxidrome following human-in-the-loop treatment approval. Objective: Develop and demonstrate capability with autonomous medical triage systems to recognize chemical toxidromes and physically deliver the corresponding antidote or life-saving intervention. Phase I work: Phase I work is expected to have been completed before award. Proposers must submit evidence that their existing prototype can:• Autonomously find and localize casualties and report their location to within 2m• Assess trauma patterns and assign a trauma triage category• Perform accurate standoff vital-signs assessment, including at minimum heart rate and respiratory rate • Operate at scale o At least 20 casualties in a single scenario o Perform assessment in <90 seconds for each casualtyo Survey a 30,000sqft area without battery change• Operate across diverse, realistic environments: indoor and outdoor, daytime and nighttime, ideally (but not required) in adverse weather conditions (rain, smoke)• Produce a human-interpretable output through a graphical interface that conveys casualty locations and priorities of care.• System must be portable. All components should be easily transported by a vehicle or drone.Capability demonstration:A written technical description or published report supported by data and video(s) demonstrating the prototype performing the capabilities above in the stated environments are required (provided via link). Phase II work: Building on the feasibility demonstrated in the documentation above, the Phase II effort will extend their qualified baseline system to assess and treat chemical toxidromes. In this effort, performers will develop, integrate, and validate a prototype autonomous chemical casualty triage system and demonstrate it in a relevant environment. The system shall identify casualties, assess them for life threatening and other traumatic injuries, assess casualties for chemical toxidromes, and provide relevant physical treatments. Requirements: Performers shall develop the capability to assess and treat at least two chemical agent categories from Table 1. Agent detection is out of scope for this effort. Treatment recommendations and options for each casualty shall be presented through a graphical interface to responders. Treatment decisions will always be made by humans. Table 1. Target toxidromes, symptoms, and interventions [1, 5, 6]. Toxidrome categoryRepresentative agentsPhysical presentationAnticipated treatment to demonstrate Cholinergic (nerve-agent) syndrome Sarin VX Novichok Organo-phosphates DUMBBELS – diarrhea, urination, miosis (constricted pupils), muscle weakness, bronchospasm, bronchorrhea, bradycardia (decreased heart rate), emesis, lacrimation, salivation and sweating. Intramuscular pharmaceutical delivery of simulated antidote (atropine and pralidoxime) Airway management* Blood-agent syndrome (cyanide) Hydrogen cyanide, Cyanogen chloride Rapid collapse; gasping, tachypnea (fast respiratory rate) progressing to apnea (no breathing); altered mental status, seizures; cardiovascular instability (low blood pressure, fast heart rate); skin flushing, central cyanosis; dilated pupils. IV/IO pharmaceutical delivery (i.e., cyanokit)** Airway management* Pulmonary / choking-agent syndrome Chlorine Phosgene Cough, dyspnea (difficulty breathing), wheezing, stridor; eye and airway irritation; respiratory distress; delayed pulmonary edema. Delivery of bronchodilators Airway management* Vesicant / blister-agent syndrome Sulfur mustard Blistering skin burns, airway irritation, pain Skin decontamination with removal of substance from exposed skin, clothing, and washing skin or using decontamination cloths. Airway management* Opioid / respiratory-depressant syndrome Fentanyl-type incapacitants Pinpoint pupils; respiratory depression progressing to apnea; decreased consciousness. Intranasal or intramuscular Naloxone Airway management* * Airway management includes: providing supplemental oxygen by mask AND escalating to either non-invasive (bag-valve mask or mechanical) or invasive (endotracheal intubation or surgical airway) ventilation. **Includes autonomous placement of intravenous (IV) or intraosseous (IO) catheter. Performers will demonstrate their platform’s ability to recognize simulated toxidromes in silico (computer-based simulation) and on high-fidelity mannikins with the simulated toxidrome presentations outlined in Table 2. Table 2. Simulated toxidromes for demonstration purposes. Toxidrome categoryPhysical presentationSimulated presentation on a mannikin Cholinergic (nerve-agent) syndromeDUMBBELS – diarrhea, urination, miosis (constricted pupils), muscle weakness, bronchospasm, bronchorrhea, bradycardia (decreased heart rate), emesis, lacrimation, salivation and sweating. Damp/wet clothing around the groin area and on the ground Constricted pupils (miosis) Coughing sounds Rapid breathing (rate > 30) Slow palpable pulses at the wrist and groin (rate < 40) Emesis from the mouth (head turned, vomit on side of face and on the ground) Damp “skin” (sprayed on liquid) Blood-agent syndrome (cyanide)Rapid collapse; gasping, tachypnea (fast respiratory rate) progressing to apnea (no breathing); altered mental status, seizures; cardiovascular instability (low blood pressure, fast heart rate); skin flushing, central cyanosis; dilated pupils. Coughing sounds Rapid breathing (rate > 30) Altered mental status/confusion (mumbling words, does not respond verbally to instructions) Flushed (red appearing) skin Dilated pupils (mydriasis) Pulmonary / choking-agent syndromeCough, dyspnea (difficulty breathing), wheezing, stridor; eye and airway irritation; respiratory distress; delayed pulmonary edema. Coughing sounds Rapid breathing (rate > 30) Red/irritated eyes (scleral injection) Wheezing on auscultation of lung sounds Cyanosis around lips Vesicant / blister-agent syndromeBlistering skin burns, airway irritation, pain Gelatin on skin Skin blisters and burns Coughing sounds Rapid breathing (rate > 20) Opioid / respiratory-depressant syndromePinpoint pupils; respiratory depression progressing to apnea; decreased consciousness. Constricted pupils (miosis) Slow breathing (rate < 10) Unconscious, non-responsive Performers will demonstrate their platform’s ability to assess and deliver interventions on simulated casualties in both computer-based simulation or on physical manikins/in physical environments as outlined in Table 3. Some tasks that *must* be demonstrated on a physical manikin or in Table 3. Table 3. Required technical capabilities for demonstration purposes. Technical capability Requirements Casualty Assessment Locate casualty; report clinical signs (hemorrhage, respiratory distress, mental status, pain, emesis etc.), injuries and injury location. Evaluate casualties for chemical toxidromes and assign a probable target agent category from Table 1. Assign triage category (urgent, non-urgent). Identification of the specific chemical agent is out of scope. Chemical-specific sensors are also out of scope. Intervention Delivery * The platform must physically administer treatment appropriate to the chosen toxidrome according to table 1 on a manikin. * Final demonstration requires the system payload and automation to administer treatment to at least 5 casualties in succession without battery changes or re-supply. Platform, Environment, and Autonomy * Platform-agnostic: Autonomous UAV and UGVs. Performer may choose the sensor suite (excluding chemical-specific sensors). System must demonstrate safe physical interaction with casualties represented by high-fidelity manikins. † A single robust platform must operate across and transition between realistic environments — difficult terrain, inside and outside of buildings, and potentially subterranean settings. Dedicated single-environment platforms are not sought. End of Program Demonstration Detection/assessment may be validated computationally through assessment of a test set of images and videos showing injuries and clinical signs. (e.g., respiratory distress, pupillary changes, salivation, sweating, skin changes/blisters.) * † Intervention delivery on multiple casualties must be validated by physical demonstration. The essential program output is a validated prototype. * Required, on a manikin; † Required, over real terrain Phase III work: Military: Autonomous triage and toxidrome-directed treatment in chemically contaminated, battlefield environments, protects medics from entry and prolongs casualty survival until human care is possible. Civilian: Similarly, autonomous systems capable of assessing and delivering life sustaining treatments during disaster responses, industrial chemical accidents, hazmat operations, and chemical terror attacks in which fire/EMS response will be delayed provides additional safety for responders and a survival advantage for casualties during public-health emergencies [2]. The autonomous system will perform initial triage and treatment in the hot zone so that responders either avoid entry entirely or gain time to don protective equipment. Keywords: medical triage; mass casualty incidents; autonomous systems; robotics; medical countermeasures; chemical warfare injuries Technology areas: Bio Medical, Chem Bio Defense Focus areas: Advanced Computing and Software, Biotechnology, Human-Machine Interfaces, Integrated Sensing and Cyber, Trusted AI and Autonomy CMMC level: Level 2 (Self) Reference documents: - Dembek ZF, editor. Medical aspects of biological warfare. Government Printing Office, 2008 https://medcoe.army.mil/borden-tb-med-aspects-chem-warfare . - Ramesh AC, Kumar S. Triage, monitoring, and treatment of mass casualty events involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear agents. PHARMACY AND BIOALLIED SCIENCES. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Praveen-Kumar-Amar/publication/51559634_Ensuring_safe_water_in_post-chemical_biological_radiological_and_nuclear_emergencies/links/5d86c004299bf1996f8f0930/Ensuring-safe-water-in-post-chemical-biological-radiological-and-nuclear-emergencies.pdf#page=91 - https://www.darpa.mil/sites/default/files/attachment/2026-05/dtc-challenge-program-summary.pdf - Keating B, Eide KL, Vaag JR, Lund-Kordahl I. Tactical Triage: Adapting Care and Decision-Making for High-Threat Environments. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/124804666/1214491-libre.pdf?1759174845=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DTactical_Triage_Adapting_Care_and_Decisi.pdf&Expires=1785165685&Signature=QFWWSKX-r6fEEHHLrdArptS2nKVaS13Ai8yld5vYIo33BbW3K1V20pEDu6EEIKXS~bACTkYzYhRS5V1g6VI511ZhsiwffzWFW0yUdv9Dw3~GIFgrbjpYaaUToRWmSGopAuYtqoHhybbj3n7-YVZISfjMVHOBB37fzShwVf46GcQWk9BsNvg2RwXIv6ieMYUcsxphRidYdtZRHOVXaC0PrEd4-8OJhSSP~W2v1duk9euv4KNUkeOgxF3zMXJZQFnHdBYjHQrYXzxxbBUL3c5vxPP8OD2jzMMc-BqHqqm-bONrVr0YaH0b1EajUkugKDbp6yfNuTAIFuXv2wnbdzDTnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA - U.S. Department of the Air Force. (2021). Air force tactics, techniques, and procedures 3-42.32: Installation medical all hazards response (IMAHR). Secretary of the Air Force. https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_sg/publication/afttp3-42.32/afttp3-42.32.pdf - Marrs TC. Toxicology of organophosphate nerve agents. Chemical warfare agents: toxicology and treatment. 2007 Mar 23:191-221. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9780470060032#page=196 Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on the DoD site (DSIP). On the topic page, select Apply, then Copy Topic #. The number copies for you and the DoD topic search opens. Paste the number there. Your topic opens. Apply on that site. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov is complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Identity checks cannot be rushed. - DSIP firm account is set up by a firm admin (https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login). All firm forms are complete. The DSIP profile must match the SAM record exactly: legal name, address, UEI, CAGE code. An uploaded proposal is not a submitted proposal. A company official must complete the final certification step. The deadline is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No extensions. AI help with drafting: DoD SBIR and SBA place no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. The National Science Foundation encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. In all cases the firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T01: Advanced Technologies for Domestic Critical Mineral Extraction, Midstream Processing, and Recycling Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T01 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T01 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T01: Advanced Technologies for Domestic Critical Mineral Extraction, Midstream Processing, and Recycling Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T01 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- This topic seeks small-business-led R&D projects that establish a direct technical and commercial connection between a feedstock provider and a processing technology developer to produce a defined intermediate material for specialty metal or specialty alloy production. Each proposal must focus on one mineral or secondary-resource system, one feedstock provider, a defined target element or set of co-products, and one overall processing objective. Responsive projects may address, for example, vanadium-bearing feedstocks; zirconand hafnium-bearing heavy mineral sands; bauxite residue or red mud; slags, tailings, residues, or other underutilized mineral streams that can be processed into intermediates for use in specialty-grade materials for energy, defense, aerospace, nuclear, semiconductor, grid, industrial, or high-performance alloy supply chains. Vanadium, hafnium, and zirconium are included on the 2025 U.S. Critical Minerals List - which reflects supply-risk and national/economic security considerations - and are representative of the small global markets targeted by this topic. Proposals addressing other target elements or minerals with comparable global market sizes are also responsive. The motivation is to initiate practical processing activity for “small market” minerals that may be strategically important but are often overlooked because they are byproducts of primary production, technically complex, available only in limited volumes, or not yet connected to a qualified downstream customer. The desired Phase I outcome is not a full pilot plant or commercial facility. Rather, a successful project should create a credible bridge among a feedstock owner, a processor or separations technology developer, and, where feasible, a downstream producer or customer that converts the intermediate into, or uses it to produce, an application-qualified specialty metal or alloy. Priority areas of interest are: (1) processing of a real, characterized feedstock into a specialtymetal-ready intermediate; (2) validation of the chemistry, mass balance, impurity profile, and preliminary product specification; and (3) establishment of a documented commitment between the raw material provider and the technology developer to continue scale-up if technical milestones are met. Goals and Metrics Applicants should clearly define the “pure” or upgraded form of material needed before it can enter specialty metal production. Depending on the mineral system, target products may include, but are not limited to, vanadium pentoxide, ammonium metavanadate, ammonium polyvanadate, or another vanadium precursor suitable for ferrovanadium, vanadium alloy, or vanadium metal production; zirconium oxychloride, zirconium oxide, zirconium tetrachloride, hafnium-reduced zirconium intermediate, or another zirconium precursor suitable for specialty zirconium metal production; or hafnium oxide, hafnium oxychloride, hafnium tetrachloride, or another hafnium precursor suitable for hafnium metal, superalloy, plasma cutting, or nuclear applications. USGS identifies zircon as the principal economic source of zirconium and the primary source of hafnium; it also notes that zircon commonly occurs as a coproduct or byproduct of heavy-mineral-sands processing and that zirconium and hafnium occur together in zircon at roughly a 50:1 ratio. Comparable intermediate products from other mineral systems are also responsive where they meet the requirements of an identified specialtymetal, or specialty-alloy application. Key R&D innovations sought include beneficiation, separation, extraction, impurity control, and intermediate-product finishing methods that can be demonstrated at bench scale using a real feedstock supplied by a resource provider. Technologies may include physical beneficiation, gravity separation, magnetic or electrostatic separation, flotation, roasting, acid or alkaline leaching, chlorination, carbochlorination, solvent extraction, ion exchange, selective precipitation, crystallization, calcination, hydrometallurgical flowsheets, pyrometallurgical upgrading, or hybrid processes. For a Phase I effort applicants should scope work around achievable outcomes: signed letter of support or feedstock access commitment; representative sample acquisition; independent feedstock characterization; bench-scale processing tests; production of gramto kilogram-scale intermediate material, as appropriate; assay of the intermediate; preliminary impurity-removal strategy; mass balance; reagent and energy estimates; waste and water considerations; and a Phase II plan for larger sample processing, customer qualification, or pilot-scale validation. Not of Interest Projects are out of scope if they propose broad critical minerals exploration, geologic resource mapping, market studies, or literature reviews without processing real feedstock. Also out of scope are proposals that pursue multiple unrelated feedstocks, multiple unrelated elements, or “recover everything” approaches without a single defined target intermediate and measurable product specification. Projects using only synthetic feedstocks, simulated ores, reagent screening unconnected to a named resource provider, or generic separations chemistry without a clear mineral source would not meet the objectives of this topic. This topic does not seek mining equipment development, final alloy development, enduse component testing, battery or electrolyte formulation, bulk commodity production, or construction of a full processing facility. Cementitious reuse of red mud, construction-material applications, or waste stabilization without specialty metal recovery are not responsive. Routine contract analytical services, general consulting, equipment purchases without technical innovation, or projects that cannot identify a specific feedstock provider and credible downstream use case are also out of scope. References 1. Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals, 90 Fed. Reg. 50,494 (Nov. 7, 2025), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/07/2025-19813/final-2025- list-of-critical-minerals. 2. U.S. Geological Survey, Zirconium and Hafnium Statistics and Information, https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-informationcenter/zirconium-and-hafnium-statistics-and-information (last visited Aug. 7, 2026). 3. James V. Jones III, Nadine M. Piatak & George M. Bedinger, Zirconium and Hafnium, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1802–V (2017), https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1802V. 4. U.S. Geological Survey, Vanadium Statistics and Information, https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-informationcenter/vanadium-statistics-and-information (last visited Aug. 7, 2026). 5. U.S. Dep’t of Energy, 2023 DOE Critical Materials Assessment (2023), https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-07/doe-criticalmaterial-assessment_07312023.pdf. 6. U.S. Dep’t of Energy, What Are Critical Minerals and Materials?, https://www.energy.gov/cmm/what-are-critical-minerals-andmaterials (last visited Aug. 7, 2026). 7. U.S. Geological Survey, Critical Mineral Resources in Heavy Mineral Sands of the U.S. Atlantic Coastal Plain (June 26, 2019), https://www.usgs.gov/centers/gggsc/science/critical-mineral-resources-heavymineral-sands-us-atlantic-coastal-plain. 8. Bradley S. Van Gosen et al., Deposit Model for Heavy-Mineral Sands in Coastal Environments, U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5070–L (2014), https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20105070L. 9. Bridget R. Scanlon et al., Gulf Coast Basin CORE-CM Initiative Final Report, Technical Report DOE-Univ-TX-BEG-000236-14 (Univ. of Tex. at Austin, Bureau of Econ. Geology 2025), https://doi.org/10.2172/3009720. 10. U.S. Env’t Prot. Agency, TENORM: Bauxite and Alumina Production Wastes (May 4, 2026), https://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm-bauxite-and-alumina-production-wastes. