Defense Health Agency SBIR/STTR

Defense Health Agency SBIR Phase I

Funds United States defense medical innovators at feasibility stage for life-changing military health technologies.

Defense Health Agency SBIR Phase I is the feasibility stage of DHA's congressionally mandated Small Business Innovation Research program, administered through the DoD SBIR/STTR umbrella. DHA participates to increase small-business engagement in federal R&D while developing medical and health technologies that directly benefit warfighters and the military health system. Technology areas include trauma and combat casualty care, prosthetics and bionics, hearing protection and restoration, infectious disease countermeasures, mental health diagnostics and treatment, telemedicine and remote monitoring, and other defense medical priorities identified by DHA Component lines.

Phase I awards are capped at $250,000 over six months (DHA-specific guideline) with the absolute statutory ceiling set at the DoD-wide $323,090. The instrument is a cooperative agreement. Eligible applicants must be U.S.-registered for-profit small businesses with no more than 500 employees across all affiliates, at least 51 percent owned by U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and performing at least two-thirds of the Phase I R&D within the United States. The program does not accept unsolicited proposals; companies must respond to specific DHA topics. STTR awards under the same program require a partnering university, FFRDC, or qualified nonprofit research institution performing at least 30 percent of the work. TRL entry range is approximately 2–4.

DHA topics are released through the DoD SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) as part of the three DoD solicitation cycles per fiscal year (Cycles A, B, and C). Topics are component-specific and open only during their assigned solicitation window. Evaluation is by merit review from DHA subject-matter experts. Phase I awardees demonstrating scientific feasibility are eligible to compete for Phase II funding of up to approximately $1.3 million. DHA medical technologies pursuing FDA regulatory pathways should factor device classification and IND/IDE planning into Phase I scope, as the Phase II period is 24 months and regulatory strategy affects the transition plan.