Name | Type | Posted | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
2026 SBIR Phase IB 91990026R0004 Presolicitation.pdf | Apr 14, 2026 |
Department of Education Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IB 2026: Pre-Solicitation
Contact and place of performance
David Yadeta
Not specified
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) anticipate the release of a 2026 Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase IB solicitation #91990026R0004, on or about April 30, 2026. The proposal submission date will be in late June 2026, approximately 60 days after the solicitation release. The program, known as ED/IES SBIR, provides aw...
View morePRIORITY AREA IB: A New Component to be Integrated with an Existing Education Technology Prototype of Product for Use by Learners, Educators or Administrators (or Other School Personnel)
Successful Phase IB awardees under the solicitation will be eligible to apply for a Phase II award for $1,000,000 in 2027, to fully develop and evaluate the new component to be integrated with the education technology prototype or product over a period of 2 years and to prepare for commercialization. The result from Phase IB and the subsequent Phase II funding under this solicitation will be a novel education technology product.
Three other 2026 ED/IES SBIR solicitations will be released on the same day as the Phase IB solicitation:
The Phase IA program solicitation 91990026R0003 will request proposals for the development and evaluation of a prototype of an entirely novel education technology product (where no or limited previous development has occurred) over a period of 9 months. The goal of the Phase IA track is to solicit proposals for ground-breaking high-risk high reward approaches to solve pressing problems in education.
The Direct to Phase II program solicitation #91990026R0005 will request proposals for the development of new education technology products to ready existing evidence-based innovations (e.g., products, interventions, tools) for commercial use at scale. Awards will be for $1,000,000 over a period of 2 years. The existing evidence-based innovation is required to have originally been conceptualized and developed by an academic researcher while at an academic institution or by a researcher at a non-profit education research organization. One or more of the academic researchers that originally created the innovation are required to participate in the project team. Projects that focus on advancing innovations that are not evidence-based will not be eligible for the Direct to Phase II program.
Important Notes:
Offerors will not be permitted to submit the same or similar proposals under the 2026 Phase IA, IB, Direct to Phase II or Phase II solicitations. Any duplicate or similar proposals that are submitted under more than one of these 2026 solicitations will be rejected without review.
For more information and specifications, please refer to the Phase IA, Phase IB, Direct to Phase II or Phase II solicitations after release.
About the ED/IES SBIR Program
The purpose of the SBIR program is to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, strengthen the role of small business in meeting Department research and development needs, increase the commercial potential of Department-supported research results, and improve the return on investment from Federally funded research for economic and social benefits to the Nation. ED/IES SBIR provides awards to eligible for-profit businesses and partners for the research and development and evaluation of new, commercially viable education technology products (“products”). The ED/IES SBIR portfolio consists of research-based and commercially viable products that are widely deployed to address pressing needs in education. ED/IES SBIR is a highly competitive program – historically about 5 to 7% of submitted proposals resulted in a Phase I award, about 10% result in a Direct to Phase II award, and about 50% of Phase I awardees have won a Phase II award the following year. For more information about the ED/IES SBIR program, please see: www.ies.ed.gov/sbir Please note: the primary means of communication with Department personnel is via email.
Please review the FAQ page to assist you in the preparation and submission of your proposal. FAQ page: https://ies.ed.gov/small-business-innovation-research-sbir/edies-sbir-frequently-asked-questions
This notice is not a request for proposals at this time. Interested parties should continue to monitor this posting for updates.
The Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) intends to release a pre-solicitation for the 2026 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IB program under solicitation number 91990026R0004. This initiative provides $250,000 contracts to eligible for-profit small businesses and partners to develop and evaluate prototypes of new components designed for integration into existing education technology products. This specific track focuses on high-risk, high-reward approaches to solving pressing problems in education for learners, educators, or administrators. The anticipated performance period for these Phase IB contracts is nine months, and successful awardees will become eligible to apply for Phase II funding of $1,000,000 in 2027 to finalize development and prepare for commercialization.
The official solicitation is expected to be released on or about April 30, 2026, with proposals due approximately 60 days later in late June 2026. This opportunity is classified under NAICS 541720 for Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities and PSC AF11 for Education Services R&D Basic Research. The procurement is designated as a Small Business Administration (SBA) set-aside. Interested parties are notified that duplicate or similar proposals cannot be submitted across the concurrent Phase IA, Phase IB, or Direct to Phase II solicitations being released by the agency.
The Department of Education’s Contracts and Acquisitions Management office oversees this requirement, with David Yadeta serving as the point of contact. The pre-solicitation announcement includes one PDF attachment titled "2026 SBIR Phase IB 91990026R0004 Presolicitation.pdf," which was published on April 14, 2026. The program aims to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector and improve the return on investment from federally funded research for economic and social benefits. Evaluation will prioritize firms with strong research, development, and evaluation capabilities in education technology.
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