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T02: Innovations in Manufacturing and Scale-up for Energy Applications Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T02 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T02 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T02: Innovations in Manufacturing and Scale-up for Energy Applications Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T02 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- This topic focuses on advancing innovations that expedite the scaling up of manufacturing for materials, components, devices, equipment, and production processes essential for energy applications. Projects under this topic are intended to enhance any manufacturing pathway relevant to energy where technical innovation can lead to improvements in manufacturability, production readiness, domestic supply capability, quality, cost, throughput, reliability, or energy productivity. Application areas covered include batteries and energy storage, power electronics and semiconductors, advanced conductors, magnets, grid hardware, components for power generation systems (such as gas, nuclear, hydropower, and geothermal), recycling and remanufacturing, as well as other energy-related materials, parts, or systems. A particular area of interest is the advancement of high throughput “micro-scale” manufacturing. At present, photolithography on thin films for semiconductor chip manufacturing is the only widely established micro-scale technology. This technique has provided significant benefits to both the U.S. and global economies. However, recent draft R&D roadmaps from CMEI highlight the need to scale up additional micro-scale manufacturing techniques. Such advancements would support industries including microelectronics, power electronics, battery manufacturing, and associated equipment. These emerging techniques include field-assisted technologies that utilize magnetic, mechanical (such as strain fields), acoustic, electromagnetic, or light-assisted fields. The motivation behind this research area stems from the observation that many energy technologies face challenges transitioning from laboratory validation to commercial production. The primary barriers are manufacturing processes that lack sufficient repeatability, economic viability, energy efficiency, cybersecurity, qualification, or compatibility with existing production infrastructure. Areas of Interest Specifically, this topic seeks applications in the following priority areas of interest: a. Scale-up of advanced manufacturing processes for energy materials, components, and devices Illustrative technologies: advanced forming, joining, welding, coating, casting, additive manufacturing, powder processing, machining, roll-to-roll processing, electrochemical processing, separations, critical-materials refining, recycling, remanufacturing, thermal processing, semiconductor and power-electronics manufacturing, battery electrode and cell manufacturing, and manufacturing approaches for large, complex, high-performance, or safetycritical energy components. Goals and metrics: Applicants must state a specific, measurable target metric related to the scale-up bottleneck they are addressing, such as throughput (units or mass per hour); first-pass yield; defect or scrap rate; cost per accepted unit; energy use per accepted unit; material utilization; or qualification/certification timeline. b. Modular, flexible, and retrofit-ready manufacturing platforms that reduce the time and cost of moving from prototype to pilot or early production Illustrative technologies: modular or reconfigurable tooling, retrofit kits or interfaces for legacy production equipment, flexible platforms supporting multiple product variants or rapid changeover, and standardized modular units for pilot-to-production scale-up. Goals and metrics: Applicants must state a specific, measurable target metric related to reduction of the time and cost of moving from prototype to pilot or early production, such as reduction in prototype-to-pilot transition time; reduction in retrofit or changeover cost; reduction in capital cost per unit of production capacity; or increase in the number of product variants or process conditions supported without major re-tooling. c. Smart manufacturing tools that enable real-time process understanding, quality control, digital qualification evidence, and secure supply-chain visibility Illustrative technologies: in-line metrology, nondestructive evaluation, multimodal sensing, robotics and automation tied to a manufacturing process, machine vision, edge analytics, digital twins, physics-informed models, SI-enabled design of experiments, closed-loop process control, secure data infrastructure, digital-thread architectures, and traceability or provenance systems. Goals and metrics: Applicants must state a specific, measurable target metric related to realtime process understanding, quality control, digital qualification evidence, and secure supplychain visibility, such as reduction in defect escape rate; reduction in inspection or qualification time; improvement in process capability; reduction in unplanned downtime; or a measurable increase in the share of process data captured in a machine-readable, standards-compliant, and traceable format. Where digital or SI-enabled systems are proposed, applicants must also address model validation, data quality, uncertainty, cybersecurity, operator usability, and integration with existing equipment or legacy manufacturing environments. Goals and Metrics for Topic 2 Areas of Interest Key R&D innovations sought include methods that improve transition from bench-scale or prototype demonstrations to pilot-scale or production-relevant operation. Proposals should define the target material, component, device, or process; the current scale or maturity level; the limiting manufacturing barrier; and measurable outcomes. To qualify as responsive, an innovation must target a specific manufacturing bottleneck related to energy materials, components, devices, equipment systems, or production processes. The main technical risk should involve issues with manufacturability, scaling up production, process management, qualification, or production costs. Phase II projects are required to showcase and integrate a prototype within a relevant manufacturing setting, operating at sufficient scale, duration, and duty cycle to assess repeatability, reliability, interoperability, safety, cybersecurity, and cost efficiency. Projects will not be considered if they work solely on basic material discovery, lab-scale synthesis, computational filtering, product performance, or energy-system modeling without a clear focus on manufacturing or scaling up. Also excluded are proposals that mainly buy commercial equipment, conduct routine process improvements, do market research, offer consulting services, or develop training materials without unique technical R&D contributions. Custom demonstrations without a reliable path toward broader use, repeated deployment, or commercialization are also nonresponsive. Generic software tools do not qualify unless they specifically resolve challenges like manufacturing scale-up, process control, quality assurance, qualification, or production costs for an energy application. Nonresponsive examples include general dashboards, enterprise resource planning tools, scheduling platforms, independent predictive maintenance software, or generic SI models not validated in manufacturing contexts. Projects that only handle postprocess inspection without boosting manufacturability, feedback, quality control, or readiness for scaling up will not meet topic goals. Technologies demanding classified operations, unsafe autonomous controls for critical systems, unsupported claims of market readiness, or digital solutions like blockchain or large language models used independently rather than integrated into a manufacturing solution are all out of scope. References 1. Energy Act of 2020, section 6006. Energy Act of 2020, Pub. L. No. 116-260, div. Z, tit. VI, § 6006, 134 Stat. 2418, 2560 (2020) (codified at 42 U.S.C. § 17115a). See Energy Act of 2020, U.S. Congress (2020), https://www.congress.gov/116/plaws/publ260/PLAW-116publ260.pdf. 2. U.S. Dep't of Energy, National Smart Manufacturing Strategic Plan: To Facilitate More Rapid Development, Deployment and Adoption of Smart Manufacturing Technologies (July 2022), https://doi.org/10.2172/1880185. 3. National Academies, Options for a National Plan for Smart Manufacturing. Nat’l Acads. of Scis., Eng’g & Med., Options for a National Plan for Smart Manufacturing (Nat’l Acads. Press 2024), https://doi.org/10.17226/27260. 4. National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing, Subcomm. on Advanced Mfg., Comm. on Tech., Nat’l Sci. & Tech. Council, National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing (Oct. 2022), https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-03/National-Strategy-for- Advanced-Manufacturing-10072022.pdf. 5. Alaa Elwany, Christopher Hovanec & Nick Lalena, Near Net Shape Workshop Report (U.S. Dep't of Energy Feb. 2024), https://doi.org/10.2172/2316044. 6. U.S. Dep't of Energy, Genesis Mission: A National Mission to Accelerate Science Through Artificial Intelligence, https://genesis.energy.gov/ (last visited Aug. 7, 2026). 7. OMB Memorandum M-25-21. Off. of Mgmt. & Budget, Exec. Off. of the President, Memorandum M-25-21, Accelerating Federal Use of AI Through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust (Apr. 3, 2025), https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2025/02/M-25-21-Accelerating-Federal-Use-of-AI-through-Innovation- Governance-and-Public-Trust.pdf. 8. Exec. Off. of the President, Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan (July 2025). See Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, Exec. Off. of the President (2025), https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Americas-AI-Action-Plan.pdf. 9. Nat'l Inst. of Standards & Tech., U.S. Dep't of Com., Guide to Operational Technology (OT) Security, NIST Special Publication 800-82 Rev. 3 (Sept. 2023), https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-82r3.2023). See Guide to Operational Technology (OT) Security, NIST Special Publication 800-82 Rev. 3, Nat'l Inst. of Standards & Tech. (2023), https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-82r3. 10. Int'l Soc'y of Automation, ISA/IEC 62443 Series of Standards, https://www.isa.org/standards-and-publications/isa-standards/isa-iec-62443-series-ofstandards (last visited Aug. 7, 2026). 11. NIST SP 800-161. Nat’l Inst. of Standards & Tech., U.S. Dep’t of Com., Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Practices for Systems and Organizations, NIST Special Publication 800-161 Rev. 1, Update 1 (May 2022, updated Nov. 1, 2024), https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-161r1-upd1 Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T03: State-of-the-Art Technologies for Industrial Competitiveness Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T03 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T03 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T03: State-of-the-Art Technologies for Industrial Competitiveness Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T03 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Industrial Technologies Office (ITO) is supporting an Open Topic for state-of-the-art technologies that strengthen America’s industrial sector and advance global competitiveness of U.S. industry through stepchange improvements in energy productivity, process efficiency, and performance, cost, and other relevant areas. Areas of Interest Applications to this topic should address one of ITO’s research, development, and early-stage demonstration (RD&D) focus areas: a. Sector-specific process innovation for the largest industrial consumers of energy: Chemicals & Refining, Iron, Steel, & other Commodity Base Metals, Food & Beverage, Forest Products, and Cement, Concrete, & other Building Materials. b. Innovation on common unit operations applicable across many industrial sectors: Thermal processes (combustion, combined heat and power systems, heat exchangers, waste heat recovery, electrotechnologies, and thermal energy storage), non-thermal processes (membranes, comminution, and other separations), and the Water-Energy Nexus (water supply, wastewater treatment, and PFAS destruction). c. Innovation that enables the integration of data centers and other large loads into the energy systems: such as data center thermal management, power systems, and demandside load flexibility. Not of Interest • Technologies that do not address a specific industrial need or are not directly relevant to one or more industrial focus areas. • Technologies that are primarily relevant for non-industrial sector applications (e.g., power sector). • Further development of technologies that are mature or commercially available. • New system designs, configurations, and/or integration that primarily incorporate commercially available or mature technologies. • Innovations in carbon capture and storage. • Innovations in hydrogen production and transportation. Note: To increase the likeliness of industry adoption, applications for this topic must demonstrate clear evidence of commercial potential that combines technology progress (e.g. demonstrated analytical and experimental proof of concept in a laboratory environment) with significant market pull (e.g. demonstrated interest from industry partners, investors and/or off takers). Applications should identify the path towards commercialization beyond SBIR funding – potential sources, stages, timing, amounts, and types of subsequent financing required to reach market. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T04: Next-Generation Building Technologies Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T04 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T04 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T04: Next-Generation Building Technologies Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T04 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- BTO seeks innovative proposals that can lower both the up-front cost of new energy-saving technologies and operational energy use for consumers. Topics of interest include air and water heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems; technologies that optimize building operations, including technologies that enable energy system integration; and technologies for improving building envelopes in new and existing buildings and saving costs across all sectors and regions. Areas of Interest While any topics that address the topic are welcome, specific areas of interest include: a. Technologies that simplify dual-fuel heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC): including on-board, building-level, and utility-level controls. The technologies should streamline system optimization, improve fuel switchover logic, enhance energy system flexibility, and reduce commissioning and maintenance burden. Complete low-cost, dual-fuel HVAC systems could be responsive to this area. b. Control and modeling technologies that use super intelligence (SI) or machine learning to save time and money for customers: The technologies should allow consumers to export data and leverage third-party platforms, making their data easier to use. Not of Interest Proposals out of scope: Software that simply aggregates third party data or displays it (e.g. an analytic or dashboard application) is out of scope, as are SI-enabled information systems that do not have integrated controls or data collection. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T05: Cutting Edge Energy Generation and Power Management Technologies Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T05 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T05 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T05: Cutting Edge Energy Generation and Power Management Technologies Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T05 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O) and Integrated Energy Systems Office (IESO) are supporting an Open Topic for Cutting Edge Energy Generation and Power Management Technologies that will bring new sources of reliable, affordable, and secure energy to the grid. The Integrated Energy Systems Office [1] drives research and development of energy solutions that enhance grid reliability and resilience, foster U.S. technological leadership, and reduce the cost of energy for Americans. The Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office [2] enables research, development, testing, and commercialization of technologies to advance next-generation hydropower, pumped storage systems, and marine energy to deliver flexible, reliable energy, as well as advances integrated energy-water technology solutions [3,4] Areas of Interest Applications to this topic should address innovative technologies within the missions of the Offices. Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office a. Hydropower and Pumped Storage b. Marine Energy o Co-development of marine energy technologies with end users o Innovations in marine energy subsystems and components c. Integrated Energy-Water Technology Solutions Integrated Energy Systems Office d. Aero Mechanical Energy Systems • Innovations for economical recycling of wind energy technologies that would reduce waste, recover critical minerals, and/or reduce the cost of wind component recycling [5]. • Innovations for maximizing performance and/or reliability of existing wind energy assets [6]. e. Thermal Energy Systems • Innovations to reduce costs and improve the reliability of solar-thermal components and integrated systems for deploying Solar Heat for Industrial Processes (SHIP) with thermal energy storage. Key applications include produced water thermal-desalination, remote mining, fuel conversion, growth of the food and beverage industry, manufacturing and other high temperature industries. • Innovations that streamline operations, enhance reliability, and boost performance across solar-thermal fields and plants [7]. f. Advanced Photovoltaics • Innovations for low-cost, reliable space photovoltaic (PV) panels that are less reliant on critical materials and have the potential to be fabricated with high-volume-manufacturingcompatible methods. Innovations include but are not limited to advancements in III-V wafer reuse, high-performance durable silicon PV for space deployment, perovskite manufacturing and stability, and perovskite manufacturing equipment and metrology development. • Technologies and innovations for economical recycling of PV technologies that will increase the volume and value of recovered minerals and materials, particularly silver, silicon, copper, tellurium, glass, aluminum, and steel. • Innovations for maximizing performance and/or reliability of existing PV cells, modules, and fleets. g. Systems Integration, Interconnection, and Analysis • Innovations to address potential cybersecurity threats to integrated energy systems arising from distributed energy resources and their supply chains. • Innovations in power electronic system control technologies to improve grid stability and reduce system outages. h. Permitting and Impact Reduction • Innovations that increase the safety of plug-in PV systems, including those that address the technical issues of breaker masking and back-feed. • Innovations that can track and monitor permitting processes, and/or increase capacity for state and local governments and/or developers to improve permitting timelines and outcomes. Not of Interest Technologies that are specifically not of interest for this topic include: • Carbon capture • Hydrogen production • Offshore wind technologies, including hybrid wind/marine energy generation systems • Non-concentrating solar-thermal systems • Geothermal energy technologies, fossil energy technologies, or nuclear energy technologies • Battery chemistry References 1. Integrated Energy Systems Office, U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/integrated-energy-systems-office. 2. Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office, U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/water/hydropower-and-hydrokinetic-office. 3. Multi-Year Program Plan, U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/water/multi-year-program-plan. 4. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/water/small-businessinnovation-research-sbir-and-small-business-technology-transfer-sttr. 5. Wind Turbine Recycling Assessment Report: Guide for the Recycling Industry, U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/wind-turbine-recyclingassessment-report-guide-recycling-industry. 6. Blade and Drivetrain Testing Advance Wind Turbine Efficiency and Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/articles/blade-anddrivetrain-testing-advance-wind-turbine-efficiency-and-reliability. 7. National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), First Solar Thermal Energy Planner (STEP 1) and Nationwide Industrial Heat and Power Analysis, NLR/TP-5700-96614, 2026, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/integrated-energy-systems-office. