DON26BZ05-DV081 — Intelligent Data Analysis of Post-Mission Reporting Artifacts & Data

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-DV081 is a Navy Direct to Phase II (DP2) SBIR topic sponsored by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). It funds a conversational, natural-language analytics platform that lets non-data-scientist Navy personnel connect to, clean, analyze, and visualize large heterogeneous datasets from post-mission reporting. This is DP2, meaning there is no separate Phase I award. Companies must already have completed Phase I-type R&D on their own and submit feasibility documentation proving it. Maximum award across Base and Option is $1,400,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

The Navy collects enormous volumes of high-quality operational and training data, but turning that data into decisions is a persistent bottleneck because most of the people who need insights are not data scientists. NAVAIR wants a platform that closes that gap by letting Fleet personnel ask questions in plain language and get back relevant visualizations, without needing to write queries or understand the underlying data structure.

The solution needs to connect to a wide range of data sources, including spreadsheets, SQL databases, cloud services, and on-premises resources, and it needs to clean and prepare that raw data automatically. Beyond ingestion, it must give users an intuitive interface for building relationships between data tables, defining measures, and constructing calculations, all without requiring technical expertise. The conversational layer is central to the ask: users should be able to propose analyses in natural language and receive interactive charts, graphs, tables, and maps in response.

Trust and transparency carry real weight in this topic. NAVAIR is explicit that outputs must be explainable, that personnel need to understand and trust the rationale behind any data-driven recommendation, and that users must have access to manual methods to verify results. The solution also has to align with the Department of War's ethical AI principles (Responsible, Equitable, Traceable, Reliable, Governable), current automated technology policy, and Risk Management Framework guidance. This is not a topic where a black-box model will clear the bar.

Because this is a DP2 topic, companies do not submit a traditional Phase I proposal. Instead, they submit a Phase I Feasibility Proposal proving they have already built and validated a relevant capability, independently of prior SBIR/STTR funding, including evidence that a previous version of the technology is feasible in a relevant domain, the ability to ingest data and produce initial visualizations, and a description of existing prototypes or modules that would be extended in Phase II. NAVAIR is explicit that feasibility cannot rest solely on work performed under a prior or ongoing federal SBIR/STTR award, so companies whose only track record is government-funded R&D on this exact capability will not qualify.

This topic is ITAR-restricted, and work is expected to become classified in Phase II, which means the selected contractor must be able to obtain and maintain a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances. Companies without a clear path to that clearance should weigh this carefully.

Phase III applications are broad. NAVAIR points to finance, healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing as industries facing the same challenge of large, complex datasets and non-technical users, and calls out business intelligence, market trend analysis, supply chain optimization, and predictive maintenance as natural commercial extensions.

Funding

Phase II Base: up to $1,000,000, period of performance up to 30 months
Phase II Option: up to $400,000, period of performance up to 12 months
Maximum total (Base plus Option): $1,400,000
No separate Phase I award is issued under DP2
Award types considered: Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Firm Fixed Price, Basic Ordering Agreement, or Prototype Other Transaction
Discretionary TABA available: up to $25,000 per award, included in the Phase II award amount

Timeline

Step one: submit a Phase I Feasibility Proposal through DSIP
Step two: if selected, the SYSCOM contacts the company directly with instructions to submit a Full DP2 Proposal
Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 (verify against the official BAA close date for this release)
Notifications sent approximately one week after BAA close, based on the Cover Sheet email address

Key Requirements

Must demonstrate completed Phase I-type R&D independently, not solely from prior federal SBIR/STTR funding
Technical Volume limited to 30 pages total: 20 pages for Phase I feasibility, 10 pages for the Phase II snapshot
Minimum 50 percent of Phase II work performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement
ITAR-restricted, with mandatory foreign national disclosures
Must be able to obtain a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances for classified Phase II work

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes this a Direct to Phase II topic?
DP2 means there is no funded Phase I. Companies must have already completed Phase I-type research and development on their own and prove it with feasibility documentation before being considered for a Phase II award.

Can I use work from a prior SBIR or STTR award as my feasibility evidence?
No, not solely. NAVAIR requires that feasibility be demonstrated through work that was not solely performed under prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR/STTR effort.

What is the core capability NAVAIR wants?
A platform that lets non-data-scientist Navy personnel connect to multiple data sources and use natural language to get interactive visualizations and analysis, with fully explainable and verifiable outputs.

Does this require a security clearance?
Yes. Work is expected to become classified in Phase II, and the contractor must be able to obtain and maintain a secret facility clearance and personnel security clearances.

How much can a Phase II award be worth?
Up to $1,000,000 for the Base and up to $400,000 for the Option, for a maximum of $1,400,000.

What is the minimum percentage of work the small business must perform?
At least 50 percent of the work, measured across direct and indirect costs, in both the Base and Option.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, pending confirmation against the official BAA posting, submitted through DSIP.

DON26BX05-NP004 — NAVWAR Unified APNT Operational Awareness and Decision Support

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

DON26BX05-NP004 is a Navy SBIR Open Topic under DoW 2026 SBIR CSO Release 5, sponsored by Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR). It funds software that improves how Navy operators understand Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (APNT) status, confidence, threats, and recovery options across multiple existing systems. This topic does not seek new PNT sensors or navigation algorithms. It seeks data integration, human-machine interface design, visualization, and decision-support software that unifies fragmented information into one operational picture. Phase I awards up to $315,000 total, with multiple awards planned. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

The Navy depends on accurate positioning, navigation, and timing data to run maritime operations, coordinate distributed forces, and support mission planning. As the fleet adds more APNT-related systems and situational awareness tools, operators increasingly have to juggle multiple interfaces and data sources just to understand whether their PNT information is trustworthy, what is threatening it, and what to do if it degrades. That fragmentation increases cognitive workload, complicates training, and slows decisions in exactly the moments when speed matters most.

This topic sits under the Navy's GPS-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Service (GPNTS) program, which is expanding APNT resilience through a growing set of technologies, including open-source data types like All-Source Positioning and Navigation (ASPN) and the PNT operating system (pntOS). NAVWAR wants a software layer that ingests, integrates, processes, and presents information from GPNTS, alternate PNT sources, and related situational awareness systems through one unified operator experience, often described as a common operating picture or single pane of glass.

It is important for companies evaluating this topic to understand what NAVWAR is explicitly not asking for. This is not a call for new PNT sensors, navigation algorithms, timing hardware, or sensing technology. Instead, NAVWAR is looking for expertise in software architecture, data integration, information management, user experience and human-machine interface design, analytics, visualization, and decision-support technology. Companies with strong commercial track records in adjacent industries such as autonomous transportation, cloud operations, telecommunications, logistics, or industrial automation are specifically invited to apply their existing platforms to this problem, since NAVWAR states that solutions do not need to be purpose-built for APNT if they can be adapted to the operational objective.

The list of primary technology areas of interest is broad: data integration and orchestration platforms, HMI and UX design, common operating picture technologies, operational data visualization, decision-support systems, workflow automation, human-centered design methodologies, data analytics and correlation platforms, AI-enabled operator assistance, containerized software architectures, mission management software, and digital engineering environments. NAVWAR also notes solutions outside these areas may still qualify if they address the core objective, which gives proposers real latitude in how they frame their technical approach.

NAVWAR has stated it plans to make multiple Phase I awards under this topic, though it reserves the right to make none. Phase I work centers on establishing feasibility through relevant operational use cases, an integration approach, and expected improvements to operator effectiveness, along with a path to implementation in Navy environments. Phase I deliverables include a kickoff briefing, a progress report, a final report, and an initial Phase II proposal.

Phase II work matures the concept into a working prototype demonstrating measurable improvements in situational awareness, information accessibility, decision-making, workflow efficiency, or confidence assessment, validated within a representative operational environment and potentially integrated with real GPNTS or APNT data sources. The final report at that stage must include a transition strategy, deployment considerations, sustainment approach, and commercialization plan.

Phase III and dual-use potential are significant here. NAVWAR points to broad applicability in autonomous transportation, commercial shipping and logistics, aviation operations, industrial automation, telecommunications network operations, smart infrastructure management, cloud and data center operations, critical infrastructure monitoring, public safety, and enterprise operations centers. This is a strong fit for companies already building operational dashboards, data fusion platforms, or decision-support software for other industries who want to extend that capability into a defense context.

Funding

Phase I Base: up to $200,000
Phase I Option: up to $115,000
Maximum Phase I total (Base plus Option): $315,000
Award type: Prototype Other Transaction (OT)
Phase I period of performance: exactly 6 months for the Base, exactly 6 months for the Option
Phase II maximum: up to $2,000,000
Discretionary TABA available: up to $6,500 in Phase I, in addition to the award amount

Timeline

Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026
Submission portal: DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP)
Proposal receipt confirmation: approximately one week after CSO close
Phase I award structure: two payments during the Base period, three payments if the Option is exercised

Key Requirements

Technical Volume limited to 10 pages
Minimum two-thirds of Phase I work must be performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option costs
No cost sharing accepted
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement
Foreign Risk Evaluation disclosures required in Volume 7
Not seeking new PNT hardware, sensors, or navigation algorithms
Multiple Phase I awards planned, though NAVWAR reserves the right to make none

Point of Contact

Shadi Azoum, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR)
info@navwarsbir.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NAVWAR trying to solve with this topic?
NAVWAR wants software that unifies fragmented APNT status, confidence, threat, and recovery information across multiple existing systems into one operator interface, reducing cognitive workload and speeding up decisions.

Is this topic asking for new PNT hardware or sensors?
No. The topic explicitly excludes new PNT sensing technology, navigation algorithms, timing sources, or hardware. It is focused entirely on software, data integration, and decision support.

Can a company from outside the defense sector apply?
Yes. NAVWAR specifically invites mature commercial technologies from industries like autonomous transportation, cloud operations, telecommunications, logistics, and industrial automation, as long as they can be adapted to the APNT decision-support objective.

What is GPNTS?
The Navy's GPS-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Service, a program expanding APNT resilience through a growing set of integrated technologies and data sources.

How many awards will NAVWAR make under this topic?
NAVWAR states it plans to issue multiple Phase I awards but reserves the right to issue none.

What are the Phase I deliverables?
A kickoff briefing, a progress report, a final report, and an initial Phase II proposal.

How much funding is available in Phase I?
Up to $200,000 for the Base and up to $115,000 for the Option, for a combined maximum of $315,000.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted through the DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP).

Does this technology have commercial applications outside the Navy?
Yes. NAVWAR identifies applicability in autonomous transportation, shipping and logistics, aviation, industrial automation, telecommunications, smart infrastructure, cloud operations, critical infrastructure monitoring, public safety, and enterprise operations centers.

DON26BX05-NP003 — NAVSEA MBSE Acceleration via AI/ML

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

DON26BX05-NP003 is a Navy SBIR Open Topic under DoW 2026 SBIR CSO Release 5, sponsored by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). It funds development of an AI/ML capability that ingests disparate legacy technical documentation (paper records, PDFs, images, cable run sheets, hardware and software bills of material, and more) and automatically generates Systems Modeling Language (SysML) models compatible with the Cameo Magic Draw environment. The goal is to rapidly and affordably transition legacy Navy weapons systems, starting with the AEGIS Combat System, into Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) without diverting funding from ongoing capability development. Phase I awards up to $315,000 total. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

The Navy's AEGIS Combat System dates to the late 1970s, and much of its design documentation still exists only in paper form or in legacy digital formats that resist conversion into modern systems models. Rebuilding this documentation manually would pull funding away from capability development that the fleet needs now. NAVSEA is looking for a commercially available or near-commercial solution that solves this problem with AI and machine learning rather than manual labor.

The solution must ingest a wide range of technical documentation types, including digital files, scanned images, Adobe files, written documents, installation and interface configurations, hardware and software bills of material, cable run sheets, IP addresses, ports, protocols, and services. From that ingested data, it must auto-generate SysML models with minimal human input and a high degree of accuracy, and those models must convert directly into the CAMEO Magic Draw SysML modeling environment. NAVSEA states plainly that nothing commercially available does this today, which signals this is a genuine capability gap rather than an integration exercise.

Beyond model generation, the resulting models need to support system design, capability development, cyber assessment and authorization, interface design and verification, functional testing, configuration management, reliability calculation and tracking, problem tracking, and program certification. This is a broad mandate: the government is not just asking for a document parser, but for a pipeline that produces models useful across the full systems engineering lifecycle.

Companies should note two important constraints up front. First, this topic is ITAR-restricted, and proposers must disclose any planned use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, visa status, and the specific tasks they would perform. Second, work is expected to become classified as early as Phase II, and the selected contractor must be U.S.-owned and operated with no foreign influence, and must be able to obtain and maintain a secret-level facility clearance and personnel security clearances. Companies without an existing path to a facility clearance should weigh this carefully before proposing, since it becomes a hard requirement for advancing past Phase I.

Phase I work is limited to a feasibility and concept-development effort: demonstrating that the proposed AI/ML approach can meet the ingestion and model-generation requirements described above, and estimating initial performance against test and operational environments. If the Phase I Option is exercised, it adds initial design and interface specifications to prepare for a Phase II prototype build.

Phase III applications extend well beyond AEGIS. NAVSEA explicitly flags scaling the tool across PEO IWS, other combat systems, and C4I elements, and notes that almost any organization doing systems design or sustainment work with technical documentation, drawings, cable run sheets, hardware and software lists, DOORS records, or reliability reports could use a mature version of this technology. That gives the eventual solution real dual-use and commercial potential outside the Navy.

Funding

Phase I Base: up to $200,000
Phase I Option: up to $115,000
Maximum Phase I total (Base plus Option): $315,000
Award type: Prototype Other Transaction (OT)
Phase I period of performance: exactly 6 months for the Base, exactly 6 months for the Option
Phase II maximum: up to $2,000,000
Discretionary TABA available: up to $6,500 in Phase I, in addition to the award amount

Timeline

Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026
Submission portal: DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP)
Proposal receipt confirmation: approximately one week after CSO close
Phase I award structure: two payments during the Base period, three payments if the Option is exercised

Key Requirements

Technical Volume limited to 10 pages
Minimum two-thirds of Phase I work must be performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option costs
No cost sharing accepted
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement
Foreign Risk Evaluation disclosures required in Volume 7
Must be able to obtain a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances for later phases
ITAR-restricted, with mandatory foreign national disclosures if applicable

Point of Contact

Jason Schroepfer, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)
NSSC_SBIR.fct@navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What problem is NAVSEA trying to solve with this topic?
NAVSEA wants to convert legacy technical documentation for systems like AEGIS, much of it in paper or outdated digital formats, into modern Model-Based Systems Engineering models using AI and machine learning, without diverting engineering funding from ongoing capability work.

Does a commercial solution already exist for this?
No. The topic description states directly that nothing commercially available performs this ingestion-to-SysML-model capability today.

What kind of documentation must the solution be able to process?
Digital files, images, Adobe files, written documents, installation and interface configurations, software and hardware bills of material, cable run sheets, IP addresses, and ports, protocols, and services data.

What modeling environment must the output be compatible with?
The CAMEO Magic Draw SysML modeling environment.

Will this work require a security clearance?
Yes, eventually. Phase II work is expected to become classified, and the contractor must be able to obtain and maintain a secret facility clearance and personnel security clearances.

