Name | Type | Posted | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
2026 SBIR DTP2 91990026R0005 Presolicitation.pdf | Apr 14, 2026 |
Department of Education Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct to Phase II 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) Direct to Phase II solicitation #91990026R0005 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...
View moreSmall Business firms and partners who possess strong research and development and evaluation capabilities for education technology products in the below priority area are encouraged to participate.
PRIORITY AREA Direct to Phase II: Projects to Develop New Education Technology Products to Ready Existing Evidence-Based Innovations for Use at Scale in Education Settings, and to Plan for Commercialization
Three other 2026 ED/IES SBIR solicitations will be released on the same day as the Direct to Phase II 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 Phase IB program solicitation 91990026R0004 will request proposals for the development of a new component to be integrated with an existing education technology prototype or product. The existing prototype or product is required to be research-based. The resulting product from Phase IB and II funding under this solicitation will be a new version of an education technology product.
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 U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), issued this pre-solicitation notice for the 2026 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct to Phase II program under solicitation number 91990026R0005. This program facilitates awards to eligible for-profit small businesses and partners for the research, development, evaluation, and commercialization of new education technology or special education technology products. The Direct to Phase II track specifically targets the transition of existing evidence-based innovations—originally created by researchers at universities or non-profit education research organizations—into commercially viable products for use at scale. These projects are awarded without a prior Phase I award, provided that one or more members of the original research team are part of the proposal team.
The anticipated solicitation release date is approximately April 30, 2026, with a proposal submission deadline expected in late June 2026. Selected projects will receive awards of $1,000,000 over a performance period of two years. Eligibility is restricted to innovations that are evidence-based; projects focused on advancing innovations that are not evidence-based or those originated by small businesses rather than academic or non-profit researchers are not eligible for this specific track. This procurement is classified under NAICS code 541720 for Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities and PSC code AF11 for Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services R&D Services; Education Services R&D; Basic Research.
The opportunity is designated with a SBA Small Business Administration set-aside. Administrative oversight is provided by the Department of Education’s Office of Contracts and Acquisitions Management, with David Yadeta serving as the point of contact. This pre-solicitation was published on April 14, 2026, and includes one attachment titled "2026 SBIR DTP2 91990026R0005 Presolicitation.pdf." Offerors are prohibited from submitting the same or similar proposals under the concurrent 2026 Phase IA, IB, or Phase II SBIR solicitations, as duplicate submissions will be rejected without review.
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