DoW SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research)

The Department of Defense SBIR program is the department-wide small-business R&D contracting route, run through the SBIR/STTR Office and the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal. It is the largest U.S. government set-aside research and development mechanism for small businesses, with topics published by service components and defense agencies. It uses BAA and CSO solicitations, with three scheduled cycles each fiscal year and additional annual releases. Topics are issued by the Army, Air Force, Navy, DARPA, MDA, DTRA, DHA, SOCOM, OSD, SDA, Space Force, DLA, NGA, CBD, and others. Eligibility is limited to for-profit small businesses registered and operating in the United States, and unsolicited proposals are not accepted. The program moves from Phase I proof of concept to Phase II prototype work and then to Phase III commercialization or production, so applicants need a narrow mission fit and a proposal that matches the current topic language. Strong submissions track the specific solicitation, component, and deadline because each office controls its own award structure and evaluation details.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.