Is this topic ITAR-restricted?
Yes. Proposers must disclose any planned use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, visa or work permit status, and the specific tasks they would perform.

How much funding is available in Phase I?
Up to $200,000 for the Base and up to $115,000 for the Option, for a combined maximum of $315,000.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted through the DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP).

Can this technology be used outside the AEGIS program?
Yes. NAVSEA identifies dual-use potential across other shipboard systems, PEO IWS, combat systems, and C4I elements, and broader applicability to any organization doing systems design or sustainment work with similar documentation types.

DME26TZ05-NP001: Cable Connector Enhancement

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Defense Microelectronics Activity is offering a Phase I STTR award of up to $100,000 for companies developing a solution that strengthens commercial off-the-shelf cable connectors on existing circuit boards, without requiring custom cable manufacturing or board redesign. This is topic DME26TZ05-NP001 under the DoW FY26 STTR BAA Release 5. As an STTR, this topic requires a formal research institution partnership. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Phase I STTR topic, meaning the small business must formally partner with a single Research Institution for the duration of the project. DMEA structures this Phase I specifically as a lower-cost, shorter-duration examination of concept merit rather than a full feasibility build: the award cap is $100,000 with a maximum period of performance of just 3 months, notably tighter than the standard DMEA SBIR Phase I terms.

This topic falls under the Contested Logistics Technologies critical technology area and Microelectronics component priority area. It carries a projected CMMC Level 1 requirement. Only unclassified proposals will be accepted. As with DMEA's companion SBIR release, the Company Commercialization Report WILL be considered during proposal evaluations here, which is a notable departure from most other DoW components.

Due to limited funding, DMEA reserves the right to limit awards under this topic, and only proposals considered to be of superior quality will be funded. That is a more explicit competitiveness warning than typically appears in these solicitations, worth flagging to any client considering this one.

What DAF Is Looking For

The cable-to-board connection is one of the most common failure points in electronics systems because of the thermal and mechanical stress it absorbs. For new designs, engineers can design around that risk from the start. For existing designs already in the field, options are limited. Potting protects against moisture, vibration, and shock, but potting material has to stop below the connector's electrical contact height to avoid disrupting the connection, which means the board side gets protected while the actual joint remains exposed and vulnerable to strain.

Swapping in a more specialized connector is possible if the board footprint allows it, but removing an existing connector takes significant technician time and introduces rework risk, particularly on densely populated boards where there may not be room for a heat shield to protect neighboring components during removal. Direct solder connections that eliminate the connector entirely, using something like Hot Bar Soldering, bring their own headaches: custom tooling, fixturing, and a compatible Anisotropic Conductive Film that may not exist or be sourceable in small quantities for an existing connector footprint.

DMEA wants a more versatile fix: something that strengthens the existing COTS connector itself, works across multiple connector form factors, doesn't touch core connector functionality, and is compatible with standard PCB assembly, coating, and potting processes already in use. No custom cable manufacturing or custom tooling.

Phase I is a feasibility study evaluated against these specific target requirements: operation across a -50°C to 140°C range, compatibility with MMCX, SMA, UFL, Panasonic, and Samtec connector types, compatibility with potting materials at a viscosity of 20,000 cp or higher (with the connector fully submerged in potting, not just protected below the contact area), suitability for small densely populated boards, and demonstrated compatibility with existing manufacturing techniques. The solution also needs a credible path to passing MIL-STD-202 Method 201A vibration testing, MIL-STD-202 Method 213B condition B shock testing, and MIL-STD-810 Method 501.5 and 503.5 thermal testing.

Phase II moves into actual physical testing across all of those environmental conditions, plus expanded testing at higher potting viscosities up to 60,000 cp, long-term electrical testing at three temperature conditions over durations up to 4 weeks, and investigation into compatibility with additional connector types beyond the original five. DMEA wants repeatable data and expects performers to provide sample materials or tools needed to replicate the enhancement.

Funding and Timeline

Phase I award maximum is $100,000 with a maximum period of performance of 3 months. The technical volume page limit is 10 pages, and proposals exceeding that will be deemed non-compliant and will not be evaluated.

Phase II, available only to Phase I awardees, has an award maximum of $1,340,000 with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, and a technical volume limit of 40 pages. Phase I awardees can submit a Phase II proposal without invitation up to 60 calendar days after the Phase I contract ends. Phase II awards are subject to available funding regardless of proposal quality, and proposals must remain valid for 180 days after submission.

Technical and Business Assistance funding is available at up to $6,500 per Phase I project and up to $50,000 per Phase II project.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. Firms will be notified of Phase I selection status within 90 days of the topic closing date.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with materials science or electronics packaging backgrounds, particularly those with experience in conformal coatings, potting compounds, or connector reinforcement techniques, combined with a research institution partner capable of environmental and mechanical stress testing. Companies coming from ruggedized electronics, aerospace, or marine electronics backgrounds, where connector reliability under harsh conditions is already a familiar problem, have a natural fit. Because this is explicitly framed as a short, narrow concept-merit study rather than a full engineering build, a company with a clear, testable materials or coating innovation is better positioned than one proposing an open-ended research program.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

As an STTR, this requires a formal partnership with a single Research Institution. Percentage of Work requirements follow the standard DoW STTR calculation and DMEA does not permit deviations. Subcontractor, consultant, and facility lease costs combined may not exceed one third of the total contract price or cost unless separately approved in writing by the Contracting Officer.

Cost sharing is permitted but not required and will not be used as an evaluation factor.

Only unclassified proposals will be accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available for Phase I?
Up to $100,000 with a maximum period of performance of 3 months, plus up to $6,500 in Technical and Business Assistance funding.

How much funding is available for Phase II?
Up to $1,340,000 with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, plus up to $50,000 in Technical and Business Assistance funding.

Does this require a university or research institution partner?
Yes. As an STTR topic, the small business must formally partner with a single Research Institution to meet program eligibility requirements.

What connector types does the solution need to support?
At minimum, MMCX, SMA, UFL, Panasonic, and Samtec connectors.

What environmental standards does the solution need to pass?
MIL-STD-202 Method 201A for vibration, MIL-STD-202 Method 213B condition B for shock, and MIL-STD-810 Method 501.5 and 503.5 for thermal testing, expanding to additional MIL-STD-810 methods in Phase II.

Is award funding guaranteed for high-quality proposals?
No. DMEA explicitly states that due to limited funding, only proposals considered to be of superior quality will be funded, and Phase II award ability is subject to available funds regardless of merit.

What is the technical volume page limit?
10 pages for Phase I, 40 pages for Phase II.

What happens in Phase III?
The solution could be marketed to other defense contractors, consumer electronics companies, or hobbyist markets, as well as directly to DoD and other government agencies deploying electronics in harsh environments.

DME26BZ05-NV001: Additive Manufacturing for Flexible Electronics

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Defense Microelectronics Activity is offering a Phase I SBIR award of up to $200,000 for companies developing additive manufacturing processes that can build radio frequency electronics modules on 3D printed or flexible substrates, as a lower-cost alternative to traditional advanced packaging. This is topic DME26BZ05-NV001 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a standard Phase I SBIR topic issued by DMEA rather than a service branch. It falls under the Contested Logistics Technologies critical technology area and Microelectronics component priority area. It carries a projected CMMC Level 1 requirement, notably lower than the CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement seen on most other topics in this release cycle. Only unclassified proposals will be accepted.

One DMEA-specific detail worth flagging: the Company Commercialization Report, which is typically not considered in evaluations under other components' topics, WILL be considered by DMEA during proposal evaluations for this release. That is a meaningful difference for any client used to CCR being a formality.

What DAF Is Looking For

Nearly every DoW system with electronics needs printed circuit board manufacturing, and today's commercial substrate manufacturing and advanced packaging techniques are expensive with long lead times, which makes them a poor fit for the high mix, low volume production DoW actually needs. DMEA wants to validate additive manufacturing of electronics, essentially 3D printing applied to electronics packaging, as a viable, reliable alternative.

The specific ask is a feasibility study and design of a radio frequency system built using additive manufacturing techniques such as multi-material 3D printing or Flexible Hybrid Electronics interconnect processes. The RF module needs to integrate a variety of surface mount components, including QFN and BGA packages, along with passive resistors, inductors, and capacitors, all built onto an additively fabricated substrate. Once assembled, the module needs to go through reliability testing and demonstrate performance comparable to standard manufacturing processes or sufficient to meet DoW mission needs.

The topic lays out eleven specific target specifications applicants need to design toward: interconnect trace width and pitch width of 5 mil or better, the ability to integrate a 12x12 BGA with 0.5mm ball pitch, printed passive component tolerance of 0.1 percent or better, resistor range from 1 ohm to 10 megohm, capacitor range from 1 picofarad to 1 microfarad, inductor range from 1 picohenry to 100 nanohenry, and thermal survivability at 150°C for 10 hours continuous operation plus storage survivability at 125°C for up to 4 weeks.

DMEA explicitly welcomes multiple incremental feasibility studies rather than requiring one company to solve everything at once, and lists four acceptable goal areas a proposal can target: hybrid electronic manufacturing as an alternative to standard packaging and soldering, additive manufacturing for fine pitch RF tuned circuitry on flexible substrates, printing passive components directly onto flexible substrates, or hybrid circuit design and layout that replicates existing RF module functionality on a flexible substrate. A proposal can focus on just one of these and still be a strong fit, provided the report explains how it could combine with other incremental work toward a holistic manufacturing solution later.

The Phase I deliverable is a feasibility report, not a working prototype. It needs to document the proposed manufacturing process flow with diagrams, bulk material specifications, a cost breakdown compared against existing commercial and research alternatives including any bulk discount price points, and the characterization methodology used to validate the approach. If any of the eleven target specifications can't be fully addressed, the report needs to explain why, and if addressing them is technically possible but not financially practical, that needs to be justified too.

Phase II moves to building, testing, and delivering an actual functional RF system meeting the Phase I specifications, with attention to manufacturing yield and reliability demonstrated across multiple production lots, not just a single best-case sample.

Funding and Timeline

Phase I award maximum is $200,000 with a maximum period of performance of 6 months. The technical volume page limit is 20 pages, and proposals exceeding that will be deemed non-compliant and will not be evaluated.

Phase II, available only to Phase I awardees, has an award maximum of $1,340,000 with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, and a technical volume limit of 40 pages. Phase I awardees can submit a Phase II proposal without invitation up to 60 calendar days after the Phase I contract ends. A Phase II contractor may also receive one sequential Phase II award, though that must be initiated by the government technical point of contact and approved in advance by the DMEA SBIR/STTR Program Manager. DMEA notes that Phase II awards are subject to available funding regardless of proposal quality, and proposals must remain valid for 180 days after submission.

Technical and Business Assistance funding is available at up to $6,500 per Phase I project and up to $50,000 per Phase II project.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. Firms will be notified of Phase I selection status within 90 days of the topic closing date.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with existing additive manufacturing or 3D printing experience applied to electronics, particularly aerosol jet printing, multi-material printing, or Flexible Hybrid Electronics work, combined with RF or microelectronics packaging knowledge. Companies that have already worked with conductive nanoparticle inks, printed passive components, or ceramic interposer fabrication have a strong head start given how specific the target performance envelope is. Because DMEA explicitly allows incremental, narrowly scoped proposals, this is also approachable for a company strong in just one piece, such as printed passives or fine-pitch interconnects, rather than requiring end-to-end RF module capability out of the gate.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

Percentage of Work requirements follow the standard DoW solicitation calculation, and DMEA does not permit deviations from those requirements. Subcontractor, consultant, and facility lease costs combined may not exceed one third of the total contract price or cost unless separately approved in writing by the Contracting Officer.

Cost sharing is permitted but not required and will not be used as an evaluation factor.

Only unclassified proposals will be accepted under this topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available for Phase I?
Up to $200,000 with a maximum period of performance of 6 months, plus up to $6,500 in Technical and Business Assistance funding.

How much funding is available for Phase II?
Up to $1,340,000 with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, plus up to $50,000 in Technical and Business Assistance funding.

Does a proposal need to address all eleven target specifications?
Not necessarily in full working form for Phase I, but the feasibility report must address each one, either demonstrating a path to meeting it or providing justification for why it is not applicable or not financially feasible.

Can multiple companies propose different pieces of this challenge?
Yes. DMEA explicitly states multiple feasibility studies may be appropriate if they address the goals incrementally and could later combine into a holistic manufacturing solution.

What is the CMMC requirement for this topic?
Level 1, which is lower than the Level 2 (Self) requirement seen on most other topics in this release cycle.

Is the Company Commercialization Report considered in evaluation?
Yes, notably. Unlike most other DoW component topics, DMEA states the CCR will be considered during proposal evaluations.

What is the technical volume page limit?
20 pages for Phase I, 40 pages for Phase II.

What happens in Phase III?
The technology could be applied to other DoW and commercial applications wherever additive manufacturing offers a cost, schedule, or performance advantage over traditional methods.

DAF26TZ05-NV005: Real Time Enhanced Fine Tracking in Directed Energy Applications

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Phase I STTR award of up to $300,000 for companies developing a real-time 3D imaging and tracking pipeline for the fine track segment of directed energy systems, aimed primarily at counter-drone applications. This is topic DAF26TZ05-NV005 under the DoW FY26 STTR BAA Release 5. As an STTR, this topic requires a formal partnership with a research institution. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Small Business Technology Transfer topic, distinct from a standard SBIR award. STTR requires the small business to formally partner with a single Research Institution, such as a university or federally funded R&D center, for the duration of the project. This is not optional and there are no deviations permitted from the required work split.

The topic falls under the Directed Energy, Trusted AI and Autonomy, and Advanced Computing and Software component priority areas, with Scaled Hypersonics listed as the OUSW critical technology area. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement. This topic description does not carry the standard ITAR/EAR restriction language seen elsewhere in this release, but given the directed energy and counter-drone application, applicants should still confirm export control status with the contracting officer.

What DAF Is Looking For

Counter-drone defense is a top priority for the Department of War, and current directed energy tracking relies on 2D imagery that struggles against low-flying targets set against cluttered backgrounds. 2D imaging cannot cleanly separate a target from clutter without extra processing, and coherent illumination introduces its own problems, namely scintillation and speckle noise, that degrade tracking accuracy. These weaknesses hit hardest in the fine track segment of the directed energy kill chain, where tracking loops need to run above 1kHz with very narrow fields of view to keep pace with a changing atmosphere.

AFRL wants to explore 3D imaging, specifically LiDAR or coherent 3D approaches like digital holography, combined with machine-learning-based declutter and image reconstruction, to close this gap. 3D imaging offers three specific advantages the topic calls out: precise range gating that separates a target from cluttered backgrounds, range images that are inherently robust against scintillation and speckle, and the ability to correct phase aberrations caused by aero-optics and turbulence. While the immediate driver is counter-drone defense tied to a recent executive order on missile defense, the underlying technology is also relevant to ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missile defense more broadly.

Phase I work is organized around three research directions. Basic research covers determining system-level requirements for real-time 3D imaging and tracking, evaluating available motion-compensated 3D imaging techniques and selecting one after a pros and cons analysis, and building an empirical or theoretical signal-to-noise ratio model. Applied research covers maturing 3D tracking algorithms to work across different imaging modalities, determining what specific benefit coherent 3D and 2.5D imaging provide over conventional approaches, and developing software architecture capable of real-time tracking. The Phase I deliverable is a design and hardware specification for a prototype system, plus reports on the comparative strengths and weaknesses of different 3D imaging approaches, not a working hardware prototype itself.