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T06: Advanced Transportation Technologies and Fuels Production Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T06 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T06 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T06: Advanced Transportation Technologies and Fuels Production Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T06 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- Alternative Fuels and Feedstocks Office, AFFO (https://www.energy.gov/cmei/fuels/alternativefuels-and-feedstocks-office) comprising portfolios in bioenergy and hydrogen and fuel cells, enables RD&D to accelerate technology commercialization for the production, storage, delivery and use of alternative fuels, chemicals, and feedstocks. Transportation Technologies Office (TTO) funds RD&D and deployment of innovative, efficient, and affordable transportation solutions. This topic seeks innovative transportation and fuel solutions and complementary technologies to enhance the security and reliability of energy networks, lower energy costs for Americans, and provide consumers with more options. Areas of Interest a. Production of Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Feedstocks: Novel production, or process intensification, of cost-competitive organic chemicals, fertilizers, and strategic liquid fuels from hydrogen, biomass, and waste (e.g., municipal or industrial waste or resource recovery from nuclear power plants, data centers, mine tailings, wastewater, end-of-life tires, etc.) b. Fuel Cell System Technologies: Fuel cell systems (e.g. SOFC, PEMFC) that efficiently convert gaseous fuels (e.g. hydrogen, natural gas or biogas) into electricity to provide affordable, MW-scale prime and/or backup power for U.S. data centers and other growing electrical loads. Innovative concepts to improve performance and durability, and lower costs of fuel cell materials, components, and balance of plant. Technology advancement should demonstrate potential to meet 2030 stationary fuel cell targets including 80,000 hours durability and a capital cost of $1000/kW for systems operating on natural gas and $600/kW with direct hydrogen. c. Fuels and Feedstocks Delivery and Storage: Hydrogen delivery and storage technologies that support large-scale hydrogen transfers. Novel concepts to reduce capital or operating cost, increase durability, and improve performance of components and systems. Concepts should compare the proposed approach to current state-of-the-art technologies. d. Automotive Materials: SI-driven smart polymer matrix composite material systems to enable early detection of battery thermal runaway and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding through optimization of material interfaces, load transfer, and multifunctionality, embedded sensing and SI-driven diagnostics that will enhance public safety. The smart composites are anticipated to provide the following functionalities, aiming for an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness >30 dB, a battery thermal runaway detection threshold ≤130 °C, and a fiber-to-resin load transfer efficiency >87%. e. Advanced Motors and Power Systems: Advancements in cost-effective traction motors and power electronics for vehicle traction drives that reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, including rare earth elements and other relevant critical minerals. There is especially an interest in heavy rare earth (HRE)-free magnets for use in electric motors designs that can meet vehicle minimum requirements. Solutions must meet these minimum electric drive requirements for a full hybrid vehicle (HEV): bus voltage: 200-400 V; peak power: 40-100 kW; power density: ≥50 kW/L. f. Off-Road, Rail, Marine and Aviation: Develop and demonstrate a powertrain optimization software tool which improves efficiency and reduces criteria emissions for hybrid electric offroad or mining vehicles. The tool may provide energy efficiency calculations for hybrid powertrains, route/cycle optimizations (with or without automation), and/or inter-vehicle connectivity. The final product should be available for integration in representative off-road or mining vehicles. g. Energy Efficient Mobility Systems: Improvements in vehicle automation, traffic management, intermodality, or other technologies that improve system wide energy performance and affordability of passenger or freight transportation. Examples include, but are not limited to, cooperative adaptive cruise control/vehicle platooning, traffic signal optimization and/or traffic signal vehicle V2I applications, and mixed mode delivery fleet assignment and dispatch management software. Non-responsive examples included, but are not limited to, software applications that merely connect customers to transportation providers and tracking systems that merely provide emissions and fuel-use data to customers. Not of Interest Specific technologies NOT of interest: • Fuel cells and batteries for on-road transportation applications • Reversible fuel cells for energy storage applications • Liquid-fueled fuel cells Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T07: Battery Technologies for Dual-Use Applications Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T07 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T07 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T07: Battery Technologies for Dual-Use Applications Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T07 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- Rechargeable batteries (primarily Li-ion) have demonstrated utility in an expanding number of commercial and defense applications in recent years. Battery technology, manufacturing, and critical mineral supply chains are closely aligned regardless of use case; therefore, further innovation to improve battery performance and cost and secure U.S. battery supply chains in the consumer sector is key to supporting cutting-edge defense capabilities. This topic seeks cell-level demonstration of innovative secondary batteries with near-term prospects for commercial use (e.g., consumer electronics, transportation, battery backup unit/grid storage) and justification of defense-related use (e.g., UAS, UUV, soldier-carried systems). Goals and Metrics All must be included to be considered responsive. • Focus: improved materials, components, electrodes, cell design implemented in full cell. • Commercialization plan addresses risks and challenges manufacturing, scale-up, and supply chain considerations and how these can be mitigated or overcome, including NDAA compliance, for the chosen commercial and military market/application. Letters of support are highly desirable. • Discusses suitability/ease of adaptation of technology to dual use, including cell form factor, safety, and performance (energy density, rate, temperature range, cycle life). • Electrochemical test data must include details of temperature, applied pressure, cycling rate, AAM/CAM, electrode loading, V range, and cell size and format. • Planned deliverables: at least 5 cells for each Phase I ≥200 mAh; Phase II ≥2 Ah cells for third-party testing at Idaho National Laboratory. • Deliverables will meet Column A in table; justify meeting Column B in scaled-up form (i.e., large-format pouch, including fixturing, or prismatic) with model. • Proposed battery technologies should meet or exceed all these minimum standards: Minimum Performance Value Characteristic (Cell-level) Column A - Cell Deliverable at End of Phase II Column B -Capability in Scaled-Up Cell Specific energy* (Wh/kg) 250 400 Energy density (Wh/L 500 800 Peak power density (W/kg) 500 800 Cycle life** 250 1,000 *Specific energy measured at C/2; **Cycle life for 1C discharge, C/2 charge, 80% initial capacity and power Not of Interest Non-responsive: technologies incapable of meeting all thresholds set above and those far from commercial realization. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T08: Advanced Cybersecurity, Resilience, and Energy System Risk Mitigation Technologies Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T08 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T08 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T08: Advanced Cybersecurity, Resilience, and Energy System Risk Mitigation Technologies Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T08 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) seeks innovative technologies, tools, and methods that strengthen the cybersecurity, resilience, and operational continuity of the Nation’s energy infrastructure and associated systems. CESER’s mission priorities emphasize advancing cyber-risk discovery, mitigation, and response; accelerating technology transition for energy-sector security; enhancing situational awareness; and supporting the operational readiness of utilities and critical energy facilities. In alignment with recent CESER R&D portfolios, including efforts in advanced cybersecurity applications, industrial control systems (ICS) testing, cyber-informed engineering, supply-chain security, risk analytics, and resilience preparedness – this topic invites solutions that can mature into commercially viable capabilities for industry adoption. Technological innovation is essential as energy systems become more distributed, digitally integrated, and exposed to evolving cyber and physical threats. Applicants are encouraged to propose novel architectures, SI-enabled analytic methods, advanced hardware or firmware security approaches, resilient operational technologies, and next-generation mitigation or response tools that address high-impact risks across electric, oil, natural gas, and emerging energy systems. Solutions that support operational resilience, including improved threat detection, attack containment, autonomous response, system recovery, or hardened design principles, are of interest. Proposals may address any stage of the cyber-resilience ecosystem: vulnerability identification, threat-informed engineering, grid-architecture-based risk assessments, secure-by-design component development, supply-chain assurance concepts, or technologies that facilitate rapid restoration after compromise or disruption. Topics should emphasize strong potential for commercialization, interoperability with energy-sector environments, and applicability to energy sector operations and mission-critical infrastructure. While technical creativity is encouraged, solutions must remain grounded in CESER’s mission space, which includes cybersecurity for operational technology, industrial control systems, digital component supply chains, advanced analytics, and resilience measures for grid operations. A broad range of technical approaches may be responsive to this topic provided they advance cybersecurity and resilience outcomes in the energy sector, promote cost-effective operational deployment, and demonstrate a pathway to measurable impact on sector security and continuity. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T09: Innovative Technologies for Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T09 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T09 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T09: Innovative Technologies for Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T09 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) mission is to unleash the full potential of America’s hydrocarbon and geothermal resources to provide affordable, reliable, and secure energy. HGEO will only fund proposals that support the goals of the HGEO strategic plan (https://www.energy.gov/hgeo/hgeo-strategic-plan-advancing-american-energydominance-security-and-global-leadership-0) and drive technologies toward commercialization. Areas of Interest DOE/HGEO is seeking proposals that bring new cutting-edge technology to the marketplace to be applied in the recovery and use of coal, oil and gas, and geothermal resources. We are especially seeking technologies that improve the efficiency of any of these energy value chains, especially those which will extend the life of existing resources, such as real-time sensors for produced water, advanced materials, optimization methodologies and software, conformance technologies for hydrocarbon and geothermal energy extraction, or technoeconomic and/or market analysis supporting commercialization. In the coal sector, we seek to invest in technologies that modernize existing coal mines and coal-based power plants, as well as support the growth of coal-based power and valuable coproducts. These could involve improving the efficiency of extraction, capture, processing, and power generation at any stage in the value chain. (https://www.energy.gov/hgeo/fy-2026-27- sbirsttr-additional-information) In the oil and gas sector, we seek technologies to cost-effectively improve the recovery factor in unconventional reservoirs, create value from produced water, improve the efficiency and reliability of midstream infrastructure, and provide low cost baseload power and valuable co-products. Technologies to advance the beneficial use of produced water beyond the oil field and the development of near real-time sensors are of special interest. (https://www.energy.gov/hgeo/fy-2026-27-sbirsttr-additional-information) In the geothermal sector, we seek technologies and methods to improve targeting of the most promising resources and accelerate the development of new sources of geothermal energy as well as optimization of existing systems. We also seek methods and technologies that will support the use of geothermal for storage that enhances the reliability of the electric grid. (https://www.energy.gov/hgeo/fy-2026-27-sbirsttr-additional-information) HGEO is especially seeking technologies that will make a substantial impact on the market and significantly improve the ultimate economic recovery of subsurface energy resources. Not of Interest HGEO is NOT seeking technologies that focus solely on the separation and processing of critical minerals found in coal without a primary focus on the processing of the coal and carbon itself. HGEO is not seeking technologies whose sole purpose is to capture or store carbon from hydrocarbon-based power without associated enhanced energy recovery or beneficial product development. HGEO is not seeking proposals focused on developing or bench-scale testing of novel treatment or desalination technologies or that address standard deep-well disposal (Class II injection) or the routine recycling solely for hydraulic fracturing makeup water. HGEO is not seeking proposals focused on residential-scale or small-scale geothermal direct use systems or offshore geothermal exploration or characterization. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T10: Reactor Concepts Research, Development and Demonstration (Reactor Concepts RD&D) (RCRDD) Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T10 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T10 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T10: Reactor Concepts Research, Development and Demonstration (Reactor Concepts RD&D) (RCRDD) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T10 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The primary mission for the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet key energy resilience and economic needs in the United States. Proposed projects must demonstrate a strong tie to at least one of NE's three major goals: keeping existing U.S. nuclear reactors operating, deploying new nuclear reactors, and securing and sustaining nuclear fuel cycles. To address the challenges facing the existing fleet and the development and deployment of nuclear energy systems, this topic area targets possible solutions needed for reactor sustainability and advanced reactor development and deployment, including high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), molten salt reactors (MSRs), microreactors, light water small modular reactors, space power reactors, and other concepts. Applications are sought with special emphasis on bridging gaps between early-stage research and commercialization. By funding projects in the areas of interest below, NE aims to build a resilient, secure, highly automated, and economically competitive nuclear infrastructure for both the existing fleet and advanced reactors. Areas of Interest Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to: • Graphite component development and lifecycle support to enable deployment of high temperature gas reactors (HTGR) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSR). • Thermal hydraulic development to support HTGRs. • Liquid metal reactor components including electromagnetic pumps, roller bearings (radial and thrust) for refueling sodium reactors, oxygen sensors. • Supercritical CO2 (sCO2) components including heat pipe heat exchangers, high speed and high-power electronics for controlling permanent magnet rotors, and high temperature seals for high-speed rotating components. • MSR technology development, including MSR components and systems (e.g., valves, pumps, gaskets, and heat exchangers); supply chain development for salt synthesis, purification, isotope enrichment, recycling, transport, and storage; and radionuclide management. • Integration of nuclear power plant heat for industrial production purposes, including development of components that enable high-temperature nuclear applications. • Full nuclear system digital twins of advanced reactors (e.g. MSR, HTGR, liquid metal, etc.) to reduce licensing timelines or improve performance. • Minimizing proliferation, cyber, and security risks for nuclear technologies while maintaining affordability. • Technologies that improve the performance and affordability of existing large light water reactors and advanced microreactors and small modular reactors, including approaches to enhance plant economics, output capacity, and longevity, as well as advanced construction techniques, autonomous control, robotics, and other innovations that reduce costs. • Enhancing safety and reducing technical and regulatory risks. • Analyzing and reducing manufacturing and construction costs for nuclear plants. Not of Interest Areas NOT of interest to this sub-topic: • Entirely new micro and small modular reactor concepts. • Activities not tailored for the nuclear power sector. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T11: Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D) Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T11 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T11 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T11: Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T11 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The primary mission for the Office of Nuclear Energy is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet key energy resilience and economic needs in the United States. Proposed projects must demonstrate a strong tie to at least one of NE's three major goals: keeping existing U.S. nuclear reactors operating, deploying new nuclear reactors, and securing and sustaining nuclear fuel cycles. This topic area targets the development of fuel cycle technologies. Applications are sought with special emphasis on bridging gaps between early-stage research and commercialization. By funding projects in the areas of interest below, NE aims to build a resilient, secure, highly automated and economically competitive nuclear infrastructure for both the existing fleet and advanced reactors. Areas of Interest Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to: • Enhancing domestic nuclear fuel supply chain capabilities. • Technologies that enhance fuel cycle safety and reduce technical and regulatory risk. • Improving nuclear fuel resource utilization through advanced recovery and reuse technologies of valuable components from used nuclear fuel. • Advancing technology readiness of nuclear fuels, cladding, and material compositions for current commercial light-water reactor (LWR), non-LWR, and advanced reactors. Key focus areas include, but are not limited to, metallic fuel forms, molten salt fuel, silicon carbide (SiC) cladding, and Tri-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) particle fuel. • Technologies to reduce waste generation and volume of waste to be dispositioned. • Limiting proliferation risk through materials control and accounting (MC&A) requirements. Not of Interest Areas NOT of interest to this sub-topic: • Applications focused on border security, nuclear forensics, nuclear medicine, personnel dose monitoring, or nuclear weapons. • Applications that fail to justify the use of surrogate materials for fuel fabrication (https://ammt.anl.gov/). Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T12: Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T12 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T12 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T12: Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T12 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The primary mission for the Office of Nuclear Energy is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet key energy resilience and economic needs in the United States. Proposed projects must demonstrate a strong tie to at least one of NE's three major goals: keeping existing U.S. nuclear reactors operating, deploying new nuclear reactors, and securing and sustaining nuclear fuel cycles. To address the challenges facing the deployment of nuclear energy systems, this topic area targets the development of enabling and crosscutting nuclear energy technologies. Applications are sought with special emphasis on bridging gaps between early-stage research and commercialization. By funding projects in the areas of interest below, NE aims to build a resilient, secure, highly automated, and economically competitive nuclear infrastructure for both the existing fleet and advanced reactors. Areas of Interest • Demonstrating and deploying resilient and reliable advanced sensors, instrumentation, and control systems for existing and advanced reactors. (https://asi.inl.gov). Some of these sensors and instrumentation may leverage novel physical phenomenon including quantum effects. • Develop new, high-performance materials enabled by advanced manufacturing for nuclear energy applications. • Enhancing domestic supply chain capabilities for sensors and materials. • Advancements that apply NE’s advanced modeling and simulation tools (https://neams.inl.gov/code-descriptions/) to industry problems or otherwise increase use of these tools by the nuclear industry. • Development of industry-relevant novel post-irradiation examination tools or methods applicable to radiological materials and environments (e.g., hot cells) that support accelerated advanced reactors material qualification efforts or materials degradation testing for the existing LWR fleet. Not of Interest Molten salt spectroscopy applications and digital twins of full reactor systems should consider Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T13: Advanced Technologies for Used Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T13 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T13 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T13: Advanced Technologies for Used Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T13 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Department of Energy (DOE) is committed to fulfilling its legal mandate under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended, to safely and securely manage, store, transport, and permanently dispose of the nation’s commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). DOE’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses (Campuses) initiative is a transformative effort to modernize the nuclear lifecycle, including disposition of UNF and HLW. DOE anticipates campus activities to integrate waste disposition systems with other components of the nuclear lifecycle. To advance this mission, this solicitation prioritizes small business innovations in three key areas: Areas of Interest • Advanced material and manufacturing technologies for standardized waste packages, • Environmental modeling and predictability frameworks for concrete dry-storage overpacks, and • Identification of new and novel approaches to meet regulatory licensing pathways for a Campus. Goals and Metrics To address these priorities, applicants are encouraged to propose innovative, scalable technologies that bridge the gap from laboratory-scale concepts to field-ready operations. Specific technical innovations of interest include the development of next-generation materials and advanced manufacturing techniques (such as advanced cladding, coatings, or additive components) to maximize canister/container durability and reduce lifecycle production costs. Additionally, there is a critical need for high-fidelity multi-physics modeling frameworks capable of predicting combined thermal, mechanical, chemical, and radiological degradation of reinforced concrete overpacks subjected to decades of environmental weathering and decay heat. Innovations are also sought