AFWERX Open Topic SBIR/STTR

AFWERX Open Topic SBIR/STTR

Offers AFWERX open topic support for United States small businesses with dual use ideas through an always open route.

The AFWERX Open Topic SBIR/STTR program is a rolling, out-of-cycle solicitation through which U.S. small businesses propose their own dual-use technology solutions without being constrained to a government-pre-defined problem set. AFWERX describes the Open Topic as 'the front door to working with the Department of the Air Force,' allowing companies to define how their commercial technology can benefit Air Force and Space Force warfighters. Because the program operates on an out-of-cycle solicitation schedule, there are no fixed annual open/close dates; companies should monitor the DoW submission portal (dodsbirsttr.mil) for currently active solicitation windows.

Phase I under the Open Topic runs for 3 months and provides a maximum of $75,000 (SBIR) or $110,000 (STTR). During Phase I, the small business must identify an Air Force end user and program office customer and obtain a signed Customer Memorandum — which is a prerequisite for Phase II application. Phase II runs up to 21 months at a maximum of $2,000,000 (SBIR and STTR), during which the company works directly with the DAF Technical Point of Contact to prototype and adapt the solution for Air Force needs. Companies that have already identified an Air Force customer and hold a signed Customer Memorandum can bypass Phase I and apply directly for a Direct-to-Phase II (D2P2) award at a maximum of $1,250,000 (SBIR). STTR variant requires a formal cooperative R&D arrangement with a U.S. non-profit research institution performing at least 30 percent of the work.

Eligibility requires a for-profit U.S. small business with 500 or fewer employees; SAM registration is required before contract award. Open Topic Phase II graduates can apply for TACFI ($375K–$2M) or STRATFI ($3M–$15M) follow-on contracts. The key competitive differentiator is the Customer Memorandum: companies that proactively engage DAF end users before submitting are significantly better positioned, because proposals without a credible plan to obtain customer sign-off are unlikely to advance.