Phase II moves into hardware, building a processor prototype capable of interfacing with real-time closed-loop hardware for aimpoint maintenance and demonstrating it in either a scaled laboratory optical system or an outdoor test range.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $300,000 with a maximum period of performance of 6 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 20 pages.

DAF also provides up to $6,500 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase I award, on top of the cost proposal total.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with existing expertise in coherent optical sensing, digital holography, or LiDAR-based 3D imaging, ideally with some background in adaptive optics or image reconstruction through turbulence. Companies with machine-learning-based image restoration experience have an added edge given the topic's explicit interest in combining physics-based and ML-based reconstruction methods. Because this is an STTR, the applicant also needs a research institution partner already lined up or in active discussion, ideally one with relevant optics, photonics, or computational imaging research capability, since that partnership has to be formalized before submission.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

STTR performance of work requirements are fixed and not open to deviation requests. A minimum of 40 percent of the effort must be performed by the small business, and a minimum of 30 percent must be performed by the single partnering research institution. Only one research institution can be used to satisfy STTR eligibility, though the applicant may hold discussions with multiple qualifying institutions before choosing one.

Unlike the Phase I SBIR topics in this same release cycle, small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are NOT eligible to submit applications or receive STTR awards under this BAA.

All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances requiring written approval from the funding agreement officer at initial submission. Only one principal investigator can be designated per proposal, and their technical resume with publications must be included. An Allocation of Rights Agreement with the research institution partner is also required as part of the cost volume documentation.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and listing on federal restricted entity lists.

DAF26TZ05-NV005: Real Time Enhanced Fine Tracking in Directed Energy Applications

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Phase I STTR award of up to $300,000 for companies developing a real-time 3D imaging and tracking pipeline for the fine track segment of directed energy systems, aimed primarily at counter-drone applications. This is topic DAF26TZ05-NV005 under the DoW FY26 STTR BAA Release 5. As an STTR, this topic requires a formal partnership with a research institution. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Small Business Technology Transfer topic, distinct from a standard SBIR award. STTR requires the small business to formally partner with a single Research Institution, such as a university or federally funded R&D center, for the duration of the project. This is not optional and there are no deviations permitted from the required work split.

The topic falls under the Directed Energy, Trusted AI and Autonomy, and Advanced Computing and Software component priority areas, with Scaled Hypersonics listed as the OUSW critical technology area. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement. This topic description does not carry the standard ITAR/EAR restriction language seen elsewhere in this release, but given the directed energy and counter-drone application, applicants should still confirm export control status with the contracting officer.

What DAF Is Looking For

Counter-drone defense is a top priority for the Department of War, and current directed energy tracking relies on 2D imagery that struggles against low-flying targets set against cluttered backgrounds. 2D imaging cannot cleanly separate a target from clutter without extra processing, and coherent illumination introduces its own problems, namely scintillation and speckle noise, that degrade tracking accuracy. These weaknesses hit hardest in the fine track segment of the directed energy kill chain, where tracking loops need to run above 1kHz with very narrow fields of view to keep pace with a changing atmosphere.

AFRL wants to explore 3D imaging, specifically LiDAR or coherent 3D approaches like digital holography, combined with machine-learning-based declutter and image reconstruction, to close this gap. 3D imaging offers three specific advantages the topic calls out: precise range gating that separates a target from cluttered backgrounds, range images that are inherently robust against scintillation and speckle, and the ability to correct phase aberrations caused by aero-optics and turbulence. While the immediate driver is counter-drone defense tied to a recent executive order on missile defense, the underlying technology is also relevant to ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missile defense more broadly.

Phase I work is organized around three research directions. Basic research covers determining system-level requirements for real-time 3D imaging and tracking, evaluating available motion-compensated 3D imaging techniques and selecting one after a pros and cons analysis, and building an empirical or theoretical signal-to-noise ratio model. Applied research covers maturing 3D tracking algorithms to work across different imaging modalities, determining what specific benefit coherent 3D and 2.5D imaging provide over conventional approaches, and developing software architecture capable of real-time tracking. The Phase I deliverable is a design and hardware specification for a prototype system, plus reports on the comparative strengths and weaknesses of different 3D imaging approaches, not a working hardware prototype itself.

Phase II moves into hardware, building a processor prototype capable of interfacing with real-time closed-loop hardware for aimpoint maintenance and demonstrating it in either a scaled laboratory optical system or an outdoor test range.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $300,000 with a maximum period of performance of 6 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 20 pages.

DAF also provides up to $6,500 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase I award, on top of the cost proposal total.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with existing expertise in coherent optical sensing, digital holography, or LiDAR-based 3D imaging, ideally with some background in adaptive optics or image reconstruction through turbulence. Companies with machine-learning-based image restoration experience have an added edge given the topic's explicit interest in combining physics-based and ML-based reconstruction methods. Because this is an STTR, the applicant also needs a research institution partner already lined up or in active discussion, ideally one with relevant optics, photonics, or computational imaging research capability, since that partnership has to be formalized before submission.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

STTR performance of work requirements are fixed and not open to deviation requests. A minimum of 40 percent of the effort must be performed by the small business, and a minimum of 30 percent must be performed by the single partnering research institution. Only one research institution can be used to satisfy STTR eligibility, though the applicant may hold discussions with multiple qualifying institutions before choosing one.

Unlike the Phase I SBIR topics in this same release cycle, small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are NOT eligible to submit applications or receive STTR awards under this BAA.

All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances requiring written approval from the funding agreement officer at initial submission. Only one principal investigator can be designated per proposal, and their technical resume with publications must be included. An Allocation of Rights Agreement with the research institution partner is also required as part of the cost volume documentation.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and listing on federal restricted entity lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $300,000 for a Phase I award with a maximum period of performance of 6 months, plus up to $6,500 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

Does this require a university or research institution partner?
Yes. As an STTR topic, the small business must partner with a single Research Institution performing at least 30 percent of the effort, while the small business performs at least 40 percent. This split cannot be waived.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
No. Unlike the Phase I SBIR topics released this same cycle, this STTR BAA release excludes small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds.

What is the primary application driving this topic?
Counter-drone defense, specifically enhancing the fine track segment of the directed energy kill chain, though the underlying technology also applies to broader missile defense against ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic threats.

Is a working hardware prototype required for Phase I?
No. Phase I deliverables are a design, algorithms, and hardware specifications for a prototype system, along with basic research findings comparing 3D imaging approaches. The physical prototype comes in Phase II.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
20 pages.

What happens in Phase III?
Phase III involves completing the real-time computational pipeline and conducting experiments with real-time hardware and existing beam director technology, such as the Beam-Control, Targeting Resource Advanced Integration Lab, to demonstrate coherent 3D imaging as a viable DoD tracking asset for counter-drone kill chains.

DAF26BZ05-NV029: Cost-Effective Composite Joints with Tailorable Performance and Geometry

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Phase I SBIR award of up to $300,000 for companies developing scalable, cost-effective carbon fiber composite joint technologies with tailorable geometry for aerospace applications. This is topic DAF26BZ05-NV029 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a standard Phase I SBIR topic, meaning applicants are proposing a feasibility study. It falls under the Scaled Hypersonics critical technology area, touching Advanced Materials and Advanced Infrastructure and Advanced Manufacturing as component priority areas. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement and is restricted under ITAR and EAR, requiring disclosure of any foreign national involvement.

This topic carries a higher award ceiling and longer duration than the other three Phase I topics in this release.

What DAF Is Looking For

Composite structural joints today force a tradeoff. Back-to-back "L" joints offer customizable geometry but lower mechanical performance, while 3D woven pi-joints offer higher structural integrity but limited design flexibility. Both are expensive and hard to scale for surge manufacturing. DAF wants a new approach to carbon fiber preform architectures and manufacturing processes that breaks that tradeoff, delivering joints that are both tailorable in geometry and strong in performance, at a cost point that supports mass production.

This matters most for Autonomous Collaborative Platforms and other advanced weapons systems, where affordable, high-capability autonomous air vehicles depend on being able to manufacture composite airframes at scale without sacrificing mechanical performance or driving up unit cost.

The proposed work starts at TRL 2, fundamental research into design space and material configurations, and targets TRL 6 by the end of Phase II, meaning validated prototypes demonstrated in a relevant operational environment. Phase I activities include a literature review and trade study benchmarking current composite joint solutions, design and fabrication of initial carbon fiber pi-joint test articles demonstrating novel fiber architectures or manufacturing processes, a preliminary process flow for converting dry fiber preforms into finished composite pi-joints, and a technical feasibility report covering proposed geometries, material configurations, and cost projections.

Phase II expands into optimizing fiber architectures for a broader design space, developing scalable preform manufacturing with advanced resin impregnation techniques, fabricating additional joint specimens for diverse operational scenarios including Autonomous Collaborative Platform applications, mechanical testing to validate performance, and cost models covering both low-rate initial production and high-rate surge production.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $300,000 with a maximum period of performance of 9 months, both higher than the other three Phase I topics in this release. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 20 pages.

DAF also provides up to $6,500 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase I award, on top of the cost proposal total.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with composite materials manufacturing experience, particularly carbon fiber preform design, resin impregnation processes, or 3D weaving techniques for structural joints. Companies with existing aerospace composite manufacturing relationships or experience with automotive composite structures, where similar tradeoffs between cost, geometry, and performance apply, are well positioned. Since this starts at TRL 2, a credible design and manufacturing process concept matters more at this stage than a finished prototype, but real materials engineering depth will differentiate a strong proposal.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least two thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances.

Small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are eligible to submit and receive awards under this Phase I BAA release.

Only one principal investigator can be designated per proposal, and their technical resume with publications must be included.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $300,000 for a Phase I award with a maximum period of performance of 9 months, plus up to $6,500 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

Why does this topic have a higher award ceiling than the other Phase I topics in this release?
The solicitation does not explain the difference, but the scope, spanning literature review, physical test article fabrication, and cost modeling across two production scenarios, is broader than the other three Phase I topics in this release.

What TRL is this starting from and targeting?
TRL 2 at Phase I start, targeting TRL 6 by the end of Phase II.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
Yes. This Phase I BAA release does not exclude VC, hedge fund, or private equity owned small businesses.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
20 pages.

Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. It is restricted under both ITAR and the Export Administration Regulations, with disclosure required for any foreign national involvement.

What happens in Phase III?
Phase III advances the composite joint technology for military Autonomous Collaborative Platform airframes and advanced weapons systems, with commercial crossover into automotive and aerospace industries, focusing on preform optimization and surge production cost reduction.

DAF26BZ05-NV028: Ultra-Sensitive Quantum Telemetry Receiver

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Phase I SBIR award of up to $250,000 for companies investigating quantum sensing technology, specifically Rydberg atomic sensors, to build an ultra-sensitive telemetry receiver that outperforms classical receivers by orders of magnitude. This is topic DAF26BZ05-NV028 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a standard Phase I SBIR topic, meaning applicants are proposing a feasibility study. It falls under the Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance critical technology area, spanning Trusted AI and Autonomy, Quantum Science, and Integrated Network System-of-Systems as component priority areas. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement. This topic description does not carry the standard ITAR/EAR restriction language found on other topics in this release, though applicants should confirm export control applicability given the quantum sensing and DoD telemetry application space.

What DAF Is Looking For

FCC spectrum auctioning to private cellular carriers has squeezed the frequency bands available for DoD telemetry, particularly within the Major Range Test and Facility Base infrastructure. Classical telemetry receivers are limited in bandwidth, sensitivity, and adaptability to shifting spectrum availability. DAF wants to explore whether quantum sensing, specifically Rydberg atomic sensors, can leapfrog those limitations given their extreme sensitivity and intrinsic wide-band frequency operation that does not depend on traditional licensed bands.

The desired end state, several phases out, is a validated prototype quantum telemetry receiver that beats classical systems on signal-to-noise ratio, operational bandwidth, and environmental adaptability, ultimately reducing dependence on costly leased spectrum and integrating with the Advanced Battle Management System and Joint All-Domain Command and Control architecture.

Phase I starts at TRL 2, meaning a technology concept has been formulated but not yet validated, and Phase I work is exploratory: defining key performance parameters around sensitivity, bandwidth, noise mitigation, and signal fidelity, evaluating candidate quantum component technologies like Rydberg sensors, building models and simulations to predict performance in contested electromagnetic environments, and running initial lab experiments to benchmark against classical systems. Minimum Phase I deliverables are a technical report, a performance comparison against baseline classical telemetry, and a preliminary design concept scalable toward Phase II prototyping.

Phase II moves to fabricating an actual prototype receiver, validation testing in high-congestion and broadband scenarios, and integration into an ABMS-compatible architecture, targeting TRL 6 by the end of Phase II, meaning a system or subsystem prototype demonstrated in a relevant environment.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $250,000 with a maximum period of performance of 6 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 20 pages.

DAF also provides up to $6,500 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase I award, on top of the cost proposal total.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with existing quantum sensing research, particularly Rydberg atom-based sensing, or strong RF and telemetry engineering backgrounds looking to bring a quantum angle to a defense telemetry problem. Given the TRL 2 starting point, this is genuinely early-stage research, so a company with a credible quantum physics research team and some prior modeling or lab bench work in atomic sensing will be far more competitive than one starting from a purely conceptual position.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least two thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances.

Small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are eligible to submit and receive awards under this Phase I BAA release.

Only one principal investigator can be designated per proposal, and their technical resume with publications must be included.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $250,000 for a Phase I award with a maximum period of performance of 6 months, plus up to $6,500 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

What TRL is this starting from and targeting?
TRL 2 at Phase I start, targeting TRL 6 by the end of Phase II.

What specific quantum sensor technology does DAF want explored?
Rydberg atomic sensors are specifically named as the primary technology of interest.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
Yes. This Phase I BAA release does not exclude VC, hedge fund, or private equity owned small businesses.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
20 pages.

How does this connect to other Air Force modernization priorities?
The end goal aligns with Advanced Battle Management System integration and the Joint All-Domain Command and Control architecture.

What happens in Phase III?
Phase III focuses on turning the prototype into a practical, cost-effective commercial product, integrating with existing secure communication channels, and establishing manufacturing and certification infrastructure.

DAF26BZ05-NV027: Integrating Neural Architectures for Brain-Inspired AI with Low SWAP

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Phase I SBIR award of up to $250,000 for companies developing brain-inspired AI architectures that combine multiple neural network types into a single low SWAP system. This is topic DAF26BZ05-NV027 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a standard Phase I SBIR topic, meaning applicants are proposing a feasibility study. It falls under the Applied Artificial Intelligence critical technology area, spanning an unusually broad set of component priority areas: Trusted AI and Autonomy, Advanced Computing and Software, Quantum Science, Space Technology, Integrated Sensing and Cyber, and Microelectronics. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement. This topic description does not carry the standard ITAR/EAR restriction language found on other topics in this release, though applicants should still confirm export control applicability with the contracting officer given the DoD application space.

