DoD SBIR/STTR Umbrella Program

DoD SBIR/STTR

Supports small business and non-traditional teams across defense components in a shared topic flow.

The Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program is the largest US government small-business R&D initiative, channeling federal research dollars to companies with fewer than 500 employees through topic-driven competitive solicitations. DoD runs the program across 14 participating components—including Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, DARPA, Defense Health Agency, Missile Defense Agency, and others—each releasing their own topics under a common annual BAA and CSO framework. Topics span all OUSD(R&E) critical technology areas: artificial intelligence, autonomy, quantum science, hypersonics, microelectronics, biotechnology, advanced materials, and more. The DoD SBIR/STTR program does not accept unsolicited proposals; every submission must respond to a specific published topic.

DoD issues three pre-scheduled BAA/CSO solicitation cycles per fiscal year, plus Annual BAAs introduced in FY22 that allow components to release topics on a rolling basis with at least 45 days notice before each close date. As of May 26, 2026, 132 topics were active in the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) across Pre-Release and Open status. Phase I awards are approximately $140,000 for six months of feasibility research; Phase II awards run up to approximately $1.7 million for 24 months of prototype development. Eligibility requires US small business concern status under SBA rules: 500 employees or fewer and at least 51% owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents. All proposals must be submitted electronically through DSIP at dodsbirsttr.mil.

Applicants should monitor the DSIP topic database at dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app to identify open topics matching their technology. Each topic specifies the component, topic manager contact, submission window, and technical requirements. The BAA and CSO mechanisms differ: BAA topics focus on basic and applied research aimed at advancing scientific knowledge, while CSO topics seek innovative commercial items or solutions to close specific capability gaps. A Direct-to-Phase II pathway is available for qualifying topics where the company can document prior equivalent work, allowing applicants to skip Phase I entirely.