in advanced site characterization and subsurface monitoring technologies—such as robust, high-temperature sensors and geophysical imaging techniques— designed to gather reliable geological data within crystalline, shale, or salt host rock environments. Finally, the new and novel regulatory innovations can leverage, for example, risk informed and performance-based approaches, probabilistic risk enhancements, and recent regulatory enhancements to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that are relevant to a Campus initiative and may result in a more streamlined and effective licensing pathway for facilities with a primary function of disposition of UNF and HLW. This topic incentivizes commercial-ready solutions that reduce federal liabilities, simplify transport logistical complexities, the potential to reduce overall costs and licensing timelines, and enhance safety margins during extended storage (greater than 100 years) prior to permanent geologic disposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T14: Grid Innovations to Strengthen, Enhance and Expand the Electric System’s Capacity, in a Cost Effective and Timely Manner Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T14 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T14 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T14: Grid Innovations to Strengthen, Enhance and Expand the Electric System’s Capacity, in a Cost Effective and Timely Manner Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T14 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Office of Electricity (OE) leads U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) efforts to ensure the affordability, reliability and security of the electrical grid. Securing energy dominance, costeffectiveness, and national security is paramount, alongside driving the deployment of groundbreaking grid innovations. DOE is interested in innovative projects that will stabilize, optimize and grow the grid by enhancing reliability, affordability, security and system capacity through one or more of the areas of interest below. Areas of Interest • Cybersecurity, cyber resilient frameworks and architectures, secure grid communications, and grid supply chain security. • Grid enhancing technologies, materials, components and operations tools and techniques, including solutions that improve the efficient use of grid infrastructure. • Advanced Microgrid design, operations, control and monitoring technologies. • Advanced stationary energy storage technology development—spanning energy storage materials, system-level architectures, battery safety & validation, and grid-tied integration tools. • Analysis tools, techniques and capabilities that support and fast-track large load (e.g. data centers; manufacturing) interconnections. Goals and Metrics Applications submitted under this topic must explicitly articulate the merit of the proposed innovation relative to competing solutions (where applicable) and outline the anticipated and measurable metrics, outcomes and benefits, including how the proposed solution advances the state of the art. Applicants must justify and support any performance claims in order to sufficiently demonstrate the viability of the solution. Finally, applicants must justify the strong commercialization potential of their solution by detailing a viable pathway for scaling up in prospective Phase II and Phase III efforts. Proposed solutions must support the Office of Electricity's core vision of a seamless, resilient grid that satisfies all energy demands and powers the United States on a trajectory of prosperity, security, and energy dominance. Additional considerations pertinent to this topic include Quantumand SI-enabled approaches are eligible where they directly address the program office's mission and technical objectives. Not of Interest • Applications that are substantially duplicative of work already solicited or funded through DOE's Genesis Mission may be considered nonresponsive. • Applications that include focus on non-dispatchable, intermittent generation are considered not of interest and will not be reviewed. Reference 1. Office of Electricity Strategic Plan, U.S. Department of Energy (2024), https://www.energy.gov/oe/office-electricity-strategic-plan. Chapter 2: Science Topics Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T15: Commercialization of ASCR/ECP-Funded Software Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T15 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T15 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T15: Commercialization of ASCR/ECP-Funded Software Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T15 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Office of Science (SC) Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) has spent decades on, and invested millions of dollars in, the development of high-performance computing (HPC) software that operates efficiently on large, heterogeneous supercomputers. Today, this hardware (e.g., CPUs, GPUs, TPUs, ASICs) has permeated society at large, finding its way into everything from smart phones to cloud computers. However, many of the software packages and libraries that can take advantage of this heterogeneity have remained solely within the HPC ecosystem. While many ASCR-supported software packages are open-source, they are often complicated to use, distributed primarily in source-code form targeting scientific HPC systems, and potential adopters lack options for purchasing commercial support, training, and custom-development services. The expertise required to install and use these software packages poses a significant barrier to many organizations due to the levels of complexity built into them to facilitate scientific research. Moreover, without a commercial interest in broadly marketing the capabilities of the software, possibly including in markets beyond HPC, adoption is limited by a lack of exposure within the wider technology ecosystem. Providing simpler interfaces targeted for specific markets or offering a spectrum of commercial services around the underlying open-source software would make these software packages more usable for commercial, industrial, and nonscientific applications. Goals and Metrics • Work proposed under this topic must critically depend on one or more software packages that has been funded through ASCR or through the Exascale Computing Project (ECP, 2016-2024, https://www.exascaleproject.org/). Applications should include a reference (web page or other citation) to show that the relevant software has been supported by ASCR or ECP. Relevant ASCR-funded software packages include, but are not limited to: o Mathematical Libraries: SuperLU (https://portal.nersc.gov/project/sparse/superlu/), STRUMPACK (https://portal.nersc.gov/project/sparse/strumpack/), HYPRE (https://www.llnl.gov/casc/hypre/), Trilinos (https://trilinos.github.io/), PETSc (http s://www.mcs.anl.gov/petsc/), SUNDIALS (https://computing.llnl.gov/projects/sundials), MFEM (https://mfem.org/). o Programming Models: Kokkos (https://github.com/kokkos/kokkos), RAJA (https://github.com/LLNL/RAJA), Umpire (https://github.com/LLNL/umpire), Legion (https://legion.stanford.edu/) o I/O: ADIOS2 (https://github.com/ornladios/ADIOS2), Parallel NetCDF (https://parallel-netcdf.github.io/), HDF5 (https://www.hdfgroup.org/) o Compilers and Runtimes: LLVM (https://llvm.org/), Argobots (https://www.argobots.org/) o MPI: OpenMPI (https://www.open-mpi.org/), MPICH (https://www.mpich.org/) o Package Management: Spack (https://spack.io/) o Software Stacks and SDKs: E4S (https://e4sproject.github.io/), xSDK (https://xsdk.info/). Please note that E4S and xSDK include many ASCR-funded software packages that are not separately listed in this document. o Super Intelligence: DeepHyper (https://deephyper.github.io/), LBANN (https://github.com/LLNL/lbann). ASCR-funded software that enables an application to SI is in-scope even if it is not specific to SI. o Software for Quantum Computing and Information: Proposed products stemming from ASCR-funded software and algorithms for quantum information science are in-scope. Examples of such software and algorithms include BQSKit (https://bqskit.lbl.gov/), the quantum compiler framework, Jaqal (https://www.sandia.gov/quantum/quantum-informationsciences/projects/qscout-jaqal/), the assembly language for trapped ion quantum computers, Superstaq (https://infleqtion.com/quantum-software/), quantum compilation and control tools, and QubiC (https://gitlab.com/LBL- QubiC/software), qubit control system. See https://science.osti.gov/ascr/Research/Quantum-Information-Science- QIS for more information. ASCR-funded software that enables an application to quantum information is in-scope even if it is not specific to quantum information science. o Performance Tools: HPCToolkit (https://hpctoolkit.org), PAPI (https://icl.utk.edu/papi/), Dynist (https://github.com/dyninst/), TAU (http://www.cs.uoregon.edu/research/tau/home.php), Darshan (https://www.mcs.anl.gov/research/projects/darshan/). o Software maintained by the members of the Consortium for the Advancement of Scientific Software, https://cass.community/. o Software packages that have received ASCR funding as part of SciDAC (https://www.scidac.gov/) and other computational partnerships are also eligible. Please see the references for an additional, partial listing of available software packages and examples of their uses. Applications without a critical dependence on one or more ASCR-funded software package are out of scope. • Applications are sought to take one or more ASCR-funded software packages and make them easier to use or to incorporate ASCR-funded libraries into existing or new commercial software packages, or some combination of these adaptations. Example projects could include adding new capabilities, providing graphical user interfaces, making APIs for additional programming languages, hardening codes, and offering user support. Successful applications will address the potential both to broaden audiences for ASCR-funded software and to contribute to its stewardship. • A diverse community of stakeholders contributing to the maintenance and evolution of a software package lowers the long-term risks associated with commercialization of that software, including through the timely correction of software defects. Accordingly, ASCR encourages contributing bug fixes, changes needed to make the ASCR-funded software function on generally available platforms, and other non-proprietary enhancements of general utility to the ASCR-funded software back to the project in a manner consistent with any applicable licensing requirements and other project policies. While not required, applicants are encouraged to provide letters of support from at least one developer of each ASCR-funded software package that plays a significant role in the proposed work. This letter should outline the mutually understood procedure via which any relevant contributions will be reviewed for acceptance into the project and briefly outline any anticipated prerequisites to initiating that procedure (e.g., the future execution of a Contributor License Agreement). • ASCR will consider collaborative applications from teams of small businesses under this topic, with up to three small businesses forming a team. Each institution in such a team must be a small business. Each institution may include one or more academic or lab partners as subcontractors. Each institution must submit an application that contains an identical narrative section and a common statement describing how any intellectual property issues will be addressed by the collaboration. Each application must have an institution-specific budget and budget-justification forms, biographical data for the PI and senior personnel involved in the project, and a commercialization plan. The budget proposed for each participating business must separately comply with the ceiling, floor, and other requirements in the Funding Opportunity Announcement. The cover sheet for each submission must clearly show all institutions involved in the collaboration. References 1. U.S. Department of Energy, Software, Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC), U.S. Department of Energy, June 12, 2025, https://www.scidac.gov/softwarelist.html. 2. U.S. Department of Energy, SciDAC Feature, Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC), U.S. Department of Energy, June 12, 2025, http://www.scidac.gov. 3. ECP, ECP Software Technology Capability Assessment Report–Public, ECP-RPT-ST- 0002-2020-Public, February 2020, https://www.exascaleproject.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/02/ECP-ST-CAR-V20-1.pdf. 4. U.S. Department of Energy, Exascale Computing Project, June 12, 2025, https://www.exascaleproject.org/. 5. U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Scientific and Technical Information, DOE CODE, June 12, 2025, https://www.osti.gov/doecode/. 6. Jenny Servo, Market Research Study: Applications of ASCR HPC Software, 2022, https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1874151/. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T16: Cybersecurity for Scientific High-Performance Computing Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T16 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T16 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T16: Cybersecurity for Scientific High-Performance Computing Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T16 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Office of Science (SC) provides world-class research infrastructure to accelerate scientific discovery within the DOE mission space. DOE SC ASCR user facilities include a highperformance network (HPN) and three high-performance computing (HPC) systems dedicated to open science research. Each user facility is uniquely designed for the science it serves. For instance, HPC systems offer a massively parallel computing environment with numerous distributed nodes—login, compute, and data transfer nodes; high-speed interconnects; thousands of heterogeneous advanced processers such as CPUs and GPUs; and sophisticated schedulers, highly distributed file systems, and data storage systems. Scientific research infrastructure requires tailored cybersecurity approaches that accommodate specialized computational platforms and networks and respect an open science paradigm. HPC platforms are different from enterprise systems in ways that require tailored cybersecurity solutions. Operating system level tools traditionally used for enterprise systems may be inapplicable to distributed HPC operating systems. The balance between performance and cybersecurity, as well as cybersecurity benchmarking, may be more challenging on HPC systems that are designed to deliver unprecedented performance. In addition, HPC software infrastructures evolve more rapidly than commercial counterparts while at the same time some HPC practitioners are actively investigating deployment of approaches more common in conventional server environments, such as, but not limited to, container software architectures. Goals and Metrics • This topic area seeks applications that are tailored specifically to the unique needs of HPC systems. The narrative must convey a clear understanding of how HPC system architectures differ from enterprise platforms and consequently require tailored cybersecurity solutions, and how the applicant’s proposed solution meets these unique needs. For instance, but not limited to, the narrative must describe the applicant’s plan to ensure that the proposed HPC cybersecurity tool or technology does not impede HPC performance. • Applications for this topic area must clearly propose a cybersecurity solution that specifically reduces the cyberattack surface of HPC systems or component technology unique to HPC platforms. Component technologies unique to HPC platforms are not used in enterprise platforms. • The narrative must clearly articulate how the proposed cybersecurity solution will not impede HPC performance and must include an estimate of the performance overhead that will be introduced on target HPC workloads. Performance means the average execution time over the HPC target workloads specified in the narrative. • This topic area seeks tools or technologies to strengthen isolation of distinct jobs running on the same HPC node. Proposed solutions must improve user or project isolation, specifically in the context of either the HPC scheduler or the HPC filesystem. This could include, but is not limited to, a tool or technology that ensures an HPC node allocated to an authenticated user can only mount parts of the HPC file system to which the authenticated user has authorized access and ensures compute node sanitation following completion of one project and prior to the start of the next, as well as isolation of distinct jobs running simultaneously on a shared node. • This topic area also seeks SI-enabled tools or technologies that improve the observability of HPC system-level operations by 1) revealing anomalous behavior at the system-level and 2) distinguishing anomalous behaviors that are legitimate although unexpected, from those that indicate malicious compromise. The SI tool or technology can be tailored to one or more of the zones – high-performance computing, data storage, access, and management – that comprise the HPC system reference architecture as described in the NIST Special Publication NIST SP 800 223 (Reference 1). It can be developed for runtime use or for offline static analysis, or both. This could include, but is not limited to, an SI tool or technology that analyzes the aggregated behavior of individual HPC constituent components such as, but not limited to, processors, nodes, interconnects, and distributed file systems, to reveal larger patterns of malicious behavior at the HPC system-level that may not be apparent at the individual component-level. Not of Interest Proposed work is out of scope that: fails to identify target HPC workloads and provide an estimate of the performance overhead on those workloads; or is estimated to impede performance on HPC target workloads by more than 3%; or does not specifically address HPC systems or component technology unique to HPC platforms. References 1. National Institute of Standards and Technology, High Performance Computing (HPC) Security: Architectures, Threat Analysis and Security Posture, NIST Special Publication 800-223, 2024, https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800- 223.pdf. 2. National Institute of Standards and Technology, High-Performance Computing (HPC) Security Overlay, NIST Special Publication 800-234, 2026, https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-234.pdf. 3. U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, ASCR Cybersecurity for Scientific Computing Integrity, DOE Workshop Report, 2015, https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2015/08/f25/ASCR%20Cybersecurity%20for% 20Scientific%20Computing%20Integrity%20Workshop%20Report.pdf. 4. National Academies Press, Cyber Hard Problems: Focused Steps Toward a Resilient Digital Future, 2025, https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12345/cyber-hardproblems-focused-steps-toward-a-resilient-digital-future. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T17: Novel Instrumentation for X-ray and Neutron Facilities Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T17 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T17 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T17: Novel Instrumentation for X-ray and Neutron Facilities Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T17 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program invites applications for development of technologies to support its X-ray and neutron scattering scientific user facilities and advance BES missions in designing and building next-generation facilities. As science-driven X-ray and Neutron beam performance requirements increase, new technologies in accelerators, optics, instrumentation, and detectors are needed to generate, shape, and use these beams. Areas of Interest Specific areas of interest include the following: a. Permanent magnet-based accelerator elements: A promising future upgrade path for DOE BES light sources and accelerator facilities is a new “Complex Bend” (CB) lattice that requires combined-function permanent magnet quadrupoles (PMQs). These PMQs integrate both bending (dipole) and strong focusing (quadrupole) magnetic fields within a single magnet assembly. Their compact design saves longitudinal space, addressing a common constraint in low-emittance lattice design. Goals and Metrics • The magnetic field strength requirements for these combined-function magnets are 0.5 Tesla for the dipole component and 130 Tesla per meter (T/m) for the quadrupole component. Additionally, the magnetic field must maintain a low level of higher-order multipoles (harmonics), specified as 10 units (1000 ppm) within a 3 mm good field region. Meeting this requirement is particularly challenging given the small magnet aperture (16 mm diameter), which increases sensitivity to mechanical and magnetic material errors. • Proposals are sought for the development of two types of combined-function permanent magnet quadrupoles (PMQs): o A hybrid PMQ design that combines PM with soft iron pole materials. o A Halbach-type PMQ that uses only PM and offers more compact design geometry than the hybrid design. • Further research and development (R&D) are needed to address key challenges associated with both designs and to meet the following requirements: o Magnetic field correction after assembly o Tunability of the magnetic field (± 2 %) o Precise alignment within 15 μm o Enhanced radiation resistance of permanent magnet materials enabling a lifecycle exceeding 30 years References 1. Halbach, K., Design of Permanent Multipole Magnets with Oriented Rare Earth Cobalt Materials, Nuclear Instruments and Methods, vol. 169, p. 1, 1980. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-554X(80)90094-4. 2. Shaftan, T., Smaluk, V., and Wang, G., The Concept of Complex Bend, Brookhaven National Laboratory, NSLS-II Tech Note 276, 2018. Available at https://technotes.bnl.gov/PDF?publicationId=211211. 3. Brooks, S., et al., Permanent Magnets for the Return Loop of the Cornell-Brookhaven Energy Recovery Linac Test Accelerator, Physical Review Accelerators and Beams, vol. 23, 112401, 2020. Available at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.23.112401. 