What DAF Is Looking For

Today's AI systems mostly rely on a single, monolithic neural network architecture. DAF wants research that instead combines multiple neural network paradigms, things like convolutional networks, recurrent networks, transformers, spiking neural networks, and other biologically-inspired models, into one unified system modeled loosely on how the human neocortex organizes cognitive processing.

The goal is a system that emulates properties like hierarchical organization, contextual attention, working memory, and decision-making under uncertainty, while achieving low Size, Weight, and Power so it can run on resource-constrained platforms like wearables, drones, or autonomous vehicles. DAF wants to see the resulting system outperform state-of-the-art single-architecture approaches on cognitive tasks such as object recognition, natural language processing, or spatial reasoning.

Phase I work centers on a literature review of existing integration strategies, a conceptual design for the neocortex-inspired integrated architecture, feasibility demonstration of key components through simulation or small-scale prototypes, and identification of candidate low SWAP hardware approaches such as neuromorphic computing or spiking neural networks.

Phase II moves to a fully functional prototype, extensive testing against relevant DoD tasks and benchmarks, and hardware and software optimization to minimize SWAP while preserving performance. Phase III targets TRL 6 entry, aimed at autonomous systems for both military use, specifically tactical air dominance and Advanced Battle Management System applications, and commercial robotics and healthcare applications.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $250,000 with a maximum period of performance of 6 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 20 pages.

DAF also provides up to $6,500 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase I award, on top of the cost proposal total.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with deep neural network research experience across multiple architecture types, ideally with some background in neuromorphic computing or spiking neural networks specifically, since those are called out as candidate low SWAP hardware directions. Companies coming from a computational neuroscience or cognitive architecture background have a natural edge given the neocortex-inspired framing. This is fundamental research at an early TRL, so a strong conceptual design and simulation-level proof of feasibility matters more than working hardware at this stage.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least two thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances.

Small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are eligible to submit and receive awards under this Phase I BAA release.

Only one principal investigator can be designated per proposal, and their technical resume with publications must be included.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $250,000 for a Phase I award with a maximum period of performance of 6 months, plus up to $6,500 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

What TRL does Phase III begin at?
TRL 6, targeting tactical air dominance and Advanced Battle Management System applications.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
Yes. This Phase I BAA release does not exclude VC, hedge fund, or private equity owned small businesses.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
20 pages.

What hardware approaches are called out as candidates for low SWAP?
Neuromorphic computing and spiking neural networks are specifically mentioned as directions to define in Phase I.

What happens in Phase III?
Transition planning involves coordination with AFRL/RI and potential engagement with DAF customers, targeting both military autonomous systems applications and commercial robotics and healthcare applications.

DAF26BZ05-NV026: Automated Lethality

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Phase I SBIR award of up to $250,000 for companies developing a small footprint software stack that automates target modeling and lethality simulation for embedded weapons applications. This is topic DAF26BZ05-NV026 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a standard Phase I SBIR topic, meaning applicants are proposing a feasibility study rather than a mature, already-demonstrated capability. It falls under the Applied Artificial Intelligence critical technology area, touching Trusted AI and Autonomy and Advanced Computing and Software as component priority areas. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement and is restricted under ITAR and EAR, requiring disclosure of any foreign national involvement.

What DAF Is Looking For

DAF wants to automate the weaponeering process, which today relies heavily on manual analysis, by building a full software stack that can run on embedded hardware. The stack needs to automate three things: generating target structure models directly from imagery and other visual inputs, calculating probability of kill, and quantifying uncertainty in that calculation.

The target model generation piece is specific. The software should determine structure type, structural layout, and the sizing of structural members from visual input alone, without a human building that model by hand. Once the target structure exists, the software needs to calculate probability of kill and then work out optimal engagement scenarios, all in an automated, fast-running way. The entire stack needs a small enough footprint to be embedded directly in hardware, not run on a server or ground station.

Phase I is meant to prove feasibility on three fronts: automated generation of building structure targets including layout and structural component detail, automated lethality simulation using a small footprint fast-running stack, and a concept for how the full stack would actually be embedded in hardware. Entry TRL for Phase II is expected to be TRL 2, exiting Phase II at TRL 3-4, which tells you this stays fairly early stage even after two phases.

Phase II involves two demonstrations: a laboratory digital environment test using simulated seeker or sensor inputs, followed by hardware-in-the-loop testing where the stack is integrated with an actual weapons seeker to identify deficiencies.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $250,000 with a maximum period of performance of 6 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 20 pages.

DAF also provides up to $6,500 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase I award, on top of the cost proposal total.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with existing machine learning and computer vision experience, particularly in structural or object detection from imagery, combined with some exposure to weaponeering, ballistics, or lethality modeling. Companies with embedded software or edge deployment experience have an advantage given the small footprint requirement. This is an early TRL effort, so a working prototype is not required at the Phase I stage, but a credible technical approach and relevant prior work in either computer vision or lethality modeling will strengthen a proposal.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least two thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances.

Unlike the D2P2 BAA release, small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds ARE eligible to submit and receive awards under this Phase I BAA release.

Only one principal investigator can be designated per proposal, and their technical resume with publications must be included.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and listing on federal restricted entity lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $250,000 for a Phase I award with a maximum period of performance of 6 months, plus up to $6,500 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

What TRL is expected at Phase II exit?
Entry TRL 2, exiting Phase II at TRL 3-4.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
Yes. This Phase I BAA release does not exclude VC, hedge fund, or private equity owned small businesses.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
20 pages.

Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. It is restricted under both ITAR and the Export Administration Regulations, with disclosure required for any foreign national involvement.

What happens in Phase III?
Phase III focuses on shrinking the software footprint further for embedding in operational weaponeering hardware, expanding to maritime and mobile targets, and integrating with Software Enabled Weapon applications for a full system demonstration against a near-peer target set.

DAF26BZ05-DV033: Dynamic Open Systems Enclave

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR award of up to $2,000,000 for companies that can build a real-time data integration toolkit giving fighter pilots a single, tailored common operating picture without increasing cognitive load. This is topic DAF26BZ05-DV033 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. There is no Phase I award for this topic. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic, meaning there is no separate Phase I contract. Applicants must already have a proof-of-concept and supporting evidence, such as prior demonstrations, analogous integration efforts, or past performance records, documented as part of the Phase II submission.

The topic falls under the Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance critical technology area and the Integrated Network System-of-Systems component priority area. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement and is restricted under ITAR and EAR, requiring disclosure of any foreign national involvement.

What DAF Is Looking For

This topic is distinct from the F-16 and F-35 weapons integration topics in this same release. Rather than munitions integration, it targets the sensor-to-pilot data pipeline itself. As more aircraft systems gain connectivity, the volume of battlefield data has become overwhelming, degrading pilot situational awareness through sheer noise. The existing sensor-to-sensor process is slow, manual, and hampered by unreliable data links and difficult edge processing.

DAF wants a host platform agnostic software and hardware toolkit that securely integrates large amounts of information from multiple data sources into a single, tailored, real-time common operating picture, described in the topic as getting the "Right Data to the Right Shooter, Right Now." The toolkit needs to support entirely new capabilities such as cognitive electronic warfare, Manned-Unmanned Teaming, and Beyond Line of Sight communications, all without increasing pilot cognitive load.

Minimum deliverables include an open-architecture, high-speed computing enclave that rapidly augments fielded aircraft with next-generation sensor and data processing capability, a hardware-agnostic mesh network built on software-defined radio that works with existing hardware, onboard edge processing that autonomously identifies, processes, and filters data so only relevant information moves forward, and an automated data pipeline that ties the mesh network and edge processing together to meaningfully speed up the decision-making cycle.

Beyond the toolkit itself, applicants need to document the proposed architecture and engineering approach, how the solution interfaces with legacy platforms and existing mission systems, how the architecture extends to additional data networks and mission applications with limited rework, measured performance data covering interoperability, latency, and reliability, a realistic development and demonstration schedule with milestones and risk registers, and evidence the solution could be adopted across multiple aircraft platforms and mission sets.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $2,000,000 with a maximum period of performance of 24 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 35 pages.

DAF also provides up to $50,000 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase II award, splittable 50/50 across a first and sequential award, contingent on a fully detailed request covering the provider, qualifications, tasks, and cost.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with strengths in edge computing, sensor fusion, mesh networking, or software-defined radio, particularly those with experience building data pipeline, situational awareness, or common operating picture tools for defense or aerospace customers. Because the effort is software and hardware toolkit-focused rather than physical weapons integration, companies coming from a data systems or C4ISR background are a stronger fit than traditional hardware integrators.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least two thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances.

Small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are not eligible under this BAA release.

The principal investigator's primary employment must be with the applicant company at time of award and throughout the period of performance. Only one PI can be designated per proposal.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and listing on federal restricted entity lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Phase I award for this topic?
No. This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic. Applicants must demonstrate Phase I-type feasibility through a proof-of-concept supported by prior demonstrations or comparable program outcomes.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $2,000,000 for a Phase II award with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, plus up to $50,000 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

How is this different from the F-16 and F-35 weapons integration topics in this same release?
This topic focuses on real-time data integration and pilot user experience, not munitions or weapons integration. It targets the sensor-to-pilot data pipeline rather than the physical weapons architecture.

What are the minimum required deliverables?
An open-architecture high-speed computing enclave, a hardware-agnostic mesh network using software-defined radio, onboard autonomous edge processing, and an automated data pipeline connecting the two.

Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. It is restricted under both ITAR and the Export Administration Regulations, with disclosure required for any foreign national involvement.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
35 pages.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
No. This BAA release excludes small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds.

What happens in Phase III?
The goal is to become part of the F-16 Open System Enclave "Open Viper" baseline, funded through USAF procurement or NGREA funds, then transition to Active Duty F-16s and potentially F-15EX and F-35 Open System Enclaves.

DAF26BZ05-DV032: F-35 Agnostic Rapid Weapons Integration

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR award of up to $2,000,000 for companies that can build a modular, scalable weapons integration architecture for the F-35 that cuts integration timelines from years down to months or days. This is topic DAF26BZ05-DV032 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. There is no Phase I award for this topic. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic, meaning there is no separate Phase I contract. Applicants must already have a credible technical pathway to prototype, integrate, validate, and transition the capability, supported by prior demonstrations, analogous integration efforts, or past performance records, documented as part of the Phase II submission.

The topic falls under the Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance critical technology area and the Integrated Network System-of-Systems component priority area. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement and is restricted under ITAR and EAR, requiring disclosure of any foreign national involvement.

What DAF Is Looking For

The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Component F-35 fleet needs a way to integrate new weapons or software updates without coding, testing, and fielding entirely new operational flight programs. The fleet also needs hardware solutions that increase weapons carrying capacity to generate maximum mission effects. Both external and internal fires infrastructure need to be purchased and integrated to allow additional kinetic and non-kinetic fires options. The immediate, urgent driver is integrating an Extended Range Attack Munition on the Air National Guard's F-35 aircraft. The F-35 currently runs out of fires options quickly, after which mission capability drops sharply, and future operational flight program divergence across different aircraft blocks adds further pressure for a flexible fires solution.

Like the companion F-16 topic, this is an architecture and integration capability effort built on the Open Systems Enclave framework, not a munitions development effort. The long-term owner is the F-35 program office under PEO Fighters, and the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Component Test Center has committed to conducting the operational test and evaluation.

The starting technology readiness level is TRL 6-7, advancing to a target of TRL 8-9 by the end of Phase II, meaning DAF expects a mature, already-demonstrated capability rather than an early concept. Deliverables include a demonstrated hardware and software solution on the ANG F-35, detailed architecture and engineering documentation, integration feasibility documentation describing interfaces with legacy platforms and mission systems, documentation showing extension to additional munitions and platform variants, measured performance data, a realistic milestone schedule with risk registers, and evidence the solution could be adopted by Active Duty F-35s and other Combat Air Forces OSE platforms.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $2,000,000 with a maximum period of performance of 24 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 35 pages.

DAF also provides up to $50,000 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase II award, splittable 50/50 across a first and sequential award, contingent on a fully detailed request covering the provider, qualifications, tasks, and cost.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with existing avionics integration, mission systems, or open architecture software experience, ideally with direct prior work on F-35 systems, OSE-type platforms, or comparable 5th generation aircraft integration programs. Because the starting TRL is already 6-7, applicants need real past performance evidence to be competitive, not just a concept.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least two thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances.

Small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are not eligible under this BAA release.

The principal investigator's primary employment must be with the applicant company at time of award and throughout the period of performance. Only one PI can be designated per proposal.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and listing on federal restricted entity lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Phase I award for this topic?
No. This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic. Applicants must demonstrate feasibility through a clear technical pathway supported by prior demonstrations, analogous integration efforts, or comparable program outcomes.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $2,000,000 for a Phase II award with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, plus up to $50,000 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

Does this effort involve developing the munitions themselves?
No. This effort is focused on the integration architecture and fires infrastructure, not munitions acquisition or development.

What TRL is expected at the start and end of the project?
Starting TRL is 6-7, advancing to a target of TRL 8-9 by the end of Phase II.

Is there already a committed test partner?
Yes. The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center has committed to conducting the operational test and evaluation.

Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. It is restricted under both ITAR and the Export Administration Regulations, with disclosure required for any foreign national involvement.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
35 pages.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
No. This BAA release excludes small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds.

What happens in Phase III?
The goal is to become part of the F-35 Open System Enclave baseline, funded through USAF procurement or NGREA funds, then scale to Active Duty F-35s and other Combat Air Forces platforms.

DAF26BZ05-DV031: F-16 Agnostic Rapid Weapons Integration

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR award of up to $2,000,000 for companies that can build a modular, scalable weapons integration architecture for the F-16 that cuts integration timelines from years down to months or days. This is topic DAF26BZ05-DV031 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. There is no Phase I award for this topic. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic, meaning there is no separate Phase I contract. Applicants must already have a credible technical pathway and supporting evidence, such as prior demonstrations, analogous integration efforts, or past performance records, and document that as part of the Phase II submission.

The topic falls under the Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance critical technology area and the Integrated Network System-of-Systems component priority area. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) requirement and is restricted under ITAR and EAR, requiring disclosure of any foreign national involvement.

What DAF Is Looking For

The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command need a way to integrate new weapons or weapons software updates onto the F-16 without coding, testing, and fielding an entirely new aircraft operational flight program, a process that currently takes two to three years. The immediate, urgent driver is integrating an Extended Range Attack Munition on the Air National Guard's F-16 Block 30 aircraft. The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Component Test Center has already committed to conducting the operational test and evaluation for this effort, which meaningfully increases the odds of an eventual fielding decision compared to most other SBIR pathways.

This is explicitly not a munitions acquisition or integration effort. It is an architecture and integration capability effort, built on the Open Systems Enclave (OSE) framework, that enables rapid future integration of a broader range of munitions through open, modular, standards-based interfaces. The long-term owner is the F-16 program office under PEO Fighters, and the long-term plan is to scale the architecture to Active Duty F-16s and other Combat Air Forces OSE platforms.

