SBIR/STTR Pathways
SBIR and STTR are not procurement vehicles in the traditional sense but competitive research grants and contracts that fund small businesses to develop technology the government wants, with Phase III explicitly designed to transition into production contracts without new competition.
- Managed by
- Multiple agencies (coordinated by SBA)
- Ceiling
- Phase-based, typically $250K to $2M+ per award
- Scope
- Early-stage R&D and technology commercialization across DoD, NIH, NSF, DOE, and other participating agencies
- Period of performance
- Phase I (6-12 months), Phase II (up to 2 years), Phase III commercialization (no set term)
Key takeaways
- Vehicle access is a market position, not a contract — task orders are where revenue happens.
- Read the ordering guide before bidding a task order; format and evaluation rules differ from open-market RFPs.
- Fair-opportunity task orders move fast, often with 10 to 15 day response windows.
- Track on-ramp windows well in advance; they open rarely and close quickly.
How work is ordered
Agencies publish topic-specific solicitations several times a year; awards move through Phase I feasibility studies, Phase II prototype development, and Phase III commercialization, with each phase requiring separate proposals and increasingly rigorous technical review.
Getting on the vehicle
There is no vehicle to "get on" — each phase is its own competitive award based on a technical and commercial merit proposal responding to a specific agency topic, open to any qualifying small business with no prior award required.
Winning task orders
Treat Phase III as the real prize: it can be sole-sourced by any agency referencing your SBIR-derived technology, so build your Phase I and II proposals around a credible, fundable path to a specific program of record rather than research for its own sake.
FAQ
Do I need SBIR history to apply?
No, any qualifying small business can respond to an open topic, though prior awards can strengthen credibility.
What is Phase III?
Commercialization or production work that can be awarded without further competition, referencing SBIR-funded technology.
Which agencies run SBIR programs?
Eleven agencies including DoD, NIH, NSF, DOE, and NASA, each with its own topics and solicitation calendar.
Draft a compliant response for $2
RFP Scribe builds your compliance matrix and first draft from the solicitation and your Company Brain.
Get startedServices that help with this
Buy just the piece you need — most start at a few dollars, no subscription required.
Pricing Volume Builder
$10Generate compliant pricing tables with labor categories and rates.
Buy NowTechnical Volume Outline Generator
$5AI-mapped outline with page allocations for your proposal.
Buy NowPrice-to-Win Estimator
$12 eachSee competitive pricing ranges from historical award data.
Buy Now