4. N'Gotta, P., et al., Hybrid High Gradient Permanent Magnet Quadrupole, Physical Review Accelerators and Beams, vol. 19, 122401, 2016. Available at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.19.122401. 5. N'Gotta, P., et al., Development of Permanent Magnets Dipole-Quadrupole for NSLS- IIU, Invited talk at Low Emittance Ring – Permanent Magnet Workshop, Trieste, Italy, November 14–15, 2023. Available at https://indico.cells.es/event/1373/contributions/2340/attachments/1631/3352/Low_Emitta nce_Ring_PM_Workshop_Ngotta.pptx. b. In situ X-ray optics cleaning methods: An X-ray optical system typically consists of one or more mirrors or gratings housed in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber, along with in-vacuum and/or out-of-vacuum precision motion and mechanical systems. The optical and mechanical requirements for X-ray optics at diffraction-limited synchrotron light sources and free-electron laser facilities are extremely demanding, as they must preserve the source's wavefront and intensity. These optics are often made from single-crystal silicon, polished to a shape with subnanometer figure errors, and typically coated with transition metals and/or boron carbide to improve X-ray reflectivity and/or diffraction efficiency. The fabrication, characterization, assembly, and installation of these X-ray optical systems are extremely challenging and costly due to the stringent requirements for cleanliness, precision, and stability. Unfortunately, carbonaceous buildup on the optical surfaces during operation is inevitable. This contamination worsens the figure error and, in turn, degrades the X-ray beam. An in-situ method for servicing these optics to restore their original high-quality figure is therefore required to reduce the effort for maintenance or performance recovery and minimize operational downtime. Goals and Metrics Proposals are sought for the design of an instrument/apparatus that applies a verified method for cleaning highly precise X-ray optics in-situ that meet the following criteria/requirements: • The method must demonstrate the following properties: o Applicability for substrates made of common materials for X-ray optics, such as single crystal silicon and fused silica, up to 1 meter in length o Applicability to substrates with common coating thin-film materials, such as Au, Ru, Pt, SiC, B4C, Mo/Si, and Ni. Note that cleaning different coatings may require different approaches. Approaches that can address multiple coatings are strongly encouraged. o Preservation of the quality and property of the polished surface, i.e., micro roughness and figure error, without oxidation and/or degradation of the optic mechanics, mounting components, or vacuum chamber o Permanent device installation, or on a per-cleaning-need on the vacuum chamber o Utilization of a non-toxic gas or cleaning agent that does not require special handling of the source gas or the exhaust gas • The instrument/apparatus and cleaning method must be UHV compatible • All necessary mechanics, electronics, and controls components must be provided as part of the design package. • A proven and repeatable cleaning recipe for each type of addressable coating is provided with the method. Note: Applicants are further encouraged to study literature in the following areas: • Plasma Cleaning Techniques for synchrotron mirrors. • Atomic Hydrogen Cleaning • In-Situ Cleaning and Prevention • Advanced Cleaning Technologies [as applied to Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography] • Mirror Lifetime and Degradation Studies References 1. Oxford University Press, Coherent X-ray Optics, D. Paganin, 2007, https://academic.oup.com/book/doi/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198528606.001.0001. 2. Carbon contamination of soft X-ray beamlines: dramatic anti-reflection coating effects observed in the 1 keV photon energy region, C. Chauvet, F. Polack, M. G. Silly, B. Lagarde, M. Thomasset, et al., Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, vol. 18, p. 761, 2011. Available at https://doi.org/10.1107/S0909049511023119. c. Strain-engineered optics for next-generation X-ray spectroscopy: X-ray spectroscopy is a critical tool for detailed characterization of advanced materials relevant to quantum information, chemical catalysis, and biological processes, particularly in the hard X-ray regime (~6 keV to 15 keV). A key limitation of current instruments is the trade-off between energy resolution, measurement sensitivity, and instrument compactness [1,2], which limits their broader applicability and overall throughput. Throughput can be increased by enlarging the solid angle of collection, which is typically achieved by tiling many analyzers, resulting in bulky and high-maintenance spectrometers [3]. An alternative way to improve the solid angle is to reduce the distance between a sample and the crystal analyzer. This, in turn, requires the crystal to be bent to a correspondingly smaller radius of curvature (e.g., < 25 cm). However, tensile strain introduced by bending broadens the crystal's diffraction profile (i.e., the rocking curve), which degrades the instrument's energy resolution, negating the benefits of the increased solid angle. Goals and Metrics • Proposals are sought to develop innovative methods for actively controlling and compensating for bending-induced strain. The goal is to manage the diffractive properties of the crystal, allowing the use of small-radius analyzers while maintaining high energy resolution on the order of 100 meV or below at 10 keV, to achieve a ~30-fold enhancement in solid angle. • Proposals should aim to create a net-zero or near-zero strain condition on the crystal's diffracting planes on the bent analyzers. The goal is to enable a new class of highthroughput, high-resolution hard X-ray spectrometers by overcoming the current limitations of bent crystal optics. These analyzers must integrate into existing systems and deliver enhanced spectral performance and collection efficiency through strainengineered designs. References 1. Sahle, C. J., Mirone, A., Niskanen, J., Inkinen, J., Krisch, M., and Huotari, S., Planning, performing and analyzing X-ray Raman scattering experiments, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, vol. 22, p. 400, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1107/s1600577514027581. 2. Baron, A. Q. R., Introduction to High-Resolution Inelastic X-Ray Scattering, arXiv preprint arXiv:1504.01098 [cond-mat.mtrl-sci], 2015, https://arxiv.org/abs/1504.01098. 3. Huotari, S., Sahle, C. J., Henriquet, C., Al-Zein, A., Martel, K., Simonelli, L., Verbeni, R., Gonzalez, H., Lagier, M. C., Ponchut, C., Moretti Sala, M., Krisch, M., and Monaco, G., A large-solid-angle X-ray Raman scattering spectrometer at ID20 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, vol. 24, p. 521, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1107/s1600577516020579. 4. Potential synchrotron beamlines include Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) 17-2, Advanced Photon Source (APS) 3-ID, and 1-BM. d. Super Mirror Developments for Neutron Scattering Instrumentation: Proposals are sought to advance super-mirror coating technology for highly efficient reflection of thermal and cold neutrons at large incident angles. These nano-layer coatings are critical for maintaining and enhancing scattering instrumentation at national neutron sources to support materials science and engineering. The same techniques can be used to fabricate novel monochromator materials for energy selection. Goals and Metrics Proposals are sought in two areas: • Super-mirror Coatings for Harsh Environments: To efficiently transport increased brightness from brighter sources, metallic substrates with high m-value coatings must be placed near moderated thermal and cold neutron sources. o Reflectivity: Near-unity thermal neutron reflectivity (expectations: > 80% for a 2.0 Å neutron at grazing angle of 0.8 deg (m = 4)). o Resilience: High thermal and radiation resilience to withstand harsh accelerator or reactor environments, with an operating lifetime of 5–15 years. o Dimensions: Substrate thickness of 5–10 mm; minimum dimensions of 5 cm wide by 100 cm long. • Novel Monochromator Developments: Development of bi-layer nano-composite structures to resolve thermal and cold neutron beam energies with higher efficiency and finer resolution. o Efficiency: Scattering efficiency > 80% of 1.5 Å neutrons with bandwidth ≤0.15 Å. o Polarization: If polarizing, polarization efficiency > 95% at 2.0 Å. References 1. Saxena, A. M. and Schoenborn, B. P., "Multilayer neutron monochromators." Acta Cryst. A33, 805 (1977). International Union of Crystallography, Multilayer neutron monochromators, Acta Cryst. A33, 805 (1977), https://doi.org/10.1107/S056773947700196X. 2. Hayter, J. B. and Mook, H. A., "Discrete thin-film multilayer design for X-ray and neutron supermirrors." Journal of Applied Crystallography 22, 35 (1989). International Union of Crystallography, Discrete thin-film multilayer design for X-ray and neutron supermirrors, Journal of Applied Crystallography 22, 35 (1989), https://doi.org/10.1107/S0021889888010003. 3. Elsenhans, O., et al., "Development of Ni/Ti multilayer supermirrors for neutr Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T18: Data, Synthesis, and Characterization Strategies for SI-Driven Materials and Molecular Systems Discovery Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T18 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T18 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T18: Data, Synthesis, and Characterization Strategies for SI-Driven Materials and Molecular Systems Discovery Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T18 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Department of Energy's (DOE) Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program supports fundamental research to understand, predict, and ultimately control matter and energy at the electronic, atomic, and molecular levels. By focusing on the discovery of new materials and the design of new chemical processes, BES provides the essential foundations for innovative energy technologies. These research disciplines serve as a critical knowledge base and an agent of change, supporting vital DOE missions across energy, the environment, and national security to achieve a secure energy future. Super intelligence (SI) and machine learning (ML) offer an opportunity to accelerate these discoveries by enabling researchers to uncover and integrate underlying chemical and physical principles across complex parameter spaces. This topic focuses on utilizing SI/ML to develop predictive frameworks and data-driven platforms that can guide the design, synthesis, and characterization of advanced materials and chemical processes. Achieving this ambitious goal requires first addressing the foundational challenge of managing the complex, heterogeneous data needed to train such predictive models. Therefore, this topic supports R&D that addresses the intertwined challenges of developing predictive frameworks and the data infrastructure required to enable them. The BES program is seeking proposals that address the specific application area identified below, as well as enabling SI-powered data management frameworks. Proposals must explicitly address at least one of the goals below to be responsive to this topic, but applicants are encouraged to address both goals. A successful Phase I project should de-risk the core technical challenges, for example by demonstrating the successful ingestion of heterogeneous data into a prototype schema and showing a preliminary predictive relationship between that data and a key membrane property. Areas of Interest Specific areas of interest include the following: a. SI/ML-Guided Molecular Membrane Development for CMM/REE Separations: The separation of critical minerals and materials (CMM) and rare-earth elements (REE) using organic or organometallic polymeric membranes typically relies on three fundamental mechanisms: (1) complexation of CMM or REE ions with extractants embedded in the membrane matrix, (2) adsorption of CMM or REE ions onto surface-active sites on a membrane, and (3) membrane rejection of CMM or REE ions or complexes utilizing organic functional groups. This topic seeks to optimize separation selectivity and extraction or rejection rates by leveraging SI for membrane synthesis, experimental design, and data analysis. Goals and Metrics • The overarching goal of this topic is to develop physical or hybrid data/physical models and design protocols that predict membrane structure and performance, supported by experimental validation of a selected subset of predicted structures. Successful projects must lead to hybrid physical/SI models that incorporate these fundamental mechanisms to design feasible, scalable membrane structures. These structures must be viable for large-scale processes and complex systems (e.g., mine tailings, reprocessed materials, seawater). Recent literature (see references 1 and 2) highlights opportunities to transition fundamental research into applied technologies for CMM and REE separation from complex solutions. • Platform materials should consist of synthesizable organic or organometallic polymers functionalized to optimize selectivity, throughput, and stability. An SI supervisory algorithm should down-select candidate structures based on synthesizability and chemical stability in solution, utilizing empirical data from established structural families such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs). Additionally, the models and design protocols must be extensible with the ability to identify parameters and features that distinguish between closely related structural families. Not of Interest Topics focused on engineering design, sensors, or routine synthesis and fabrication are excluded from this topic. References 1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Meeting Future U.S. Mineral Resource Needs: The Role of the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program (The National Academies Press 2019), https://doi.org/10.17226/29068. 2. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, A Research Agenda for Transforming Separation Science (The National Academies Press 2019), https://doi.org/10.17226/25421. b. SI-Powered Data Management Platforms: Develop flexible, SI-enabled data platforms to support the synthesis and characterization workflows of molecular membranes structures described above. Goals and Metrics • The platform must be able to ingest and manage heterogeneous data types along with unstructured metadata. • A highly desirable feature is the inclusion of SI-assisted tools for metadata population, such as parsing information from photos of lab notebooks or transcribing audio notes. The platform should provide a suite of standard machine learning analyses (e.g., clustering, embedding) and, most importantly, allow users to easily search, extract, and use the curated data to build targeted SI/ML applications. • The final product is expected to adhere to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles. • Proposals seeking to develop a data management platform with a clear and direct application to a specific synthesis and characterization target application are strongly encouraged. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T19: Enabling Technologies for Bioengineering and Quantum Science-Based Sensors Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T19 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T19 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T19: Enabling Technologies for Bioengineering and Quantum Science-Based Sensors Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T19 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- Enabling Technologies for Bioengineering and Quantum Science- Based Sensors The U.S. DOE Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program seeks to understand the basic biological, biogeochemical, environmental, and physical principles needed to fundamentally understand and predict processes found in nature occurring from the molecular to the global scale. Gaining a predictive understanding of these fundamental processes will help enable innovations in the design of new biosystems relevant to energy, chemical and materials production, new bioprocesses such as critical minerals and materials extraction and processing, and designing resilient crop production systems for a burgeoning bioeconomy. BER research also advances fundamental understanding of dynamic processes governing environmental systems through SI-driven and physical modeling coupled to field and process research to project impacts over time on crucial energy grid operation and infrastructure. This SBIR/STTR topic seeks projects focused on enabling technologies for quantum science-based sensors as well as enabling technologies to advance bioengineering. Projects should advance BER research and have commercial potential. Areas of Interest Specific areas of interest include the following topics. a. Quantum sensing for atmospheric and terrestrial measurements: Taking advantage of quantum effects such as entanglement, superposition, interference, squeezed states, and coherence may improve resolution and detection limits, signal-to-noise ratio, and long-term signal stability of measurements compared to existing classical methods [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. While there have been significant advances in quantum sensing measurement approaches in theoretical and laboratory settings [3, 4, 5], there are still many challenges in deploying quantum sensing technologies in real-world environments [6]. Goals and Metrics • The objective of this priority area is to support the development and commercialization of new technologies that will enable the field deployment of robust quantum sensing instrumentation for atmospheric and terrestrial measurements under a wide range of environmental conditions. • Applications are sought for innovative technologies that exploit quantum phenomena to surpass limitations of conventional methods for improved ground-based or airborne measurements of atmospheric or terrestrial properties relevant to BER research on landatmosphere interactions. Properties relevant to this subtopic are those that provide information about the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum including moisture, heat, turbulence, and hydro-biogeochemical fluxes; evapotranspiration; vegetation composition; redox potential; biological volatile organic compounds; primary biological aerosol particles; and boundary-layer aerosol, cloud, and precipitation properties. • Applications must focus on the development of quantum sensing technologies suitable for real-world, field-deployable instruments by considering factors such as sensitivity to environmental noise or vibration, measurement stability, calibration, error correction, duty-cycle, electromagnetic interference, decoherence, and power/weight. • Applications may focus on hardening a quantum sensor to make it more suitable for inclusion in a field-deployable quantum sensing instrument, rather than developing a complete instrument, but must clearly explain how the proposed quantum component could eventually be utilized in a field-deployable instrument to improve measurements of one of properties of interest. • Applications must indicate how the proposed quantum sensing technology would improve the measured accuracy, precision, detection limit, sensitivity, or other quality of the property of interest compared to existing conventional measurements. References 1. Toward Quantum Enhanced Sensing and Measurements for Earth Observation in 2040, NASA Earth Science Technology Office Technical Interchange Meeting, NASA, Aug. 2024, https://esto.nasa.gov/files/NASA-QuantumSensing-TM_Report-Final.pdf. 2. Liu, H., Qin, C., Papangelakis, G., et al., "Compact all-fiber quantum-inspired LiDAR with over 100 dB noise rejection and single photon sensitivity," Nat. Commun., vol. 14, p. 5344, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40914-6. 3. Dalvit, D. A. R., et al., "Quantum frequency combs with path identity for quantum remote sensing," Phys. Rev. X, vol. 14, p. 041058, 2024. 4. Wang, J., Wong, K. M., "Quantum illumination radars: Target detection," IET Radar Sonar Navig., vol. 18, no. 9, pp. 1541–1553, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1049/rsn2.12592. 5. Torromé, R. G. and S. Barzanjeh, "Advances in quantum radar and quantum LiDAR," Prog. Quantum Electron., vol. 93, p. 100497, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pquantelec.2023.100497. 6. Bringing Quantum Sensors to Fruition, Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science, Committee on Science, National Science and Technology Council, Mar. 2022, https://www.quantum.