The starting technology readiness level is TRL 6-7, and the target by the end of Phase II is TRL 8-9. That is a mature starting point, meaning DAF expects applicants to already have a working, demonstrated capability, not an early concept. Deliverables include a demonstrated hardware and software solution on the ANG F-16 Block 30, detailed architecture and engineering documentation, integration description showing how the solution interfaces with legacy platforms and existing mission systems, scalability documentation showing extension to additional munitions and platforms, measured performance data including interoperability and latency results, a realistic milestone-based schedule with risk registers, and evidence the solution could be adopted by Active Duty F-16s and other Combat Air Forces OSE platforms.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $2,000,000 with a maximum period of performance of 24 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 35 pages.

DAF also provides up to $50,000 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase II award, splittable 50/50 across a first and sequential award, contingent on a fully detailed request covering the provider, qualifications, tasks, and cost.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with existing avionics integration, mission systems, or open architecture software experience, ideally with direct prior work on F-16 systems, OSE-type platforms, or comparable aircraft integration programs. Because the starting TRL is already 6-7, applicants need real past performance evidence, not just a concept, to be competitive. Companies without a demonstrated integration track record on similar systems will have a hard time meeting the feasibility bar.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least two thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States except in rare, specifically approved circumstances.

Small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are not eligible under this BAA release.

The principal investigator's primary employment must be with the applicant company at time of award and throughout the period of performance. Only one PI can be designated per proposal.

DAF runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and listing on federal restricted entity lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Phase I award for this topic?
No. This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic. Applicants must demonstrate Phase I-type feasibility through prior demonstrations, analogous integration efforts, or comparable program outcomes.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $2,000,000 for a Phase II award with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, plus up to $50,000 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

Does this effort involve developing the munitions themselves?
No. This effort is focused solely on the integration architecture. The acquisition or integration of the munition itself is not part of this topic.

What TRL is expected at the start and end of the project?
Starting TRL is 6-7, advancing to a target of TRL 8-9 by the end of Phase II.

Is there already a committed test partner?
Yes. The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Component Test Center has committed to conducting the operational test and evaluation.

Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. It is restricted under both ITAR and the Export Administration Regulations, with disclosure required for any foreign national involvement.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
35 pages.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
No. This BAA release excludes small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds.

What happens in Phase III?
The goal is to become part of the F-16 Open System Enclave "Open Viper" baseline, funded through USAF procurement or NGREA funds, then scale to Active Duty F-16s and potentially F-15EX and other Combat Air Forces platforms.

DAF26BZ05-DV030: High Temp Semiconductor Transistors for Hot DoW Environments and Electronic Warfare

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR award of up to $2,000,000 for companies developing semiconductor transistors that can operate reliably at 500°C or higher for defense hot environments and electronic warfare applications. This is topic DAF26BZ05-DV030 under the DoW FY26 SBIR BAA Release 5. There is no Phase I award for this topic. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, meaning the government skips Phase I entirely and moves straight to Phase II funding under 15 U.S.C. 638(cc). Applicants must already have completed feasibility work on their own, using resources other than federal SBIR or STTR funding, and document that work as part of the Phase II proposal.

The topic falls under the Scaled Hypersonics critical technology area and touches Hypersonics, Microelectronics, Advanced Materials, Directed Energy, and Advanced Computing and Software as component priority areas. It carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) cybersecurity requirement and is restricted under ITAR and EAR export control regulations, so any use of foreign nationals must be disclosed in detail.

What DAF Is Looking For

Today's commercial-off-the-shelf electronics cap out around 250°C, with limited transistor count and performance. Military systems increasingly generate and operate under heat loads that exceed that ceiling, both from the environment and from waste heat generated inside platforms. DAF wants semiconductor device and circuit solutions that push operation up to 500°C or higher to close that gap.

Applicants need a clearly identified DoW hot environment or electronic warfare application with a credible transition path into the microelectronics defense industrial base. DAF has a stated preference for solutions that target an electronic warfare application while using underlying device and circuit technology adaptable to a broader set of DoW high temperature needs, so companies with a flexible platform rather than a single-use design have an edge.

The technical work spans circuit design, semiconductor device design, fabrication, and device characterization. Circuit design needs to derive device performance metrics from 100 to 1,000 transistor count building blocks that scale toward future integrated circuits in the 5,000 to 100,000 transistor range. The desired operating temperature is 500°C or above, with a minimum operating frequency of 1MHz and a target of 10MHz, higher preferred. Solutions that realize complementary transistor circuit topologies, meaning two transistor types with opposite threshold voltage polarity and carrier type, are preferred since that supports standard industry circuit design practices.

Device failure analysis matters here too. DAF wants to see structural, chemical, and electrical characterization work, such as cross-sectional SEM imaging, spatially resolved energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, or temperature-soak in-situ electrical testing, though these are examples rather than strict requirements. Applicants should propose and justify whatever specific techniques fit their approach.

The proposed technology should sit at TRL 3 at the start of the project, meaning analytical and experimental proof-of-concept has already been demonstrated in prior work, and reach TRL 5 by the end of Phase II, meaning component validation in a relevant environment through actual high temperature device testing.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $2,000,000 with a maximum period of performance of 24 months. Proposals exceeding either figure will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 35 pages.

On top of the award, DAF provides up to $50,000 in Technical and Business Assistance funding per Phase II award, splittable 50/50 across a first and sequential award. Any TABA request needs a full written breakdown of the provider, their qualifications, tasks, and cost. A bare dollar figure in the cost volume without that detail will not be considered.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection within roughly 90 calendar days of solicitation close.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits companies with real bench-level or experimentally benchmarked modeling data on high temperature semiconductor devices, ideally with wide bandgap material experience such as silicon carbide or gallium nitride, who already have a specific DoW hot environment or electronic warfare application identified and a named or credible transition partner. Early-stage material science work without device-level performance data will struggle to meet the feasibility bar, since there is no Phase I runway to develop that evidence within this mechanism.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least two thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States, with rare exceptions requiring written approval from the funding agreement officer at the time of initial submission.

Small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds are not eligible to submit or receive awards under this BAA release.

The principal investigator's primary employment must be with the applicant company at time of award and throughout the period of performance, meaning more than half their working time. Only one PI can be designated per proposal.

DAF also runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and listing on a range of federal restricted entity lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Phase I award for this topic?
No. This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic. Applicants must independently complete and document a Phase I-type feasibility effort before submitting the Phase II proposal.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

How much funding is available?
Up to $2,000,000 for a Phase II award with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, plus up to $50,000 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

What operating temperature and frequency does DAF require?
Operation at or above 500°C with a minimum frequency of 1MHz and a target of 10MHz at temperature, higher frequency preferred.

What TRL is expected at the start and end of the project?
TRL 3 at the start, meaning proof-of-concept already demonstrated in past work, advancing to TRL 5 by the end of Phase II, meaning component validation in a relevant environment.

Can feasibility work from a prior SBIR or STTR contract count?
No. Feasibility documentation cannot be based on or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work.

Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. It is restricted under both ITAR and the Export Administration Regulations, with disclosure required for any foreign national involvement.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
35 pages.

Are venture capital or private equity backed companies eligible?
No. This BAA release excludes small businesses majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity funds.

What happens in Phase III?
Phase III would advance the technology to TRL 6 or higher by fabricating a high temperature application specific integrated circuit or microcontroller for a clearly identified DoW application, potentially integrated into a subsystem for further testing. Commercial crossover applications include automotive, aerospace, and oil and gas drilling.

DAF SBIR Direct-to-Phase-II Topic DAF26BX05-DV509: High-Voltage Radiation Hardened Power Switches for Space Power and Propulsion

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR award of up to $2,000,000 for companies that can design, fabricate, and demonstrate high-voltage radiation hardened power switches for space power and propulsion systems. This is topic DAF26BX05-DV509 under the DoW FY26 SBIR CSO Release 5. There is no Phase I award for this topic. Applicants must already have feasibility data in hand and submit directly to Phase II. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, which means the government is skipping straight to Phase II funding under the authority of 15 U.S.C. 638(cc). There is no separate Phase I contract. Instead, applicants must prove they already completed Phase I-type feasibility work on their own dime, using resources other than federal SBIR or STTR funding, and submit that evidence as part of the Phase II proposal package.

The topic sits under the Microelectronics Component Technology Priority Area and carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) cybersecurity requirement. It is also restricted under ITAR and EAR export control regulations, so companies planning to use foreign nationals need to plan for that disclosure early.

What DAF Is Looking For

The Space Force is moving from a static, benign space posture to an active "Maneuver Without Regret" concept, which requires high-voltage architectures in the 200V to 800V range to support next-generation electric propulsion. That shift demands power switching electronics that can handle much higher voltages than current silicon rad-hard switches, which typically derate to around 350V max.

Specifically, DAF wants radiation hardened semiconductor power switches that can operate above 350V up to 1kV, with efficiency greater than 80 percent. The switches need to survive single event burnout at a linear transfer energy of 85 MeV cm2/mg with a fluence of at least 1E6 ions per square centimeter, and withstand 300 krad total ionizing dose without failure. Testing needs to happen at credible domestic facilities, with NASA's Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory called out as an example. By the end of Phase II, wafer yield needs to be above 50 percent.

Because there is no Phase I, the feasibility bar for the Phase II proposal itself is high. Applicants need to show their device can be built on a commercially viable semiconductor foundry process, provide a preliminary assessment of space rated packaging that can handle both high voltage and thermal extraction in a vacuum, and back it up with TCAD simulation data, bench testing, or other practical demonstration. This feasibility work cannot be based on or extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. It has to be work the applicant paid for and performed itself.

Phase II deliverables center on a working prototype plus a full test data package covering technical performance, radiation survivability, and manufacturability, structured to support qualification and reliability testing in Phase III. Phase III is framed around dual use commercialization: product design kit development, high voltage packaging, and MIL-PRF-19500 screening, with target markets including commercial satellite systems, in space transportation, and advanced power electronics broadly.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $2,000,000 with a maximum duration of 24 months. Any proposal exceeding either number will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 25 pages.

On top of the award amount, DAF provides Technical and Business Assistance funding of up to $50,000 per Phase II award, which can be split 50/50 across a first and sequential Phase II award if applicable. TABA funding can cover things like market research, IP protection, cybersecurity assistance, and manufacturing plan development, but any request has to include a detailed breakdown of the provider, their qualifications, tasks, and costs. A bare dollar figure in the cost volume without that detail will not be considered.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through the DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal, known as DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection will wrap up within roughly 90 calendar days after the solicitation closes.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits small businesses that already have a working handle on wide bandgap or advanced semiconductor power device design, ideally with some silicon carbide, gallium nitride, or similar high voltage switching experience, and that have already put real money and engineering time into a feasibility effort before ever touching this solicitation. Companies without existing device-level data, TCAD modeling, or bench test results proving voltage and efficiency performance will have a hard time meeting the feasibility bar, since there is no Phase I runway to develop that evidence.

It also fits companies comfortable with ITAR and EAR compliance obligations, since this topic is explicitly export controlled and requires disclosure of any foreign national involvement.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least one third of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States, with rare exceptions requiring written approval from the funding agreement officer, requested at initial proposal submission.

The principal investigator's primary employment must be with the applicant company at time of award and throughout the period of performance, meaning more than half their working time. Only one PI can be designated per proposal.

Applicants also need to be aware DAF now runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering things like foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and any listing on a range of federal restricted entity lists. This is a newer layer of scrutiny companies should budget time and legal review for before submitting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Phase I award for this topic?
No. This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic. Phase I awards will not be made. Applicants must independently complete and document a Phase I-type feasibility effort before submitting the Phase II proposal.

How much funding is available?
Up to $2,000,000 for a Phase II award with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, plus up to $50,000 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

What technical performance does DAF require?
Power switches must operate above 350V up to 1kV, achieve at least 80 percent efficiency, survive 300 krad total ionizing dose, demonstrate single event burnout immunity at 85 MeV cm2/mg LET with fluence of at least 1E6 ions per square centimeter, and reach a wafer yield above 50 percent by the end of Phase II.

Can feasibility work from a prior SBIR or STTR contract count?
No. Feasibility documentation cannot be based on or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. It must be work the applicant substantially performed independently.

Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. It is restricted under both ITAR and the Export Administration Regulations. Any use of foreign nationals must be disclosed along with their country of origin, visa or work permit status, and the specific tasks they would perform.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
25 pages.

What cybersecurity certification level is expected?
CMMC Level 2, Self-assessed.

Where should test data for radiation survivability come from?
Credible domestic test facilities. The topic specifically references the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory as an example.

What happens in Phase III?
Phase III focuses on commercialization and transition into both DoW and commercial applications, including product design kit development, high voltage packaging, and MIL-PRF-19500 reliability screening, targeting markets like commercial satellites, in-space transportation, and advanced power electronics.

FY26 Breast Cancer Research Program: Breakthrough Award and Clinical Research Extension Award

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The FY26 Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) is a Department of War grant program, managed by CDMRP, that funds high-impact breast cancer research with clinical relevance. FY26 includes two award mechanisms: the Breakthrough Award, offered at two funding levels ranging from $750,000 to $3.35M depending on level and whether a Partnering PI is included, and the Clinical Research Extension Award, which funds deeper analysis of existing clinical trial data at up to $8.4M. A pre-application through eBRAP and a letter of intent are required before the full application. The estimated application due date is September 30, 2026.

What This Opportunity Is

This funding opportunity comes from the Breast Cancer Research Program, part of the Department of War's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), operating under the Defense Health Agency's research and development structure. The FY26 Defense Appropriations Act provided funding to support innovative, high-impact breast cancer research with clinical relevance, aimed at accelerating progress toward ending breast cancer for Service Members and their families, Veterans, and the general public.

FY26 BCRP includes two distinct award mechanisms, each suited to a different stage of research maturity. The Breakthrough Award is built for research ranging from early, high-risk ideas through late-stage, clinically validated work. The Clinical Research Extension Award is built specifically for teams that already have an open, ongoing, or completed clinical trial or study and want to extend the value of that existing data.

What the Program Is Looking For

Applications submitted to the FY26 BCRP must address one or more of the following overarching challenges.

Prevent breast cancer through primary prevention

Identify determinants of breast cancer initiation, risk, or susceptibility

Distinguish deadly from non-deadly breast cancers

Conquer the problems of overdiagnosis and overtreatment

Identify what drives breast cancer growth and determine how to stop it

Identify why some breast cancers become metastatic

Determine why and how breast cancer cells lie dormant for years and then re-emerge, and determine how to prevent lethal recurrence

Revolutionize treatment regimens by replacing them with ones that improve survival, are more effective, and are less toxic

Eliminate the mortality associated with metastatic breast cancer

In practical terms, this program is a strong fit for companies and research teams working in oncology diagnostics, breast cancer risk stratification, metastasis biology, dormancy and recurrence research, novel treatment regimens, and clinical biomarker validation tied to existing trial data.

Award Mechanism 1: Breakthrough Award

The Breakthrough Award supports promising research with high potential to lead to breakthroughs in breast cancer. Research must have the potential for major impact and must accelerate progress toward ending the disease. The award includes a Partnering PI option that supports meaningful, productive partnerships between two principal investigators.

The award is structured across three funding levels.