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/BringingQuantumSensorstoFruition.pdf. b. Quantum Enabled Bioimaging and Sensing Approaches for Biological Systems: BER Bioimaging science program supports integrative approaches to detect, visualize, and measure biological processes in situ to gain a predictive understanding of cellular function. The program focuses on development of new imaging instrumentation and technologies for study of cellular and molecular systems and networks critical to research DOE-relevant plants, microbes, and microbial communities. Applications are invited that employ innovative, use-inspired approaches for quantum-enabled bioimaging and sensing to facilitate commercialization of these technologies [1, 2, 3]. Goals and Metrics • The approaches should exploit quantum phenomena to surpass limitations of classical optics and propose a comparative advantage over competing classical optical methods. • Applications can explore new quantum science-enabled light sources, imaging detectors or biosensors envisioned to overcome the current challenges of resolution and detection limits, signal-to-noise ratio, limitations on temporal dynamics, long term signal stability, sample photodamage and limited penetration, or selective biomolecule sensing. • Approaches can include quantum entanglement imaging combined with quantum science-based probes for sensing and measurement; quantum-based biosensors to detect other physical or chemical cues from the local biological environment and report conditions with photon emissions; and optical or other non-optical methods for quantum sensor signal readout including electromagnetic or particle detection. • The development of new quantum science-enabled probes and sensors should be applicable for imaging of plant and microbial systems relevant to feedstocks for conversion to fuels, chemicals, and other bio-based materials and/or environmental research in BER. These quantum approaches and imaging systems need to visualize plant and cellular structures and processes in a nondestructive manner, and at sufficient resolution to enable the validation of hypotheses of cellular function. • Systems capable of measuring cellular dynamics in vivo are encouraged but not required. • Imaging in two or three dimensions is emphasized while time varying measurements are desirable but not necessary in early-stage development. Research areas and processes of interest include probing biological systems to understand dynamic spatial and temporal relationships by characterizing structures of molecular and cellular components, chemical exchanges that facilitate the flow of information and materials across membranes and between intracellular partitions and measuring signaling processes between cells or organelles and plant-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions. Investigations at a larger scale can include the rhizosphere or whole plant responses to changing environments and within field settings. Networks of quantumenabled sensors that provide discontinuous but expansive environmental maps of measurements might also be considered if spatial or temporal resolution are appropriate to the biological or environmental problem to be addressed. Not of Interest Proposals focused only on computational studies are not in scope, but computational and super intelligence/machine learning (SI/ML) approaches for implementation and increased utility of the bioimaging approaches through integrated, automated and autonomous workflows would be of interest. References 1. U.S. Department of Energy, DOE BER Market Research Study: Transitioning Quantum Imaging and Sensing Technologies to Bioimaging Markets (2022), https://science.osti.gov/-/media/sbir/pdf/Market- Research/DOE_QuantumSenorTechToMarket-071422.pdf (accessed June 26, 2024). 2. U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research, Quantum-Enabled Bioimaging and Sensing Approaches for Bioenergy (2021), https://science.osti.gov/grants/FOAs/FOAs/2022/DE-FOA-0002603 (accessed June 26, 2024). 3. Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science, Committee on Science of the National Science & Technology Council, Bringing Quantum Sensors to Fruition (2022), https://www.quantum.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/BringingQuantumSensorstoFruition.pdf (accessed June 26, 2024). c. Improving the Efficiency of Plant Regeneration and Nucleic Acid Delivery in Feedstock Crops Leveraging SI: This priority area seeks proposals to support the development and commercialization of new technologies that will improve the efficiency of plant regeneration and nucleic acid delivery (plant transformation) in bioenergy/feedstock crops (such as sorghum, switchgrass, miscanthus, populus, camelina, pennycress and energy cane) leveraging ML and SI. Goals and Metrics • Proposals should clearly indicate how the proposed methods will offer an improvement to or overcome barriers in the current methods. • Qualifying technologies include but are not limited to developing predictive models to select optimal explants (starting material), improving selection of callus for regeneration, nucleic acid delivery and selection of transgenics, and using SI algorithms for developing optimal tissue culture conditions/protocols to ensure consistent and reproducible results and resource optimization. • Applications should focus on design, development, and optimization at the lab scale. Note: It is highly recommended that applicants discuss their technology with DOE to ensure fit prior to applying. References 1. Albiol, J., Campmajó, C., Casas, C., & Poch, M., "Biomass estimation in plant cell cultures: a neural network approach," Biotechnology Progress, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 88–92, 1995. 2. Alanagh, E.N., G-a, G., Haddad, R., Maleki, S., Landín, M., & Gallego, P.P., "Design of tissue culture media for efficient Prunus rootstock micropropagation using artificial intelligence models," Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, vol. 117, no. 3, pp. 349–359, 2014. 3. Arteta, T., Hameg, R., Landin, M., Gallego, P., & Barreal, M., "Neural networks models as decision-making tool for in vitro proliferation of hardy kiwi," European Journal of Horticultural Science, vol. 83, no. 4, pp. 259–265, 2018. 4. Hesami, M., & Jones, A.M.P., "Application of artificial intelligence models and optimization algorithms in plant cell and tissue culture," Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, vol. 104, pp. 9449–9485, 2020. 5. Hesami, M., Condori-Apfata, J.A., Valderrama Valencia, M., et al., "Application of Artificial Neural Network for Modeling and Studying In Vitro Genotype-Independent Shoot Regeneration in Wheat," Applied Sciences, vol. 10, no. 15, p. 5370, 2020. d. Complex Data: Advanced Data Analytic Technologies to Advance Bioengineering: BER science programs generate very large, complex, and multimodal data sets that have all the characteristics of big data – these data sets and associated analytics are critical for scientific discovery and bioengineering applications. Technology improvements in biolo Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T20: Fusion Fuel Cycle and Enabling Technologies Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T20 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T20 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T20: Fusion Fuel Cycle and Enabling Technologies Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T20 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Department of Energy's (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program aims to resolve the scientific and technological gaps for a fusion pilot plant. This topic targets innovations in the fusion fuel cycle and other cross-cutting enabling technologies that are critical for the sustainability, safety, and economic viability of future fusion energy systems. It is of paramount importance that applicants also assess how to optimally implement nonproliferation, export control, waste disposal, accident scenarios, and community engagement for the fusion fuel cycle. The scope encompasses the development of a safe, efficient, and reliable fusion fuel cycle, with a particular emphasis on deuterium-tritium (D-T) systems. This includes innovations in subcomponent technologies for fueling, exhaust processing, detritiation, material regeneration (e.g., getters, adsorbents), and tritium accountancy. These enabling technologies are crucial for accelerating the development of fusion systems and the supporting technologies required for eventual safe, economical operation. Goals and Metrics • Fusion Fuel Cycle Innovation: Develop and demonstrate key fuel cycle subsystems. Metrics include technologies capable of handling fusion-relevant fuel throughputs (e.g., kg/day), efficient detritiation techniques, ideally informed by techno-economic studies demonstrating a viable path to economic scaling. Requirements for reliability, availability, maintainability, and inspectability (RAMI) are of paramount importance as well. Develop exhaust processing and detritiation techniques that will enable fusion energy production to scale economically. Explore methods for regeneration or recycling of fusion fuel cycle materials such as getters, and adsorbents as well as advancing water detritiation. • Integrated System Development: Foster the integration of fuel cycle, control, and computational technologies. Metrics include demonstrating how innovations in one area can enable or optimize cost-effective, safe performance in another, contributing to a holistic fusion system design. Modeling of the fuel cycle based on existing opensource software and relevant supporting technologies is also included under this goal. Not of Interest • Topics mainly focused on physics (e.g., assembly, stability, confinement, heating, or sustainment) of fusion plasmas. • Predominantly facility or test-stand design and/or construction. • Concepts requiring net-energy-gain fusion and/or nuclear reactions at temperatures below 1 keV (aka “cold fusion” or “low-energy nuclear reactions”), except muoncatalyzed fusion. • Work scopes that are not suited for integration into future fusion systems. • Topics predominately focused on software development are specifically not of interest. References 1. Electric Power Research Institute, 2024 Technical Update to the Fusion Fuel Cycles Research Objectives: Results from the 2023 Fusion Fuel Cycles Workshop, 3002029371, Palo Alto, CA, 2024, https://www.energy.gov/fusion/articles/epri-fusionfuel-cycles-report-2024. 2. Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap, U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/fusion/fusion-energy. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T21: Advanced Particle and Radiation Detectors Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T21 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T21 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T21: Advanced Particle and Radiation Detectors Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T21 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science supports the development of nextgeneration particle and radiation detectors to drive discoveries in High Energy Physics (HEP) and Nuclear Physics (NP). Looking to the future planned facilities and upgrades—such as the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) second detector, High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) upgrades, and rare event searches like next-generation dark matter and neutrinoless doublebeta decay (NLDBD) experiments, to name a few examples—demand detector technologies that far exceed current state-of-the-art capabilities. Depending on the particular environment, these future experiments require some combination of unprecedented sensitivity, extreme radiation hardness, ultra-low radioactive backgrounds, and high-rate capabilities. This topic bridges the gap between laboratory-scale proof-of-concept designs and commercially viable detector components, supporting both the DOE's scientific mission and adjacent industrial, medical, and national security markets. Areas of Interest To address these future challenges, this topic seeks innovative proposals in three areas of interest. a. Ultra-Low-Radioactivity Materials and Components: focusing on extremely radiopure structural, cabling, shielding, and low-temperature detector parts. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate understanding of the current state-of-the-art and offer innovative solutions to achieve or exceed targeted performance metrics: • Develop superconducting cables with U and Th contamination limited to the partsper-trillion level (ppt) and K limited to parts-per-billion (ppb), with transition temperatures (T_C > 2 K with above 4 K preferred) and parasitic resistance (~mOhm/trace). • Produce high-radiopurity structural components (e.g., nickel, tantalum, or titanium) with sub-ppt levels U and Th at thicknesses of 1 cm or more for structural or shielding applications. • Develop radiopure electronic connectors with residual radioactivity < 1 ppt Th U and Th and < 0.1 mBq/kg for metals (pure or alloys) though the exact requirements depend on the mass and location of the connectors with respect to the sensitive volumes of the experiment. In addition to radiopurity, the connectors must satisfy the specific electrical and thermal requirements (sensors typically operate at temperatures ranging from 165 K – 10 mK) specific to the particular detector. • Develop gas getters exhibiting radon emanation (<0.1 mBq Rn in equilibrium for a gas flow capacity of >1000 standard liters per minute). b. High-Rate, High-Resolution Detectors and Scintillating Detector Materials: targeting next-generation focal plane spectrometers, Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPC), and fast-timing scintillating ceramics and glasses. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate understanding of the current state-of-the-art and offer innovative solutions to achieve or exceed targeted performance metrics: • Develop next-generation heavy-ion focal plane detectors or integrated spectrometer systems with time resolution resolution (< 150ps FWHM), high energy loss resolution (<1%), high total energy resolution (<1%), and high position resolution (<0.4 mm FWHM) at high count rates (e.g. > 1Mcps); • Develop of Multigap Resistive Plate Chamber (MRPC) detectors with thin pressure windows for heavy-ion applications, aiming to achieve high-counting rates (≥200 kHz/cm ), high timing resolution (<50 ps) and resilience to radiation and magnetic fields. • Develop large-volume (multi-m^3), high-density (>6 g/cm^3) scintillating ceramics or glasses (excluding single crystals) with light yields > 15,000 photons/MeV, decay times of tens of ns or less, and radiation hard (tens to hundreds of Mega-rad). To be of interest, a convincing case must be made that these materials will cost a few $/cm3 once production methods are mature. c. Vibration-Free Cryogenic Systems: emphasizing continuous, ultra-low-noise cooling and associated vibration monitoring at sub-Kelvin temperatures. Goals and Metrics • Develop continuous "dry" dilution refrigerators operating in a vibration-free (<10^-7 g/sqrt(Hz) in the sub-Hz to 100 kHz range, with g=9.81 m/s^2,) at temperatures around 10 milli-Kelvin and with cooling power of at least 0.5 milli-Watt at 100 milli-Kelvin. • Develop calibrated sub-Kelvin accelerometer and readout systems with sensitivity at the level of 10^-7 g/sqrt(Hz) or better below 0.1K, with self-heating limited to <1 micro-Watt at 10 milli-Kelvin that is capable of measuring mechanical vibrations directly at the coldest stages (below 0.1 Kelvin) of a dilution refrigerator. Not of Interest Proposed work is considered out of scope if it only offers incremental engineering advancements without a clear path toward high-impact commercialization or direct relevance to future HEP or NP programs. Scintillating crystals are not within the scope of this topic. Generalpurpose cryostats, sensors, or gas purification systems that do not meet the extreme radiopurity, vibration-free, or sub-Kelvin performance metrics specified above are ineligible. Standalone software developments or purely computational modeling efforts are also out of scope. References 1. U.S. Department of Energy, 2023, The 2023 Long Range Plan for Nuclear Science, A New Era of Discovery, Office of Science. https://science.osti.gov/- /media/np/nsac/pdf/reports/2024/2024-NSAC-LRP-Report_Final.pdf . 2. U.S. Department of Energy, 2023, Exploring the Quantum Universe: Pathways to Innovation and Discovery in Particle Physics (aka 2023 P5 report), Office of Science. https://science.osti.gov/- /media/hep/pdf/2024/2023_P5_Report_Single_Pages.pdf. 3. Abdul Khalek R, et al., Science Requirements and Detector Concepts for the Electron- Ion Collider: EIC Yellow Report. https://inspirehep.net/literature/1851258. 4. Coordinating Panel for Advanced Detectors (CPAD) Workshop 2024, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. https://indico.phy.ornl.gov/event/510/ 5. Coordinating Panel for Advanced Detectors (CPAD) Workshop 2023, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. https://indico.slac.stanford.edu/event/8288/. 6. International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics (TIPP 2023), Cape Town, South Africa. https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/112/. 7. Trento Workshop on Advanced Silicon Radiation Detectors (TREDI 2023), Trento, Italy. https://indico.cern.ch/event/1223972/. 8. DOE Basic Research Needs Study on High Energy Physics Detector Research and Development, 2020. https://science.osti.gov/hep/Community-Resources/Reports. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T22: High-Performance Electronics and Data Acquisition Systems Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T22 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T22 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T22: High-Performance Electronics and Data Acquisition Systems Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T22 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science supports the development of advanced electronics and data acquisition (DAQ) systems to power discovery-scale experiments in High Energy Physics (HEP) and Nuclear Physics (NP). Future experiments at facilities like the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), upgrades resulting in the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), and detectors used in deep-underground rare-decay searches—will generate immense, continuous data streams from tens of thousands of channels operating in extreme environments. To process this data, microelectronics must transition toward highly integrated, low-power Systems-on-Chip (SoCs), Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and robust DAQ architectures. These systems must deliver sub-picosecond timing, cope with cryogenic or high-radiation environments, and perform real-time, in-pixel data compression and filtering to mitigate downstream bandwidth bottlenecks. Areas of Interest To address these forward-looking challenges, this topic seeks innovative proposals in three priority areas. a. Advanced Cryogenic and Superconducting Readout Microelectronics: focusing on ultralow-power ASICs and superconducting digital signal processors for deep-cryogenic detectors such as transition edge sensors (TES), superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPD) arrays microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs). Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate understanding of the current state-of-the-art and offer innovative solutions to achieve or exceed targeted performance metrics: • Develop superconducting microelectronics or ASICs operating at 4 K or below, possibly operating in magnetic fields of ~1 T, with per-channel power dissipation < 1 mW/ch large analog bandwidth > 1 GHz with 16 bits of resolution (minimum 14 ENOB after accounting for integral and differential nonlinearities) and high channel count (64 channels). Total power dissipation of the entire Application- Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) must not exceed 150 mW. The chip control and data interface should be compatible with commercial auxiliary electronics. • Develop superconducting passive, heterogeneous bipolar, and active components integrated into functional circuits and systems, such as superconducting logic gates, oscillators, filters, and analog-/time-to-digital converters. Also of interest are lownoise cryogenic amplifiers (such as HEMT, SQUID, or parametric devices) optimized for the 4-8 GHz range, yielding a noise temperature <4 K and input-referred thirdorder intercept point (IIP3) > -20 dBmW. b. Radiation-Tolerant, High-Granularity Front-End ASICs: targeting Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) and Low Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) readouts with picosecond-level resolution and on-chip data processing. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate understanding of the current state-of-the-art and offer innovative solutions to achieve or exceed targeted performance metrics: • Develop mixed-signal ASICs for detectors such as MAPS, Skipper-in-CMOS and LGADs with integrated charge collection on high-resistivity substrates (>1 kΩ·cm), fully depleted over 5–20 μm thicknesses, and achieve charge collection within 20 ns. These ASICs should be radiation tolerant to at least 1×10^15 neq/cm where required. c. High-Throughput Streaming DAQ and Real-Time Edge Processing: emphasizing reconfigurable filtering, on-chip machine learning engines, and high-bandwidth optical/electrical data links. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate understanding of the current state-of-the-art and offer innovative solutions to achieve or exceed targeted performance metrics: • Develop mixed signal, high-speed ADC converters (>12 ENOB, >500 MSps) with per-channel signal conditioning and integrated on-chip FIR/IIR filtering for baseline stabilization, crosstalk correction, common mode tracking, and adjacent-channel crosstalk correction. The inclusion of an in-channel machine learning (ML) engine capable of nonlinear filtering, pulse classification based on waveform templates, feature extraction (pulse amplitude and timing parameter estimation), and streaming readout is particularly desired to reduce raw data rates directly at the front end. Not of Interest Proposed work is considered out of scope if it only offers incremental engineering advancements without a path toward commercialization or direct relevance to future HEP or NP programs. Development and testing of cryogenic Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) are excluded. Diamond-based sensor substrates are excluded. Standalone software developments or purely computational modeling efforts are also out of scope. References 1. U.S. Department of Energy, 2023, The 2023 Long Range Plan for Nuclear Science, A New Era of Discovery, Office of Science. https://science.osti.gov/- /media/np/nsac/pdf/reports/2024/2024-NSAC-LRP-Report_Final.pdf. 2. U.S. Department of Energy, 2023, Exploring the Quantum Universe: Pathways to Innovation and Discovery in Particle Physics (aka 2023 P5 report), Office of Science. https://science.osti.gov/- /media/hep/pdf/2024/2023_P5_Report_Single_Pages.pdf. 3. Topical Workshop on Electronics for Particle Physics (TWEPP 2024), Indico, Glasgow, United Kingdom. https://indico.cern.ch/event/1381495/. 4. 12th International Meeting on Front-End Electronics (FEE 2023), Torino, Italy. https://agenda.infn.it/event/36206/. 5. Coordinating Panel for Advanced Detectors (CPAD) Workshop 2024, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2024), https://indico.phy.ornl.gov/event/510/. 6. 23rd IEEE Real-Time Conference (RT 2022), Indico, CERN, Online (2022), https://indico.cern.ch/event/1109460/. 8. U.S. Department of Energy, DOE Basic Research Needs Study on High Energy Physics Detector Research and Development (2020), https://science.osti.gov/hep/Community- Resources/Reports. 9. Chou, A., et al., Quantum Sensors for High Energy Physics, Workshop Report, arXiv:2311.01930 (2023), https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.01930. 10. 1st International Workshop on a 2nd Detector for the EIC (2023), Brookhaven National Laboratory (2023), https://indico.bnl.gov/event/18414/. 11. Streaming Readout Workshop XIII (2025), Catania, Italy (2025), https://agenda.infn.it/event/47630/. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T23: Multi-office SC topic - Innovative Accelerator Science and Technology Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T23 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T23 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T23: Multi-office SC topic - Innovative Accelerator Science and Technology Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T23 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science supports the operation, upgrade, and stewardship of national particle accelerator scientific user facilities [1]. These facilities are critical for driving discoveries across Basic Energy Sciences (BES) [2], High Energy Physics (HEP) [5,6], and Nuclear Physics (NP) [8]. To keep pace with the demanding scientific requirements of fixed-target facilities, next-generation colliders, light sources, and neutron sources; accelerator technology must evolve to be more efficient, compact, and cost-effective. This topic integrates breakthroughs in superconductor materials, magnet engineering, radio frequency (RF) designs, laser drivers, advanced diagnostics, photocathodes, and ultrafast laser technology into a unified R&D pipeline that measurably advance the state of the art (SOTA) in accelerator technologies [9–11]. The goal is to transition high-risk, high-reward laboratory prototypes into commercially viable products that support both the DOE's research facilities and adjacent industrial, medical, and national security markets. Areas of Interest To address these challenges, this topic seeks innovative solutions aligned with the following five priority areas. a. High-Field Superconducting Magnets and Advanced Conductor Materials, focusing on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wire and tape fabrication alongside cryogenic powering. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate compliance with targeted performance metrics: • Develop high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires capable of high field usage (>18 T) with J_e ≥ 400 A/mm^2 at 20 T and 4.2 K over continuous lengths ≥1 km. • HTS tapes must maintain I_c uniformity within ±5% over ≥75 m. HTS thin film conductors must exceed J_c ≥ 2 MA/cm^2 at 77 K[4,5]. b. Compact, Combined-Function Magnetic Elements, targeting high-precision permanent magnets for low-emittance lattices and beam transport. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate compliance with targeted performance metrics: • Develop combined-function permanent magnet quadrupoles (PMQs) for “Complex Bends” [3] for BES light sources that have a ≥0.5 T dipole and ≥130 T/m gradient in a ≥16 mm aperture with a multipole content ≤0.1% in a ≥3 mm good field region. • PMQs must meet: magnetic center alignment within 15 microns, 30-year radiation stability, and field quality ≤1000 ppm in a ≥3 mm good field region, with ±2% tuning range. b. High-Efficiency RF Power Sources and Tunable Cavity Technologies, emphasizing cost-effective RF amplifiers, solid-state pulsers, and tunable superconducting radio frequency (SRF) systems. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate compliance with targeted performance metrics: • Develop RF sources with ≥50% (SSPAs) or ≥70% (VEDs) efficiency, costing <2 $/W[6]. Kicker pulsers systems producing ≥20 kV, ≥1,000 A, and 100–200 ns rise times. • Tunable SRF cavities supporting a 1% tuning range and in-situ particulate cleaning. c. Advanced Sources and Laser Driver Systems, focusing on high-brightness, high-quantumefficiency photocathodes and high-average-power ultrafast laser systems. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate compliance with targeted performance metrics: • Produce high brightness unpolarized photocathodes with MTE ≤30 meV (at 100 pC) for relevant applications, e.g., BES light sources. • Produce high bunch charge polarized photocathodes producing ~1-10 mA cw beams, or low rep rate polarized electron sources with bunch charges > 10 nC longitudinally polarized greater than 90% and quantum efficiency > 2% at ~780 nm for NP facilities[8]. • Develop ultrafast (≤1 ps) target driver lasers producing kilowatt-class power, Strehl > 0.95, at ≥10–20% power efficiency for driving photoemission electron sources, pumpprobe experiments, and parametric sources of MWIR and LWIR[7]. d. Innovations in Accelerator Diagnostics: targeting higher performance, lower cost, and new capabilities for measuring charged particle beams. Goals and Metrics Proposals must address specific technical challenges and demonstrate compliance with targeted performance metrics: • Innovations in Accelerator Diagnostics: Develop accelerators diagnostics with improved resolution, speed, and intelligence, including o (1) non-intercepting high precision current measurement in the 10 nA–100 uA range (100 ppm accuracy), o (2) measuring stored Ampere-class beams, o (3) non-intercepting emittance measurement of 100 kW-class ion beams, o (4) high sensitivity ion beam diagnostics for 1E2–1E7 nuclei/s range at low (25– 1000 keV/N) energies, o (5) fast recovery (<1 ms) multipulse diagnostics for measuring interleaved ion beams with >40 dB intensity range, and (6) very fast (<10 us) beam loss detectors[8]. • Intelligent diagnostics capable of auto calibration, ranging, denoising, data analysis and reduction, and self-protection are strongly encouraged. • Diagnostics incorporating electronics must be rad-hard to be suitable for accelerator use. Not of Interest Proposed work is considered out of scope if it only offers incremental engineering advancements without a clear path toward high-impact commercialization or direct relevance to BES, HEP, or NP programs. General-purpose RF sources, lasers, or power supplies that are not usable in accelerator facilities (because they lack key properties such as phase locking, ultra-low phase noise, or pulse formatting) or do not demonstrably advance the SOTA are ineligible. References 1. DOE Office of Science User Facilities at a Glance, U.S. Department of Energy, https://science.osti.gov/User-Facilities/User-Facilities-at-a-Glance. 2. U.S. Department of Energy, DOE BES Future Electron Sources Workshop, Wang, X., Musumeci, P., et al., 2017, https://science.osti.gov/- /media/bes/pdf/reports/2017/Future_Electron_Source_Worskho%09p_Report.pdf?la=en &hash=9EC02151ABEA24A874721C557D0AA77ECC472E91. 3. Brookhaven National Laboratory, The Concept of Complex Bend, NSLS-II Tech Note 276, Shaftan, T., Smaluk, V., and Wang, G., 2018, https://technotes.bnl.gov/PDF?publicationId=211211. 4. Kesgin, I., Kasa, M., Ivanyushenkov, Y., Welp, U., 2017. High-temperature superconducting undulator magnets, Superconductor Science and Technology, vol. 30, 04LT01, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6668/aa5d48. 5. U.S. Magnet Development Program Roadmap, U.S. Department of Energy, https://science.osti.gov/-/media/hep/pdf/Reports/2020/USMDP-2020-Plan-Updateweb.pdf. 6. RF Accelerator R&D Strategy Roadmap, U.S. Department of Energy, https://science.osti.gov/- /media/hep/pdf/Reports/DOE_HEP_GARD_RF_Research_Roadmap_Report.pdf. 7. Basic Research Needs Workshop on Laser Technology, U.S. Department of Energy, https://science.osti.gov/-/media/ardap/pdf/2024/laser-technology-workshopreport_20240105_final.pdf. 8. 2023 Long Range Plan for Nuclear Science, A New Era of Discovery, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, https://science.osti.gov/- /media/np/nsac/pdf/reports/2024/2024-NSAC-LRP-Report_Final.pdf. 9. Riken Nishina Center, 22nd International Conference on Radio-Frequency Superconductivity (SRF 2025), 2025, https://ribf.riken.jp/SRF2025/. 10. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 6th North American Particle Accelerator Conference (NAPAC 2025), 2025, https://proceedings.jacow.org/napac2025/pdf/napac2025_proceedings_volume.pdf. 11. International Particle Accelerator Conference, 17th International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC 2026), 2026, https://www.ipac26.org/prepress/pdf/ipac- 26_proceedings_volume.pdf. Chapter 3: National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Topics Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T24: Proliferation Detection Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T24 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T24 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T24: Proliferation Detection Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T24 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Office of Proliferation Detection within the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development office, develops novel technologies within two broad topics; near and remote, single or multimodal detection systems for detecting, locating, and characterizing nuclear activities and facilities; technologies that reduce reliance on high-activity medical and industrial radioactive sources in support of the Office of Global Material Security and other U.S. Government agencies. Areas of Interest Applications are of interest in the following areas: a. Demonstration of a High-Intensity Entangled Photon Light Source for Remote Sensing: The integration of quantum photonic devices into remote sensing platforms offers substantial advantages including scalability, compact footprint, high stability, and increased nonlinear interaction efficiency [1]. There are several quantum-based detection technologies that can be applied to remote sensing [2]. Science teams should try to minimize size, weight, and power of the source in design choices. Analysis showing potential capability of a high-intensity entangled light source toward these areas of improvement is also of interest. b. Maritime, Limnologic, and Oceanic Hyperspectral Imagery Analysis Advancement: The maritime shipping industry is considering deployment of nuclear-powered vessels to reduce carbon dioxide emissions [3]. The nuclear nonproliferation community has an interest in ensuring the safe deployment and use of such vessels via remote sensing [4]. Hyperspectral imagery can be implemented to assist nuclear power monitoring agencies for surface and subsurface environments [5]. Hyperspectral imagery data collected over bodies of water present unique analysis challenges [6]. This topic is an opportunity for development of advanced atmospheric correction methods that could include but are not limited to: 1) optimization of multimodal fusion that include SAR, multi/hyper spectral imagery, LiDAR, bathymetry, and other data modes, 2) investigation of few-shot learning with regard to absorbing aerosols, identification of interference from bottom reflections, cloud absorption, light scattering in water, and absorption of other gases and or materials of interest with the goal of understanding whether new signal types can be recognized from a handful of examples, 3) algorithm development for understanding the limits of underwater object identification including the maximum detectable depth under varying water types, the most useful spectral bands for surface and subsurface detection, best way to separate maritime constituents, and whether adaptive wavelength selection can improve detection, 4) improving reliability atmospheric correction over oceans, 5) Analysis techniques in the near infrared, visible, and ultraviolet portions of the spectrum are of interest. Analysis workflow development should also be considered. Typical data collection can be on the order of 100s of GB of data. Attention should be given to efficient edge processing of hyperspectral data cubes to maximize analysis workflow efficiency. c. Radiation Detection Technologies: • A compact, rugged, low-power, dual-mode gamma/neutron detectors for autonomous detection and characterization of special nuclear material, including highly enriched uranium and plutonium, at ranges up to 10 meters in uncontrolled environments. Solutions should combine advanced scintillators, such as CLYC or CLLBC, with silicon photomultiplier readouts, multiplexed architectures, and embedded processing for real-time spectroscopy, neutron/gamma pulse-shape discrimination, and isotopic classification [7-10]. Algorithms must be validated using Monte Carlo simulations and calibrated-source testing. Prototypes should target the following performance objectives: ≤4% gamma resolution at 662 keV, PSD figure of merit >3, thermal-neutron efficiency ≥10%, operational power ≤500 mW, mass ≤600 g, 72-hour endurance, passive thermal management, encrypted burst communications, low signatures, and MIL-STD-810H survivability from −40°C to +65°C. Phase I should demonstrate feasibility through bench prototypes, embedded algorithms, simulations, and experimental characterization; Phase II should deliver an integrated qualified prototype, environmental testing, blind SNM trials, and a TRL-5 transition plan. • A stationary, low-SWaP radiation detection and data-fusion system that unobtrusively localizes, identifies, and quantifies radiological and nuclear materials in vehicles traveling 5–65 mph. Solutions should exceed conventional presence alarms by mapping radiation measurements to a vehicle’s three-dimensional structure, locating single or multiple sources, and providing real-time isotopic identification and activity estimates despite shielding, variable geometry, motion, standoff, NORM, and changing backgrounds [11-13]. Approaches may combine advanced detector architectures, algorithms, and auxiliary sensors such as LiDAR, machine vision, or radar. Systems should support low-latency edge processing, unattended or lightly attended operation, environmental robustness, minimal operator burden, and low operational signatures at checkpoints, crossings, weigh stations, or remote sites. Phase I should establish feasibility through modeling, simulation, or surrogate-vehicle testing and quantify localization, identification, activity-estimation, false-alarm, runtime, and latency performance. Deliverables include a technical report, proof-of-concept demonstration, and Phase II plan. Phase II will develop and field-test an integrated prototype under realistic scenarios. d. Radiological Source Replacement Technologies: • Innovative modeling and simulation solutions to improve dosimetry accuracy, safety, consistency, and standardization in radiation biology and preclinical research. Current practices rely heavily on high-activity gamma sources and traditional X-ray cabinets, which present safety risks, dose-delivery errors, biological variability, and inconsistent reporting [14-19]. Proposed approaches should integrate Monte Carlo methods, super intelligence, and machine learning to improve dose modeling, reduce reliance on gamma sources, optimize dosimeter placement, validate radiation fields, account for beam quality and sample geometry, and enable conversion from air kerma to absorbed dose. Solutions should support virtual testing, cross-modality dose comparisons, safer adoption of medium-energy X-ray irradiators, and reliable characterization of dose uniformity. Proposals may also address the development and validation of anatomically accurate, tissue-equivalent phantoms and methods to reduce interlaboratory discrepancies. The goal is precise, reproducible dose delivery—ideally within 5% of prescribed levels—and improved dosimetry practices across radiation research. • A compact, vehicle-transportable, non-radioisotopic neutron generator to replace aging and restricted Cf-252, AmBe, and similar sources used for detector calibration and nondestructive assay. The system should provide safe, reliable, on-demand operation without the radiological, security, logistical, and availability challenges of isotope-based calibrators. It must produce an output approaching 200 mrem/hr at 50 cm—comparable to a 20 Ci AmBe source—while offering moderated and beam-shaped neutron spectra representative of AmBe, Cf-252, and related sources [20]. Total power consumption should remain below 10 kW, with readily controllable activation and shutdown for improved safety and operational flexibility. Proposals should address innovative neutrongeneration, moderation, and beam-shaping approaches capable of delivering compact, controllable, AmBe-equivalent performance. Successful solutions will enable more flexible calibration and NDA operations while reducing the hazards, regulatory burdens, and lifecycle costs associated with radioactive neutron sources. • A highly mobile, rugged, and cost-competitive ultrasonic testing system capable of replacing radioisotope-based industrial radiography and reducing the security risks associated with Ir-192, Co-60, and Se-75 sources. The system should inspect pipes, boilers, and structural components in harsh environments, including cold conditions where conventional coupling fluids fail [21]. Proposals should develop innovative ultrasonic methods for detecting difficult defects, including narrow flaws aligned with the sound path, shallow surface cracks, and porosity variations. Advanced analysis software should simplify scan interpretation and reduce technician training requirements. Successful solutions must demonstrate reliable, durable, field-ready operation while providing performance comparable to gamma radiography and eliminating the need for high-activity radioactive sources. References 1. Shi, M., Ming, S., Wu, S., et al., Quantum remote sensing with atom-light entangled interface, Quantum Front., vol. 1, p. 17, 2022, available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s44214-022-00020-y. 2. Ryan, D. P., and Werner, J. H., A review of quantum imaging methods and enabling technologies, Materials Today Quantum, vol. 6, 2025, art. no. 100044, ISSN 2950-2578, available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtquan.2025.100044. 4. Megginson, R., and Huston, T., Putting the Blue back in Red, White and Blue – Decarbonisation of the United States maritime industry with advanced nuclear, CORE POWER (UK) Ltd., 2022. 5. “Living up to the Hype of Hyperspectral Aquatic Remote Sensing: Science, Resources and Outlook”, Heidi M. Dierssen, Steven G. Ackleson, Karen E. Joyce, Erin L. Hestir, Alexandre Castagna, Samantha Lavender, and Margaret A. McManus. Frontiers in Environmental Science, Vol. 9, Article 649528, June 2021. 7. Glodo, J., et al., “Integrated Neutron Detector for Handheld Systems.” IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science 60, no. 2 (2013): 903–7. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2013.2252020. 8. Menge, Peter R., et al., “Design and Performance of a Compact Cs2LiLaBr6(Ce) Neutron/Gamma Detector Using Silicon Photomultipliers.” 2015 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC), October 2015, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2015.7581858. 15. Monson LA, et al., “Dose-response effect of human equivalent radiation in the mandible”, J. Craniofac Surg. 2013;24:1593-1598. https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0b013e31826cfeea. 6. Ferrera, M., Arnaubec, A., Istenič, K., Gracias, N., and Bajjouk, T., Hyperspectral 3D Mapping of Underwater Environments, in Proceedings of the 2021 IEEE/CVF International Conference on Computer Vision Workshops (ICCVW), October 2021. 8. D. B. Gillis, Detection of Underwater Objects in Hyperspectral Imagery, 2016 8th Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing: Evolution in Remote Sensing (WHISPERS), Los Angeles, CA, 2016, pp. 1–5, https://doi.org/10.1109/WHISPERS.2016.8071732. 9. J. Glodo et al., Integrated Neutron Detector for Handheld Systems, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 60, no. 2, pp. 903–907, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2013.2252020. 9. P. R. Menge et al., Design and Performance of a Compact Cs2LiLaBr6(Ce) Neutron/Gamma Detector Using Silicon Photomultipliers, 2015 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC), October 2015, pp. 1–5, https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2015.7581858. 10. G. Pausch et al., Thermal Neutron Detection in Mixed Neutron-Gamma Fields With Common NaI(Tl) Detectors, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 69, no. 8, 1893–1904 (2022), available at https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2022.3184452. 11. D. F. Bennett et al., Low Power, Dual Mode Detectors for Nuclear Security Applications, 2024 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (NSS), Medical Imaging Conference (MIC) and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference (RTSD), October 26, 2024, 1– 1, available at https://doi.org/10.1109/NSS/MIC/RTSD57108.2024.10656500. 