Funding Level 1 supports innovative, high-risk and high-reward research in the earliest stages of idea development. Preliminary data is not required at this level. Maximum allowable total costs are $750,000 for a Single PI application and $1.25M under the Partnering PI Option. Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Funding Level 2 supports research already backed by substantial preliminary or published data in breast cancer that strongly validates clinical translation. Maximum allowable total costs are $1.65M for a Single PI application and $2.50M under the Partnering PI Option. Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Funding Level 2, Population Science Studies is a variation of Funding Level 2 for studies analyzing human data and biospecimens that meet the same qualification standards. Maximum allowable total costs are $2.50M for a Single PI application and $3.35M under the Partnering PI Option. Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

The Grants.gov funding opportunity number for this mechanism is HT942526BCRPBTA122. A letter of intent is required prior to full application submission. Each investigator may be named as Principal Investigator or Initiating PI on one application and as Partnering PI on one additional application under this opportunity. Investigators named on an application submitted under the related opportunity HT942526BCRPBTA12 are not eligible to submit the same research project under HT942526BCRPBTA122.

Award Mechanism 2: Clinical Research Extension Award

The Clinical Research Extension Award supports projects that go deeper into clinical samples and data that already exist, rather than starting new trials. Eligible work includes deeper molecular analysis of clinical samples, initiation of new correlative studies, biomarker validation, or continuing clinical follow-up of patients enrolled in an open, ongoing, or completed clinical trial or study.

Proposed research may be hypothesis-testing, hypothesis-generating, or designed to generate experimental platforms. Projects that propose initiating new clinical trials or studies, or that propose increasing enrollment in existing studies, do not meet the intent of this award and should not apply under this mechanism.

This award requires applications to include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates on the research team, which is a distinctive requirement compared to the Breakthrough Award. It also includes a Partnering PI option.

Maximum allowable total costs are $7.0M for a Single PI application and $8.4M under the Partnering PI Option. Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

The Grants.gov funding opportunity number for this mechanism is HT942526BCRPCREA2. A letter of intent is required prior to full application submission. Each investigator may be named as PI, Initiating PI, or Partnering PI on a single application under this opportunity. Investigators named on an application submitted under the related opportunity HT942526BCRPCREA are not eligible to submit the same research project under HT942526BCRPCREA2.

Eligibility Snapshot

Breakthrough Award: open to investigators, with post-doctoral fellows specifically encouraged to be named on applications.

Clinical Research Extension Award: open to independent investigators.

Both mechanisms require a letter of intent before full application submission, and both offer a Partnering PI option for two-investigator collaborations.

Funding Details Summary

Breakthrough Award Funding Level 1: $750,000 Single PI, $1.25M Partnering PI, 3 year maximum period of performance

Breakthrough Award Funding Level 2: $1.65M Single PI, $2.50M Partnering PI, 3 year maximum period of performance

Breakthrough Award Funding Level 2, Population Science Studies: $2.50M Single PI, $3.35M Partnering PI, 4 year maximum period of performance

Clinical Research Extension Award: $7.0M Single PI, $8.4M Partnering PI, 4 year maximum period of performance

Timeline

Estimated application due date is September 30, 2026

This is currently a forecasted date. The official funding opportunity announcements, including finalized pre-application and full application deadlines, will be posted to Grants.gov under the funding opportunity numbers listed above.

How to Apply

Before submitting a full application, CDMRP requires investigators to submit a pre-application through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal, known as eBRAP, ahead of the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final funding opportunity announcements once posted on Grants.gov.

To find this and related CDMRP funding opportunities directly on Grants.gov, search using Assistance Listing number 12.420. Investigators can also subscribe to program specific email updates through the Email Subscriptions option on the eBRAP homepage to be notified as soon as the official announcements are released.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Breast Cancer Research Program? The Breast Cancer Research Program, or BCRP, is a Department of War research program managed by CDMRP that funds innovative, high-impact breast cancer research with clinical relevance, intended to accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer.

What award mechanisms are available under FY26 BCRP? FY26 BCRP includes two mechanisms: the Breakthrough Award, offered at multiple funding levels, and the Clinical Research Extension Award, which supports deeper analysis of data from existing clinical trials or studies.

How much funding is available under the Breakthrough Award? Funding Level 1 allows up to $750,000 for a Single PI or $1.25M with a Partnering PI. Funding Level 2 allows up to $1.65M for a Single PI or $2.50M with a Partnering PI. Funding Level 2 Population Science Studies allows up to $2.50M for a Single PI or $3.35M with a Partnering PI.

How much funding is available under the Clinical Research Extension Award? Up to $7.0M for a Single PI application or $8.4M under the Partnering PI Option.

Does the Breakthrough Award require preliminary data? Funding Level 1 does not require preliminary data, since it is designed for early-stage, high-risk and high-reward ideas. Funding Level 2 and Funding Level 2 Population Science Studies do require substantial preliminary or published data that strongly validates clinical translation.

Can the Clinical Research Extension Award be used to start a new clinical trial? No. This award is intended for deeper molecular analysis, new correlative studies, biomarker validation, or continued follow-up of patients already enrolled in an open, ongoing, or completed clinical trial or study. Proposals that initiate new trials or increase enrollment in existing studies do not meet the intent of this mechanism.

Does the Clinical Research Extension Award have any team composition requirements? Yes. Applications must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates on the research team.

What is a Partnering PI? The Partnering PI option allows two principal investigators to collaborate on a single application, and is available under both the Breakthrough Award and the Clinical Research Extension Award.

Is a letter of intent required? Yes, for both award mechanisms, a letter of intent is required before the full application can be submitted.

What is eBRAP? eBRAP is the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal. CDMRP requires investigators to submit a pre-application through eBRAP before the pre-application deadline, prior to submitting a full application.

When is the application due? The estimated application due date is September 30, 2026, though this is currently a forecasted date pending the official funding opportunity announcements on Grants.gov.

What are the Grants.gov funding opportunity numbers? The Breakthrough Award funding opportunity number is HT942526BCRPBTA122. The Clinical Research Extension Award funding opportunity number is HT942526BCRPCREA2.

Where can I find the official announcements? The official funding opportunity announcements will be posted on Grants.gov. Investigators can search using Assistance Listing number 12.420 to find CDMRP opportunities, and can subscribe to updates through the eBRAP homepage.

FY26 Reconstructive Transplant Research Program: Investigator-Initiated Research Award

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The FY26 Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award is a Department of War grant, managed by CDMRP, that funds research into vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA), the field covering hand, face, and other tissue transplants. The program has $8,000,000 available across an expected 8 awards, with a maximum of $1.0M in total costs per award over up to 3 years. There is no cost sharing requirement. A pre-application through eBRAP is required before the full application. The estimated application due date is November 4, 2026.

What This Opportunity Is

This funding opportunity comes from the Reconstructive Transplant Research Program, a program within the Department of War's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), operating under the Defense Health Agency's research and development structure. The FY26 Defense Appropriations Act provided funding specifically to advance the science and clinical practice of vascularized composite allotransplantation, or VCA.

VCA covers transplants involving multiple tissue types together, such as skin, muscle, bone, nerve, and blood vessels, most commonly seen in hand and face transplantation for patients recovering from severe trauma. This is an area with direct relevance to wounded Service Members, though the program also serves the broader civilian patient population.

The Investigator-Initiated Research Award is designed for independent investigators at all career levels. Unlike some CDMRP mechanisms, this award does not support clinical trials, but it does support preclinical research, translational research, and clinical research involving human subjects or human anatomical substances, so long as the work stays within the scope of a defined research study rather than a trial testing an intervention's efficacy.

What the Program Is Looking For

Applications must address at least one of the following FY26 RTRP focus areas.

Improving or optimizing VCA immunosuppression, including:

Defining the unique targets and mechanisms of VCA immunogenicity and its regulation

Developing novel tolerogenic agents or approaches for VCA immunosuppression

Developing less toxic or personalized regimens for maintenance immunosuppression

Identifying or validating reliable prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers, methods, or tools for monitoring VCA graft rejection and immunosuppression

Identifying or validating reliable biomarkers for predicting and monitoring acute and chronic VCA rejection in the clinic, using human clinical samples

Developing assays, devices, or technology for clinical graft monitoring that utilize biomarkers, with proposed devices expected to account for human use factors unique to VCA recipients

Identifying or validating reliable approaches to measuring and monitoring in vivo or clinical immunosuppression levels

Advancing VCA preservation strategies, including:

Developing promising static preservation strategies, active perfusion modalities, or other technologies for translation to the clinic

Developing mitigation strategies for preservation mediated injury, including immune activation or ischemia reperfusion injury

Developing tools for measuring VCA outcomes, including performance based, patient reported, and neurocognitive measures

In practical terms, this opportunity is a strong fit for companies and research teams working in transplant immunology, organ and tissue preservation technology, perfusion systems, biomarker development, diagnostic assays, and clinical monitoring devices for transplant patients.

Eligibility and Requirements

Eligibility is open to independent investigators at all career levels. There is no restriction limiting this to a specific organization type, which CDMRP designates as unrestricted eligibility.

Applications must demonstrate solid scientific rationale paired with military relevant utility. All projects must respond to the health care needs of military Service Members or Veterans recovering from traumatic injury, and may also address the needs of their family members, caregivers, or clinicians, as well as the general public. Collaboration with military researchers and clinicians is encouraged but not required.

Applicants must include preliminary or published data relevant to reconstructive transplantation that supports the rationale for the proposed research. A letter of intent is required as part of the process.

Study design should be rigorous, with a strong statistical plan and appropriate power analysis to support reproducibility and translational feasibility.

Funding Details

Total program funding is $8,000,000

Expected number of awards is 8

Maximum allowable funding per award is $1.0M in total costs

Maximum period of performance is 3 years

Cost sharing or matching is not required

Funding instrument type is a grant

Funding opportunity number is HT942526RTRPIIRA

Assistance Listing number is 12.420, Military Medical Research and Development

Timeline

Estimated posting date is August 24, 2026

Estimated application due date is November 4, 2026

Estimated award date is September 30, 2027

Estimated project start date is September 30, 2027

These are currently forecasted dates. The official funding opportunity announcement, including the finalized pre-application and full application deadlines, will be posted to Grants.gov.

How to Apply

Before submitting a full application, CDMRP requires investigators to submit a pre-application through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal, known as eBRAP, ahead of the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final funding opportunity announcement once it is posted on Grants.gov.

To find this and related CDMRP funding opportunities directly on Grants.gov, search using Assistance Listing number 12.420. Investigators can also subscribe to program specific email updates through the Email Subscriptions option on the eBRAP homepage to be notified as soon as the official announcement is released.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Reconstructive Transplant Research Program? The Reconstructive Transplant Research Program, or RTRP, is a Department of War research program managed by CDMRP that funds research to advance the science and clinical practice of vascularized composite allotransplantation, the field covering hand, face, and similar multi-tissue transplants.

What does VCA stand for? VCA stands for vascularized composite allotransplantation, which refers to transplants that involve multiple connected tissue types, such as skin, muscle, bone, nerve, and blood vessels, transplanted together as a functional unit.

How much funding is available for the FY26 RTRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award? The program has $8,000,000 in total funding available and expects to make 8 awards, with a maximum of $1.0M in total costs allowed per award.

What is the maximum period of performance? The maximum period of performance for an award is 3 years.

Is cost sharing or matching required? No, this award does not require cost sharing or matching funds.

Does this award support clinical trials? No, the Investigator-Initiated Research Award does not support clinical trials. It does support research from basic through translational phases, including preclinical studies in animal models and clinical research involving human subjects or human anatomical substances.

Who is eligible to apply? Eligibility is unrestricted and open to independent investigators at all career levels.

Is preliminary data required? Yes, applicants must include preliminary or published data relevant to reconstructive transplantation that supports the scientific rationale of the proposed research.

Is a letter of intent required? Yes, a letter of intent is required before submitting the full application.

What is eBRAP? eBRAP is the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal. CDMRP requires investigators to submit a pre-application through eBRAP before the pre-application deadline, prior to submitting a full application.

When is the application due? The estimated application due date is November 4, 2026, though this is currently a forecasted date pending the official funding opportunity announcement on Grants.gov.

What focus areas must an application address? Applications must address at least one FY26 RTRP focus area, which fall under two broad goals: improving or optimizing VCA immunosuppression, and advancing VCA preservation strategies. Specific focus areas include biomarker development, tolerogenic agents, personalized immunosuppression regimens, graft monitoring devices, perfusion and preservation technologies, and tools for measuring functional, patient reported, and neurocognitive outcomes.

Does the research need to have military relevance? Yes, all projects must be responsive to the health care needs of military Service Members or Veterans recovering from traumatic injury, and may also address their family members, caregivers, or clinicians, along with the general public. Collaboration with military researchers is encouraged but not a requirement.

What is the funding opportunity number? The funding opportunity number is HT942526RTRPIIRA.

Where can I find the official announcement? The official funding opportunity announcement will be posted on Grants.gov. Investigators can search using Assistance Listing number 12.420 to find CDMRP opportunities, and can subscribe to updates through the eBRAP homepage.

CIRM PDEV: Preclinical Development Awards for Stem Cell and Genetic Therapies

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

CIRM's Preclinical Development (PDEV) program funds California organizations developing stem cell based or genetic therapies that are ready to move through IND enabling studies toward FDA clearance and a first in human clinical trial. Awards go up to $13,000,000 total cost over as long as 5 years, split into an Early PDEV (Pre IND) stage worth up to $5,500,000 and a Late PDEV (IND Enabling) stage worth up to $7,500,000. Applications must show reproducible disease modifying activity in a relevant preclinical model before CIRM will consider funding. The program recurs once per year, and CIRM anticipates funding between 12 and 21 awards in FY26-27.

Program Overview

CIRM's mission is to accelerate world class regenerative medicine science for the benefit of California patients. Under its Strategic Allocation Framework, CIRM has set a goal of advancing 15 to 20 therapies to late stage clinical trials. PDEV is one of CIRM's core product development programs built to help hit that goal. Unlike many funding mechanisms, PDEV is not a passive check writer. CIRM commits internal staff and an external network of subject matter experts to actively work alongside the awardee team on regulatory strategy, CMC, and clinical planning.

The objective of PDEV is straightforward. Take a therapeutic candidate that already has reproducible disease modifying data, and fund the work needed to clear an IND with the FDA and start a first in human trial. CIRM structures this into two possible stages:

Early PDEV covers Pre IND activities. This includes finishing candidate optimization, conducting a Pre IND meeting with the FDA, and preparing everything needed to enter pivotal IND enabling studies.

Late PDEV covers IND Enabling activities. This includes GLP toxicology and safety studies, CMC and GMP manufacturing scale up, submission and clearance of the IND itself, and clinical trial startup activities to prepare for rapid patient recruitment.

An applicant can request funding for one stage or both in a single application.

Who Should Apply

This opportunity is built for companies and nonprofit research organizations developing a stem cell based therapy or a genetic therapy that already has strong preclinical proof of concept. If your candidate has not yet shown reproducible disease modifying activity in a model relevant to your target indication, you are not ready to apply. CIRM is explicit that it will refuse applications submitted before all eligibility prerequisites are met.

You are a strong fit if:

You are a California organization, nonprofit or for profit, under CIRM's definition of a California Organization.

You have a single, finalized human therapeutic candidate, not multiple candidates under parallel evaluation.

You can name your Principal Investigator, and that person can commit at least 15 percent effort.

You have or can bring on an experienced Project Manager at 50 percent effort and a Data Project Manager to handle data sharing obligations.

Your organization, not an outside partner, will be the IND sponsor of record.

You have at least one clinical trial site in California, or a solid justification for using outside sites.

You can be ready to start funded work within 90 days of award approval.

Funding Allowance

Maximum total award: $13,000,000 in total cost, over a maximum of 5 years (60 months).

Early PDEV (Pre IND) stage: up to $5,500,000, over up to 30 months. That 30 month window includes an optional 6 months specifically for candidate optimization work.

Late PDEV (IND Enabling) stage: up to $7,500,000, over up to 30 months. That window includes an optional 6 months for clinical trial startup activity that follows IND clearance.

Allowable costs include direct project costs, facilities costs, and indirect costs, all governed by the CIRM Grants Administration Policy for Clinical Stage Projects. For profit organizations cannot claim indirect costs. Nonprofit indirect costs are capped at 20 percent of allowable direct research funding, exclusive of equipment, tuition, patient care costs, and large subcontracts over $25,000.

Applicants requesting both stages in one application must budget them separately with no overlap, though CIRM allows up to $1,500,000 of well justified Late PDEV activity that is not dependent on FDA feedback to happen ahead of the Pre IND meeting, such as GMP manufacturing runs at a CDMO.

Co-Funding Requirements

Unpartnered nonprofit applicants: no co-funding required.

Nonprofit applicant with a for profit partner: the for profit partner must commit 20 percent of total allowable project costs.

For profit applicants: must commit 20 percent of total allowable project costs.

Co-funding can be cash based or warrant based. Warrant based co-funding lets a for profit applicant issue equity warrants to CIRM instead of cash, but requires signing a Warrant Term Sheet at the time of application and issuing the warrants at award start.

Eligibility Requirements Snapshot

The application must target a single IND for one stem cell based or genetic therapy candidate.

The candidate must have documented, reproducible disease modifying activity in a relevant preclinical model. If the candidate is manufactured from a single cell source, the exact test article used in that data must be identical to the candidate moving forward. If it comes from multiple cell sources or donors, disease modifying activity must be shown across at least two donor sources or cell lines using comparable manufacturing.

Allogeneic donor cell projects need documented donor consent covering clinical development and commercial sale, plus compliance with Good Tissue Practices under 21 CFR 1271.

The applicant organization must be the named IND sponsor.

The applicant must maintain at least one California clinical trial site.

The applicant organization must meet CIRM's definition of a California Organization, must demonstrate solvency if for profit, and must be in good standing.

What CIRM Will Not Fund

Conducting a clinical trial beyond startup activities.

Patient recruitment, screening, or enrollment.

Costs already covered by a prior, current, or future CIRM award.

Work performed by an out of state organization that would retain independent IP or publication rights over what comes out of the CIRM funded project.

Costs incurred before the date of ICOC board approval.

Timeline

The PDEV program runs once per year. After the application deadline, here is roughly what to expect:

Grants Working Group (GWG) selection happens approximately 60 days after the submission deadline.

GWG discussion of selected applications happens approximately 30 days after selection.

Award approval occurs at the next available Application Review Subcommittee (ARS) meeting of CIRM's governing board.

Awardees must be ready to start work within 90 days of award approval.

How Applications Get Reviewed and Scored

If the volume of submitted applications is too high for the GWG panel to discuss all of them, CIRM runs an initial screening round. Applications get a composite score built from a selection weight (60 percent) and a rank weight (40 percent), based on clinical impact potential, unmet need, and feasibility of patient uptake. Only the top scoring group advances to full GWG discussion.

Applications that make it to full review are scored by 15 outside scientific experts on a 1 to 100 scale. A median score of 85 or higher qualifies the application as having exceptional merit and eligible for funding if funds are available. A median score below 85 is not recommended for funding.

Separately, patient advocate and nurse members of the GWG apply a 1 to 5 Patient Perspective Score. This does not directly change the scientific score, but it can influence discussion and the ARS funding decision.

The five scored review criteria are:

Value Proposition, meaning the clinical improvement the therapy offers over existing options and its potential to address unmet need and improve access.

Rationale, meaning how strong the underlying science and preclinical data are.

Project Plan and Design, meaning whether the proposed activities, budget, and timeline realistically get the project to an active IND.

Project Team and Resources, meaning whether the team has the regulatory, CMC, clinical, and manufacturing expertise and facilities to execute.

Population Impact, meaning how well the applicant understands the demographics and genetic or environmental factors relevant to the target population.

Award Administration After Funding

CIRM disburses funds against Operational Milestones rather than as a lump sum or simple reimbursement schedule. Each milestone releases additional funds once it is achieved. If an awardee misses a milestone by more than four months without resolving it to CIRM's satisfaction, CIRM can cut off disbursements and terminate the award.

Awardees also get access to CIRM's Product Development Expert Network, a group of contracted specialists in CMC, clinical, preclinical, and regulatory strategy who advise on individual projects. Any awardee planning a Pre IND meeting must review their strategy and package with CIRM and this expert network before submitting to the FDA.

Awardees are required to participate in the PDEV Knowledge Network, a pre-competitive knowledge sharing structure across CIRM's portfolio of awardees, and must budget for data management and sharing consistent with FAIR principles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CIRM PDEV program? PDEV is a California Institute for Regenerative Medicine funding opportunity that supports preclinical development of stem cell based and genetic therapies through IND clearance and clinical trial startup, with awards up to $13,000,000.

Who is eligible to apply for a PDEV award? Only California organizations, nonprofit or for profit, that meet CIRM's definition of a California Organization can apply. The applicant must be the IND sponsor, must have a candidate with proven disease modifying activity, and must maintain at least one clinical trial site in California.

How much funding can a PDEV award provide? Up to $13,000,000 total cost over up to 5 years. Early PDEV, the Pre IND stage, caps at $5,500,000 over 30 months. Late PDEV, the IND enabling stage, caps at $7,500,000 over 30 months.

Does PDEV require co-funding or matching funds? Unpartnered nonprofits do not need co-funding. For profit applicants, and nonprofits with a for profit partner, must commit at least 20 percent of total allowable project costs, either in cash or through equity warrants issued to CIRM.

What stage of development does my project need to be at? Your candidate needs reproducible, documented disease modifying activity in a preclinical model relevant to your target indication before you apply. This is a hard eligibility gate, not a scoring preference.

Can I apply for both the Pre IND and IND Enabling stages at once? Yes. Applicants can request funding across both Early PDEV and Late PDEV stages in a single application, though the two stages must be budgeted separately with defined, non-overlapping activities.

How long does the CIRM review process take? Roughly 60 days after the deadline for GWG selection, another 30 days for GWG discussion, then award approval at the next scheduled Application Review Subcommittee meeting. Once approved, awardees must start work within 90 days.

What review score does an application need to get funded? Applications need a median scientific score of 85 or higher out of 100 from the Grants Working Group to be considered to have exceptional merit and be eligible for funding.

Does CIRM fund the actual clinical trial? No. PDEV funds trial startup activities only, meaning protocol development, site preparation, and operational readiness. It does not fund patient recruitment, screening, enrollment, or the conduct of the trial itself.

How many PDEV awards does CIRM expect to fund this cycle? CIRM anticipates funding between 12 and 21 PDEV awards in FY26-27, depending on the mix of Early PDEV and Late PDEV applications recommended for funding.

Who is the IND sponsor under a PDEV award? The CIRM applicant organization itself, or the CIRM Principal Investigator in the case of an investigator sponsored IND. An outside partner cannot serve as the sponsor.

What kind of team does CIRM require on a PDEV application? At minimum a Principal Investigator at 15 percent effort, a Project Manager with relevant preclinical development experience at 50 percent effort, and a Data Project Manager responsible for data handling and sharing obligations.

DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) 2026: What Startups Need to Know

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) 2026 Program Announcement, DARPA-PA-26-02, is not a standard solicitation you propose directly against. It is an umbrella announcement that opens the door for individual QBI Topic (QBIT) calls, which is where the actual proposal opportunities, funding details, and deadlines will live. The program's mission is to independently verify and validate whether any approach to quantum computing can reach utility scale by 2033. DARPA is looking for revolutionary, high risk, high reward paths to a utility scale quantum computer (USQC), not incremental improvements to existing systems. The overarching PA closes December 30, 2026, following a July 29, 2026 amendment that also moved oversight from the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) to the newly formed Multi X Office (MXO) and named a new Program Manager, Dr. Micah Stoutimore.

What Is QBI, in Plain Terms

QBI exists because nobody actually knows if or when a fault tolerant, utility scale quantum computer can be built. DARPA defines "utility scale" as a machine whose computational value exceeds its cost. Rather than betting on one architecture, DARPA created QBI as a rigorous, third party verification and validation program. If a company claims it has a credible path to utility scale quantum computing, QBI is how DARPA tests that claim, helps the company identify and burn down real risks, and then communicates validated results to other government stakeholders who might want to acquire or use the technology.

QBI 2026 is the newest on-ramp into that program. It builds on the original Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing program (US2QC, DARPA-PS-22-04) and the first QBI solicitation from August 2024 (DARPA-PS-24-26). The 2026 PA exists specifically to bring in new entrants that DARPA has not yet evaluated. If your company was already selected under a prior QBI or US2QC award, DARPA does not expect you to apply again under this PA, though you are not barred from doing so if your approach is genuinely new or distinct.

What DARPA Is Actually Looking For

DARPA is explicit that this program excludes evolutionary improvements to the current state of the art in quantum computing. They want proposals that describe a credible, near term path to a USQC, not incremental qubit count increases or modest error rate improvements on familiar architectures.

Every QBIT will fall somewhere within three verification and validation stages:

Stage A asks a company to describe a USQC concept with a plausible path to realization in the near term.

Stage B asks a company to lay out the research and development plan for realizing that USQC, including the technical risks involved, how those risks will be mitigated, and what prototypes are needed to prove the concept works.

Stage C is where DARPA and the performer work together to actually verify and validate that the USQC can be built as designed and will operate as intended.

Beyond describing a hardware concept, DARPA is also interested in companies that can build the verification tools themselves, meaning testing and evaluation methods or concepts that strengthen DARPA's own Independent Verification and Validation team.

How the Program Is Structured

This is the part that trips people up. DARPA-PA-26-02 is not something you submit a proposal against directly. It is a standing program announcement under which DARPA will issue individual QBIT calls over time. Each QBIT will define its own:

Technical focus area within the broader QBI mission

Proposal process, which may include an abstract phase, a written proposal, an oral presentation, or some combination

Submission instructions and deadlines

Evaluation criteria

Eligibility requirements

Funding amount and award instrument details

Proposals submitted directly to the PA itself, rather than to a specific QBIT, will be disregarded. If you are interested in QBI, the move is to monitor for QBIT announcements at darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities rather than trying to respond to the PA itself.

Funding and Award Structure

The PA specifies the funding category as 6.2, which is applied research funding under the DoD's research classification system. Multiple awards are anticipated across the program.

Awards will be made using Other Transaction (OT) authority, either an OT for Research agreement or an OT for Prototype agreement, with the exact instrument specified in each QBIT. OTs matter here because they let DARPA and the performer negotiate terms outside the standard Federal Acquisition Regulation process. In practice, that means fewer compliance burdens, milestone based payments instead of rigid cost reporting, and more flexibility to structure the deal around commercial transition goals.

The PA itself does not publish a dollar ceiling, per award funding range, or period of performance. Those figures are set at the individual QBIT level. Any company evaluating fit should treat the PA as a signal of direction and intent, and wait for a specific QBIT before building a budget.

Timeline

Original posting date: November 14, 2025

Original closing date: November 14, 2026

Amendment 01 posted: July 29, 2026

Current closing date, as amended: December 30, 2026

Amendment 01 also changed the responsible office from the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) to the Multi X Office (MXO), and replaced the Program Manager, moving from Dr. Joseph Altepeter to Dr. Micah Stoutimore. Individual QBIT due dates will be specified within each topic call and have not yet been published as part of the base PA.

Eligibility

Eligibility is not defined at the PA level. Each QBIT will specify its own eligibility criteria. What is defined at the PA level are the baseline requirements every awardee must meet regardless of QBIT:

Active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) at the time of proposal submission, maintained through the life of any award

Registration in Wide Area WorkFlow (WAWF) for electronic invoicing prior to award

A finding of responsibility from the DARPA Agreements Officer, and no suspension, debarment, or legal prohibition from receiving a federal award

DARPA also enforces an organizational conflict of interest policy. A company cannot simultaneously provide Scientific Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) or Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) support to the government and act as a technical performer on the same effort.

Security and Data Handling

DARPA expects most QBI submissions to be unclassified but potentially Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). All CUI must be handled in accordance with DoD Instruction 5200.48 and NIST Special Publication 800-171. A signed CUI Guide is attached to the PA as Attachment A. If a company believes its submission involves classified information, it must notify the MXO Program Security Officer by unclassified email before submitting anything classified.

Why This Matters for Startups

QBI is one of the few DoD funding mechanisms built specifically around unproven, high risk quantum computing architectures rather than incremental hardware improvement. If your company has a genuinely novel path to utility scale quantum computing, whether that is an unconventional qubit modality, a new error correction approach, or a fundamentally different system architecture, QBI is designed to fund exactly that kind of bet. It is also relevant if your core capability is testing, verification, or benchmarking methodology rather than building the quantum computer itself.

Because the PA has no fixed dollar amount, no single deadline for proposals, and no single eligibility standard, companies should treat this announcement as a heads up rather than an action item. The real opportunity, and the real deadline pressure, will show up when a specific QBIT drops.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is DARPA-PA-26-02? It is the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) 2026 Program Announcement, an umbrella solicitation from DARPA that governs future QBI Topic (QBIT) calls focused on verifying whether any quantum computing approach can reach utility scale by 2033.

Can I submit a proposal directly to this PA? No. Proposals may only be submitted in response to a specific QBIT. Any proposal submitted directly against the PA will be disregarded.

When does DARPA-PA-26-02 close? The amended closing date is December 30, 2026. The original closing date was November 14, 2026 before Amendment 01 extended it.

Who runs the QBI program now? The Multi X Office (MXO), following Amendment 01's transfer of the program from the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO). The Program Manager is Dr. Micah Stoutimore.

How much funding is available? The PA does not specify a dollar amount. Funding levels, award sizes, and periods of performance are defined separately within each individual QBIT.

What type of award will this be? Other Transaction (OT) agreements, either for Research or for Prototype work, with the specific type determined by each QBIT.

Is this a competition between companies? Not in the traditional sense. While each QBIT call is competitive, DARPA has stated it wants to fund all viable approaches for which funding is available, rather than picking a single winner across the program.

Can companies already in QBI or US2QC apply again? DARPA does not intend this PA to solicit proposals from performers already selected under prior QBI or US2QC awards, but it does not prohibit them from applying if their new approach is genuinely distinct.

What kind of quantum computing approaches is DARPA interested in? Revolutionary, high risk, high reward approaches with a plausible near term path to utility scale operation. Evolutionary or incremental improvements to existing quantum computing approaches are explicitly excluded.

Does my company need to be registered anywhere before applying? Yes. Active SAM.gov registration is required at the time of proposal submission, and WAWF registration is required before any award can be made.

What if my technology involves classified information? You must notify the MXO Program Security Officer by unclassified email before submitting classified material. Security classification guidance will be issued by DARPA only if the award is determined to require it.