12. R. J. Cooper et al., Networked Sensing for Radiation Detection, Lo Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== CW26-T25: Nuclear Detonation Detection Agency: DOE Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T25 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/CW26-T25 Posted: 10/30/2026 Opens: 10/30/2026 Closes: 12/16/2026 (34 days left) Source: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ AI drafting rule: This agency follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting. No disclosure is required. ----- FULL TEXT ----- DOE SBIR/STTR TOPIC CW26-T25: Nuclear Detonation Detection Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/CW26-T25 Agency: Department of Energy, via ConnectWerx. Pitches close: 12/16/2026. Pitches are due at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the close date. No late pitches. First step: a pitch in the ATI portal. The pitch is a set of questions: 4 narrative questions, 3 short-answer questions, and 7 structured selection questions, each with a set word limit. A Pitch Development Guide and example responses are on the official call page. Draft your answers outside the portal, then paste them in. A company may file up to three pitches. Only the last three filed are reviewed. Only invited pitches move on to a full proposal. Do not draft a full proposal yet. ----- FULL TOPIC TEXT (from the official Topics document) ----- The Office of Nuclear Detonation Detection within the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development office, develops novel technologies within two broad topics; underground nuclear explosion monitoring technologies that improve the precise timing and integration of multiple sensing modalities and support largescale experimental campaigns that collect synchronized data from multiple locations; new technologies for radiation resistant microcircuits that improve current technology and develop materials and tools for radiation resistant applications. Applications are of interest in the following areas. Areas of Interest a. Integrated Data Acquisition System for Large-Scale Field Experiments: Data acquisition systems are a key component for any experiment [1,2]. They are the interface between researchers and the instrumentation deployed to record the experiment. In the case of large experiments, several distributed sensors may be operated independently, but the research team will want to ensure that they are all in good condition and record with accurate timing. This requires an integrated data acquisition system to coordinate the individual data acquisition systems for each sensor [3]. This coordination includes precise time synchronization, remote command and control, and data extraction and backup for a range of sensors, often deployed in challenging environments such as an underground tunnel complex. The Office of Nuclear Detonation Detection is soliciting research in integrated data acquisition systems useful in underground nuclear explosion monitoring applications, in which dynamic seismoacoustic and electromagnetic energy is propagated. Of interest are systems that would lead to fieldable nodes in rugged environments with practical size, weight, and power requirements and data transmission rates. Example system characteristics may include but are not limited to modular design with rapid communication between nodes, large data storage capacity with fast I/O, timing synchronization through cabled GNSS antenna, ability to interface with variety of deployed data acquisition systems, system-wide state of health tracking, and external communication for remote command and control. b. Fieldable Calibration Tool for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring: The Office of Nuclear Detonation Detection is soliciting research in in-field sensor calibration approaches useful in underground nuclear explosion monitoring applications in which dynamic seismoacoustic and electromagnetic energy is propagated. Of interest are methods that would lead to quantified mapping from deployed sensors to metrological quantities with practical size, weight, and power for use in outdoor environments. The sensors of interest include seismometers, infrasound sensors (Nief et al., 2018), hydroacoustic sensors, and electromagnetic field sensors [4,5]. The primary standard calibration for these sensors is in a test laboratory during which as many factors as possible can be tightly controlled [6-9]. However, these calibrations cannot capture the full suite of factors that influence the instrument response when a sensor is fully deployed. This has motivated methods of calibration in the field, but running in-field calibrations is an uncommon procedure [10,11]. Example device characteristics may include, but are not limited to, the ability to interface with sensor and datalogger calibration pulse in volts, an amplitude calibration sensitivity (e.g. V/m/s, V/Pa, etc…) to within +/-5% precision, and operational temperature range from 0 to 40 °C. c. Detonation Detection Systems: In addition to the specific subtopics listed above, applications in other areas relevant to this topic are invited. These include seismometer improvements (e.g., reduced size, improved sensitivity, reduced power requirements), seismic array improvements, infrasound sensor improvements, hydroacoustic sensor improvements, or other ways to detect acoustic energy underground, on the surface, or in the atmosphere at regional to global distances (>200km) [12-14]. Improvements should substantially enhance capabilities when compared to existing sensors or techniques. d. Radiation Resistant Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits with Undiminished Performance, High-Yield, and Lower Cost: Long duration space-based missions would greatly benefit from the availability of inexpensive and rapidly developed radiation resistant microcircuits. Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits (PEM) are of keen interest in this regard for the new generation of proliferated spacecraft constellations being generated by commercial entities and the military. Of particular interest is the potential for PEMs to augment space qualified parts which are rare, expensive, have extraordinary lead times and quickly become obsolete with time. Most government agencies and commercial entities involved in spacecraft development understand that the need for faster, cheaper, and more abundant electronic parts is never going to diminish. Related questions are: • Can PEMs meet the reliability requirements of space-based missions? • Can they be screened? • Do post-delivery tests and evaluations provide sufficient knowledge of the parts to satisfy mission requirements? • Can PEMs be expected to last 15 years in space environments? • What, if anything, can be done post-manufacturing to gain additional confidence in the suitability of PEMs parts for long term use in space? PEMs capable of high radiation resistance, undiminished performance, rapid development, and low-cost are the ultimate objectives of this research. The Office of Nuclear Detonation Detection is soliciting research to develop radiation resistant microcircuit plastic encapsulation methods capable of meeting the following specifications: • Radiation survivability: up to 100krad total ionizing dose • Minimizing Bremsstrahlung Effects • Undiminished performance due to incident radiation • Functional production yields > 80% • Materials cost: 5-10 times lower than standard space qualified parts A Phase I research effort could identify the candidate materials and their potentials and demonstrate pathways for meeting radiation resistance and cost performance goals. References 1. Springer, Fundamentals to Applied Design: Data Acquisition Systems, M. D. Di Paolo, 2013, New York, NY, USA, available at https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1- 4614-4214-1. 2. Park, J., and Mackay, S., 2003, Practical data acquisition for instrumentation and control systems. Newnes. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=vzrkldir0ukC&oi=fnd&pg=PR17&dq=Prac tical+data+acquisition+for+instrumentation+and+control+systems.&ots=jsBViOYhZV&sig =exKnzIQqybBM2CITXWjU3oJWOo8#v=onepage&q=Practical%20data%20acquisition %20for%20instrumentation%20and%20control%20systems.&f=false 3. Strickland, Christopher E., et al., Low Yield Nuclear Monitoring Physics Experiment 1 – Integrated Data Acquisition System Design and Initial Observations, Oct. 2024, available at https://doi.org/10.2172/2564221. 4. Wielandt, E., Seismic Sensors and Their Calibration, version August 2011, 2011, DOI: 10.2312/GFZ.NMSOP-2_ch5, available at https://gfzpublic.gfz.de/rest/items/item_56076/component/file_61055/content. 5. Nief, G., et al., 2018, New Generations of Infrasound Sensors: Technological Developments and Calibration. In Le Pichon, A., Blanc, E., Hauchecorne, A. (eds) Infrasound Monitoring for Atmospheric Studies, Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3- 319-75140-5_2 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75140-5_2 6. Larsonnier, F., et al., Comparison on Seismometer Sensitivity Following ISO 16063-11 Standard, 19th International Congress of Metrology, 27033, 2019, DOI: 10.1051/metrology/201927003, available at https://doi.org/10.1051/metrology/201927003. 7. Schiavi, A., et al., Dynamic Calibration System for Seismometers: Traceability from 0.03 Hz up to 30 Hz, Measurement: Sensors, 18, 2021, DOI: 10.1016/j.measen.2021.100255, available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measen.2021.100255. 8. Rodrigues, D., et al., A Laser Pistonphone Designed for Absolute Calibration of Infrasound Sensors from 10 mHz up to 20 Hz, Metrologia, 60(1), 2022, DOI: 10.1088/1681-7575/aca0fa, available at https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1681- 7575/aca0f3/meta. 9. Rust, M., et al., Primary Calibration for Airborne Infrasound Utilizing the Vertical Gradient of the Ambient Pressure, Metrologia, 60(4), 2023, DOI: 10.1088/1681-7575/acd941, available at https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1681-7575/acd941/meta. 10. Pavlis, G. L. and Vernon, F. L., 1994, Calibration of seismometers using ground noise, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 84 (4), 1243-1255, DOI: 10.1785/BSSA0840041243 https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/bssa/article/84/4/1243/119878/Calibration-ofseismometers-using-ground-noise 11. Kristoffersen, S. K., et al., On-site Infrasound Calibration to Correct Wave Parameter Estimation, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 155, 1780–1798, 2024, DOI: 10.1121/10.0025131, available at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0025131. 12. Dannemann Dugick, F. K., et al., 2023, Introduction to the Special Section on Seismoacoustics and Seismoacoustic Data Fusion, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 113, 1383- 1389, DOI: 10.1785/0120230049 https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/bssa/articleabstract/113/4/1383/624450/Introduction-to-the-Special-Sectionon?redirectedFrom=fulltext (October 23, 2023) 13. Maceira, M., et al., 2017, Trends in Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Research & Development – A Physics Perspective, Technical Report No. LA-UR-17-21274. Los Alamos National Lab.(LANL), Los Alamos, NM United States, DOI: 10.2172/1355758 https://permalink.lanl.gov/object/tr?what=info:lanl-repo/lareport/LA-UR-17-21274 (October 23, 2023) 14. Kalinowski, M.B., et al., 2021, Introduction to the Topical issue of nuclear explosion monitoring and verification: scientific and technological advances, Pure and Applied Geophysics 178, 2397-2401, DOI: 10.1007/s00024-021-02783-2 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00024-021-02783-2#citeas (October 23, 2023) Topic 25 General References 1. Polymeric Composite Materials for Radiation Shielding, National Center for Biotechnology Information, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7857349/. 2. U.S. Department of Energy, Technical Report, https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1671997. 3. Requirements for Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits in Space Applications, SAE International, AS6291/1; AS6294/1. 4. Requirements for Plastic Encapsulated Discrete Semiconductors in Space Applications, SAE International, AS6291/3, https://www.sae.org/standards/content/as6294/3/. 5. General Specification for Integrated Circuits (Microcircuits) Manufacturing, U.S. Department of Defense, MIL-PRF-38535 Rev. K, http://everyspec.com/MIL-PRF/MIL- PRF-030000-79999/MIL-PRF-38535K_48842/. 6. 2013 NEPP ETW Briefing on Introduction of Class Y, NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging Program, https://nepp.nasa.gov/workshops/etw2013/talks/Tue_June11_2013/1300_Agarwal_Clas s%20Y%20Status%20Overview.pdf. An overview of basic radiation effects on polymers. PEM Standards: requirements for Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits in Space Applications. This document establishes common industry practices and recommended screening, qualification, and lot acceptance testing of Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits (PEMs) for use in space application environments. Requirements for Plastic Encapsulated Discrete Semiconductors in Space Applications. This document establishes the requirements for screening, qualification, and lot acceptance testing of Plastic Encapsulated Discrete Semiconductors (PEDS) for use in space application environments. The scope of this document is intended for standard silicon based technology only, but the process and methodology described within can be adopted for other technologies such as Silicon Carbide, Gallium Nitride, and Gallium Arsenide. However, when no Official call page: https://sbir-sttr.connectwerx.org/portfolio-items/fy26-fall-opportunity/ Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Pitches are submitted in the ATI portal (AMP). Open the official call page at the link above and follow the steps there. Set up the portal account early. To pitch, the portal account is what you need. Have ready: - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs SAM.gov entity registration active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Start it now: a new registration takes 10 or more business days to become active. - If your pitch is invited, the full application needs the SBA Company Registry at SBIR.gov complete (https://www.sbir.gov/registration2). You get a SBC Control ID. Start it now: the identity check cannot be rushed. AI help with drafting: This solicitation follows SBA policy. SBA places no limit on AI help with drafting, and no disclosure is required. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the pitch and the proposal. ================================================== 26-511: NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs: A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation Agency: NSF Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/26-511 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/26-511 Posted: 05/22/2026 Opens: 05/22/2026 Closes: 03/04/2027 (112 days left) Source: Grants.gov (civilian agency). Official record: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362551 AI drafting rule: NSF allows AI help with drafting. NSF encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR SOLICITATION 26-511: NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs: A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/26-511 Agency: NSF Posted: 05/22/2026 Closes: 03/04/2027 (112 days left) Full official text: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362551 This pack holds the facts this page holds. Read the full official text at the link above before you draft. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on Grants.gov and the agency site. Open the official record at the link above and follow the steps there. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - A Grants.gov account and a workspace for your firm (https://www.grants.gov). AI help with drafting: The National Science Foundation allows AI help with drafting. NSF encourages a short note in the project description that says AI was used. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the proposal. ================================================== PA-27-100: NIH, CDC and FDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Optional) Agency: NIH Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/PA-27-100 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/PA-27-100 Posted: 05/28/2026 Opens: 05/28/2026 Closes: 04/05/2027 (144 days left) Source: Grants.gov (civilian agency). Official record: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359671 AI drafting rule: NIH does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. NIH uses detection technology on submissions. Use AI only for limited help. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR SOLICITATION PA-27-100: NIH, CDC and FDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Optional) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/PA-27-100 Agency: NIH Posted: 05/28/2026 Closes: 04/05/2027 (144 days left) Full official text: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359671 This pack holds the facts this page holds. Read the full official text at the link above before you draft. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on Grants.gov and the agency site. Open the official record at the link above and follow the steps there. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - A Grants.gov account and a workspace for your firm (https://www.grants.gov). AI help with drafting: The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. NIH treats them as not original work and uses detection technology on submissions. Use AI only for limited help. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the application. ================================================== PA-27-102: NIH Small Business Technology Transfer Grant (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Optional) Agency: NIH Program: STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/PA-27-102 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/PA-27-102 Posted: 05/28/2026 Opens: 05/28/2026 Closes: 04/05/2027 (144 days left) Source: Grants.gov (civilian agency). Official record: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359757 AI drafting rule: NIH does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. NIH uses detection technology on submissions. Use AI only for limited help. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR SOLICITATION PA-27-102: NIH Small Business Technology Transfer Grant (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Optional) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/PA-27-102 Agency: NIH Posted: 05/28/2026 Closes: 04/05/2027 (144 days left) Full official text: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359757 This pack holds the facts this page holds. Read the full official text at the link above before you draft. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on Grants.gov and the agency site. Open the official record at the link above and follow the steps there. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - A Grants.gov account and a workspace for your firm (https://www.grants.gov). AI help with drafting: The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. NIH treats them as not original work and uses detection technology on submissions. Use AI only for limited help. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the application. ================================================== PA-27-101: NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award (Parent [R44] Clinical Trial Optional) Agency: NIH Program: SBIR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/PA-27-101 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/PA-27-101 Posted: 05/28/2026 Opens: 05/28/2026 Closes: 04/05/2029 (875 days left) Source: Grants.gov (civilian agency). Official record: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359758 AI drafting rule: NIH does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. NIH uses detection technology on submissions. Use AI only for limited help. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR SOLICITATION PA-27-101: NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award (Parent [R44] Clinical Trial Optional) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/PA-27-101 Agency: NIH Posted: 05/28/2026 Closes: 04/05/2029 (875 days left) Full official text: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359758 This pack holds the facts this page holds. Read the full official text at the link above before you draft. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on Grants.gov and the agency site. Open the official record at the link above and follow the steps there. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - A Grants.gov account and a workspace for your firm (https://www.grants.gov). AI help with drafting: The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. NIH treats them as not original work and uses detection technology on submissions. Use AI only for limited help. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the application. ================================================== PAR-27-098: SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program (Parent SB1 Clinical Trial Optional) Agency: NIH Program: SBIR/STTR Topic page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/PAR-27-098 Full text: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/api/topic-pack/PAR-27-098 Posted: 05/28/2026 Opens: 05/28/2026 Closes: 04/05/2029 (875 days left) Source: Grants.gov (civilian agency). Official record: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359669 AI drafting rule: NIH does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. NIH uses detection technology on submissions. Use AI only for limited help. ----- FULL TEXT ----- SBIR/STTR SOLICITATION PAR-27-098: SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program (Parent SB1 Clinical Trial Optional) Page: https://www.sbirdashboard.com/team/PAR-27-098 Agency: NIH Posted: 05/28/2026 Closes: 04/05/2029 (875 days left) Full official text: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359669 This pack holds the facts this page holds. Read the full official text at the link above before you draft. Who can apply: SBIR and STTR awards go to small businesses only: for-profit, based in the United States, 500 or fewer employees counting every domestic and foreign affiliate, and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A company owned by a large parent usually cannot apply on its own. It can take part as a subcontractor under an eligible small business. How to apply: Applications live on Grants.gov and the agency site. Open the official record at the link above and follow the steps there. Have ready before you apply: - SAM.gov entity registration is active (https://sam.gov/entity-registration). Allow 10 or more business days for a new registration to become active. - A Grants.gov account and a workspace for your firm (https://www.grants.gov). AI help with drafting: The National Institutes of Health does not accept applications substantially developed by AI. NIH treats them as not original work and uses detection technology on submissions. Use AI only for limited help. The firm is responsible for the accuracy of every claim in the application. END OF FEED SBIR Dashboard is free. No subscription. Data comes from the official sources: DSIP, Grants.gov, and ConnectWerx.