Where do I find the actual proposal opportunities? Monitor darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities for individual QBIT announcements, which will each carry their own deadlines, templates, and submission instructions.

DARPA LUC (HR001126S0014): What Startups Need to Know

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

DARPA's Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO) has released the Lightweight Universal Codec (LUC) Broad Agency Announcement, solicitation number HR001126S0014. LUC funds development of a universal, adaptive encoder-decoder that can send and receive information using any known error correction code, and can switch between codes on the fly without redesigning the hardware or software. The program is 39 months across two phases, with only one technical area open for performers. Abstracts are required and due July 22, 2026. Full proposals are by invitation only, following abstract review, with a submission closing date of August 28, 2026. Multiple awards are anticipated, using Procurement Contracts, Other Transaction Agreements, Cooperative Agreements, or Grants.

Program Overview

LUC ("luck") is built on top of DARPA's earlier GRAND (Guessing Random Additive Noise Decoding) research, which produced a universal decoder capable of decoding many different families of error-correcting codes using a single algorithm, rather than needing a separate decoder built for each code type. LUC's job is to build the other half of that pair: a universal encoder that can dynamically select among many error-correcting codes in real time, pair it with a GRAND-style universal decoder, and integrate the resulting codec into an existing communication system.

The practical problem DARPA is solving: today's communication systems lock in a specific error-correcting code (or a very small set of them) before a transmission ever happens, because dynamically evaluating and switching codes has historically been too computationally expensive. That means systems can't adapt in real time as channel conditions and noise environments change. LUC removes that constraint by making the code selection itself dynamic, informed by the decoder's own noise model and mission-specific optimization goals.

Importantly, LUC assumes the set of codes it adapts across is already known in advance. Inventing entirely new codes on the fly is explicitly out of scope. This program is about universal, adaptive switching among known codes, not code discovery.

DARPA is explicit that it wants revolutionary advances here, not evolutionary improvements to existing codec practice.

Who This Is For

LUC is a strong fit for organizations working in:

• Forward error correction and channel coding

• Communications hardware and software-defined radio

• Decoder architectures, including GRAND-style universal decoding

• Low-power, low-latency signal processing and ASIC/FPGA design

• Adaptive and cognitive communication systems

• Integration of novel codecs into existing transceiver platforms

This is a narrowly scoped, single-technical-area program. It is not a fit for teams proposing new code families themselves, systems that require classified handling (classified submissions won't even be accepted), or work centered on platform changes like moving from a software-defined codec to a chip-based codec within the same device, since that kind of comparison is explicitly excluded from the metrics.

Program Structure

LUC has one technical area, TA1, Codec Design and Integration. DARPA is only soliciting performers for TA1. Government test and evaluation (T&E) partners will support assessment of every candidate technology, but performers do not propose into a separate T&E technical area the way some other DARPA BAAs are structured.

TA1 performers are asked to do three things:

1. Build a universal encoder that can adaptively select among multiple classes of error-correcting codes in real time

2. Integrate that encoder with a universal decoder, such as a GRAND implementation, to form a complete universal codec

3. Integrate the resulting codec into an existing, performer-nominated communication system

The program runs 39 months across two phases:

Phase 1, Base (12 months): Codec and system design, modeling, and simulation. DARPA and its T&E partners formally assess progress twice, once at month 6 with an initial codec design review and again at month 11 with an end-of-phase evaluation against the Phase 1 metrics. Performers who submit all deliverables and successfully meet every criterion may be advanced early into Phase 2.

Phase 2, Optional (27 months): Integration, field testing, and hardware delivery. Performers whose option is exercised integrate their codec into transceivers and run field tests at multiple locations, with one field test and one design review occurring in year two and again in year three. Each performer must deliver at least two LUC-enhanced communication devices and two unmodified "stock" devices to the government T&E team for A/B testing on size, weight, and power. LUC-enhanced devices must run at full rate in real time on fixed codes, meaning they can't be slower than a stock device except during the moment of an actual code switch.

Program Metrics

DARPA will score TA1 performers against six metrics, each with separate targets for Phase 1 and Phase 2, measured relative to the performer's own selected technology platform:

Codes supported on a single algorithm: Phase 1 requires catalogued Polar Codes for control channels per 3GPP TS 38.212 v19.3.0, five representative Reed-Solomon or Turbo codes, and one example of Modular Polar Long Codes. Phase 2 expands this to two examples of Advanced Modular Polar Long Codes, one representative AI-enabling 3GPP LDPC code, and 100 additional codes supplied by mission partners.

Channel latency: 25 percent reduction versus state of the art in Phase 1, 50 percent reduction in Phase 2, tested across multiple error-laden environments.

Signal gain in dynamic noise environments: 1 dB gain over state of the art in Phase 1, 6 dB gain in Phase 2.

Block Error Rate at Eb/No of 5 dB: 1 percent in Phase 1, 0.1 percent in Phase 2.

Receiver decoder power requirements: 10 times better than state of the art in Phase 1, 15 times better in Phase 2.

Time to switch code classes: Within 1 second after the initial complete communications frame in Phase 1, dropping to within 100 milliseconds in Phase 2.

Funding Structure

LUC does not publish a specific dollar ceiling or per-award funding range in the BAA. What is specified:

• Multiple awards are anticipated

• Award instruments may include Procurement Contracts, Research Other Transaction Agreements (10 U.S.C. Section 4021), OT for Prototype Agreements (10 U.S.C. Section 4022), Cooperative Agreements, and Grants

• Resource sharing may be required for Research OT or OT for Prototype Agreements

• DARPA explicitly discourages budgets that aren't tightly calibrated to the proposed technical approach. Submissions with a budget number that isn't backed by clear evidence connecting the level of effort to the cost will be reflected negatively in the evaluation

The IP and data rights section of this BAA is unusually detailed and worth understanding before you propose. DARPA is explicit that this solicitation is for research and experimentation only, not for production, procurement, fielding, or commercialization of any resulting technology. Any prototypes or test articles built under LUC are test articles only, not end items, and the government does not intend to rely on any LUC output for operational use. If DARPA later wants to move a LUC technology toward production or deployment, that requires a completely separate agreement with independently negotiated terms. Proposers are also required to submit an IP Management Plan and a Software Bill of Materials with their proposal, disclosing background IP, known third-party patents, licensing needs, and mitigation strategies, and performers carry Freedom-to-Operate responsibility and patent indemnification obligations for their own technology.

Key Dates

• Posting Date: July 6, 2026

• Proposers Day: July 8, 2026

• Question Submittal Closes: July 17, 2026, 2:00 PM ET

• Abstract Due Date: July 22, 2026, 2:00 PM ET (required)

• Proposal Submission Closing Date: By government invitation only, August 28, 2026, 5:00 PM ET

• Oral Presentations: By government invitation only, estimated to begin September 1, 2026, with the exact date confirmed in writing by DARPA

Unlike a lot of DARPA BAAs, an abstract here is not optional. Every proposer must submit one, and only proposers who receive an Invitation to Proceed are permitted to submit a full proposal or participate in oral presentations. There is no path to a full proposal without first clearing the abstract stage.

Eligibility

Open to all responsible U.S. and non-U.S. sources, including small businesses, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and minority institutions, though there is no funding set-aside reserved for any of these categories. Non-U.S. participants must comply with applicable nondisclosure agreements, security regulations, and export control laws.

FFRDCs, UARCs, and government entities including national labs face significant restrictions here. DARPA will not award new contracts to these entities as prime performers under this solicitation, and any direct prime proposal from one of them may be deemed non-conforming. They can potentially participate as subcontractors, but only if their role and point of contact are clearly defined in the technical proposal, their costs are excluded from the cost proposal (a rough order of magnitude estimate in the technical proposal only), and, if UARCs are involved, an organizational conflict of interest mitigation plan is included. Any of these entities that do get funded will be required to share their work with other performers on the same program.

Organizations cannot simultaneously act as a technical performer and provide Systems Engineering Technical Assistance, Advisory and Assistance Services, or similar support services on this program, unless the DARPA Deputy Director grants a written waiver.

Security and Compliance Requirements

LUC work is expected at both the unclassified and CUI levels. Classified abstracts or proposals will not be accepted under any circumstances.

CMMC Level 2 is required for this entire solicitation, which is a notably higher bar than a lot of other DARPA programs that only require Level 1 at submission. To even be eligible for award, the proposer's CAGE code must already have a valid, unexpired Final Level 2 CMMC status for TA1 recorded in the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS), along with a current annual CMMC affirmation from an authorized Affirming Official. This needs to be in place before award, not something you can acquire afterward. CMMC requirements flow down to any subcontractor touching FCI or CUI. Awards made after November 10, 2026 additionally require a CMMC Third-Party Assessment posted in SPRS.

Because some LUC research may disclose performance characteristics of systems or manufacturing technologies unique and critical to defense, some awards will carry publication restrictions requiring DARPA's permission before releasing results, even though DoW policy generally favors unrestricted publication of fundamental research.

How the Selection Process Works

LUC uses a two-stage gate that's stricter than most DARPA BAAs. You cannot skip straight to a full proposal.

Stage 1, Abstract (required): Evaluated against four criteria in descending order of importance: Technical Comprehension (does the proposed universal encoding-decoding approach make sense, including channel inference, code selection, code convergence, and a concrete integration and backward-compatibility plan), Technical Ability (does the team have verifiable, demonstrated expertise in error-correcting codes, decoders, and communications systems), IP Considerations (are data, software, and patent rights clearly identified along with third-party risk and mitigation), and Cost Considerations (is the proposed level of effort logically tied to the resource ask).

Every proposer gets one of two outcomes: an Invitation to Proceed, or a non-selection notice. Non-selected proposers cannot submit a full proposal or participate in oral presentations under this BAA. An Invitation to Proceed does not guarantee an eventual award.

Stage 2, Full Proposal and Oral Presentation: Only for proposers who received an Invitation to Proceed. The full proposal package (slide deck, cost proposal spreadsheet and narrative, FRRBS Common Forms, and a redlined sample agreement if requesting an OT) is submitted and then presented in person at DARPA's Arlington, VA offices. Each oral presentation session runs 1 hour and 15 minutes: 5 minutes of DARPA opening remarks, a 30-minute presentation, a 10-minute break, and a 30-minute Q&A. DARPA records every session. Presentations should be technical, not promotional, and DARPA expects the actual technical personnel who can field detailed questions to be in the room.

Full proposals and oral presentations are then scored against four criteria in descending order of importance: Overall Scientific and Technical Merit, Proposer's Capabilities or Related Experience (including the ability to meet the CMMC Level 2 requirement), Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA Mission (including how well you've identified and mitigated patent and Freedom-to-Operate risk), and Schedule and Cost Realism.

What You Need to Submit

Abstract (required): Submitted through the DARPA BAA Tool (BAAT) using the required LUC Abstract Template, at the unclassified or CUI level.

Full Proposal (invitation only): Details are provided in your specific Invitation to Proceed letter, but proposers should expect to need a presentation slide deck in English, a cost proposal spreadsheet and narrative, the FRRBS Common Forms (Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support), and, if requesting an OT award, a redlined sample agreement showing your proposed negotiated terms.

Program Meetings and Reporting Cadence

• Kickoffs alternate between Washington, DC and San Diego, CA, starting in Washington, DC, and run one day

• Field tests run five to seven days

• The Phase 1 end-of-phase evaluation runs three days; the Phase 2 end-of-phase evaluation runs five days

• PI meetings and design reviews are conducted virtually

• Performers must meet with DARPA virtually no less than once every two weeks (roughly 30 minutes each) to report technical and administrative progress

• DARPA may conduct unannounced site visits to performer facilities at its discretion

Required deliverables include technical documents, prototype hardware with full installation and diagnostic documentation, commented source code and build scripts, annotated slide decks within one week of every program event, quarterly technical status reports within 15 days of quarter-end, monthly financial status reports within 15 days of month-end, a post-exercise report within 30 days of every field test and end-of-phase evaluation, a final phase report within 30 days of the end of each phase, and a final report at the close of the program.

Why This Matters Beyond the Award

Every modern communication system, from 5G handsets to satellite links to tactical radios, depends on error correction, and right now nearly all of them are locked into a fixed code chosen at design time. A universal, adaptive codec that can switch codes in real time based on actual channel conditions is directly relevant to commercial wireless, satellite communications, and IoT, not just defense radios. A company that builds real low-power, low-latency universal codec technology under LUC is building IP with a genuinely broad commercial runway, on top of getting exposure to DARPA's GRAND research base.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is DARPA LUC? LUC, or Lightweight Universal Codec, is a DARPA IPTO program funding the development of a universal, adaptive encoder-decoder that can send and receive information using any known error correction code, and dynamically switch between codes in real time without a hardware or software redesign.

What is the solicitation number for LUC? HR001126S0014.

When are LUC abstracts due? July 22, 2026, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Unlike many DARPA BAAs, submitting an abstract is required, not optional, and you cannot submit a full proposal without first receiving an Invitation to Proceed based on your abstract.

When are full LUC proposals due? Full proposals are by government invitation only. The proposal submission closing date is August 28, 2026, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, but only for proposers who already received an Invitation to Proceed.

How long is the LUC program? 39 months across two phases: a 12-month base Phase 1 focused on design, modeling, and simulation, and a 27-month optional Phase 2 focused on integration and field testing.

How much funding does LUC provide? DARPA has not published a specific dollar ceiling in the BAA. Multiple awards are anticipated, and funding instruments may include Procurement Contracts, Research Other Transaction Agreements, OT for Prototype Agreements, Cooperative Agreements, and Grants. DARPA explicitly discourages budgets that aren't tightly tied to the proposed technical level of effort.

What technical area does LUC solicit performers for? Only one: TA1, Codec Design and Integration. Performers build a universal adaptive encoder, integrate it with a universal decoder such as a GRAND implementation, and integrate the resulting codec into an existing communication system.

Does LUC allow proposers to invent new error-correcting codes? No. LUC assumes the set of codes a codec will adapt across is known in advance. Generating novel codes on the fly is explicitly out of scope.

What CMMC level does LUC require? CMMC Level 2, which is required for the entire solicitation. Proposers must already have a valid, unexpired Final Level 2 CMMC status for TA1 recorded in the Supplier Performance Risk System, along with a current annual CMMC affirmation, before they are eligible for award.

Can classified work be proposed under LUC? No. LUC anticipates work at the unclassified and CUI levels only. Classified abstract or proposal submissions will not be accepted.

Does DARPA intend to produce or field LUC technology directly from this program? No. DARPA is explicit that this solicitation is for research and experimentation only. Any prototypes are test articles, not production end items, and the government does not intend to rely on LUC results for operational deployment. Any future production or fielding would require a completely separate agreement with independently negotiated terms.

Are FFRDCs, UARCs, and national labs eligible to propose on LUC? Not as prime performers. DARPA will not award new contracts to these entities directly under this solicitation, and a direct prime proposal from one may be deemed non-conforming. They may participate as subcontractors only under specific conditions, including a clearly defined role, excluded funding from the cost proposal, and, for UARCs, an organizational conflict of interest mitigation plan.

What happens if my LUC abstract isn't selected? You'll receive a non-selection notification and will not be permitted to submit a full proposal or participate in oral presentations under this BAA. There is no appeal path described in the solicitation.