IMPORTANT UPDATE: Effective 1 October 2025, SBIR/STTR program authorization has expired. New activity is paused; ongoing awards remain valid. Awardees are encouraged to contact their TPOCs and contracting officers with questions regarding active awards.
AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research & Small Business Technology Transfer Program
Mission: The AFWERX SBIR/STTR program funds emerging technologies to deliver Air Force and Space Force capabilities and broaden access to disruptive innovation. Transforms the national security innovation base by attracting and scaling small businesses via government and private capital.
Vision: Collaborates with small businesses to develop and deliver disruptive Air and Space capabilities.
Our success is achieved by connecting novel commercial solutions with defense problem sets, de-risking Airmen and Guardian initiatives to fill capability gaps and transition technologies.
There are three avenues to get involved with the DAF SBIR/STTR program: Open Topic, Specific Topic and the STRATFI/TACFI program.
Ongoing & Upcoming Solicitations
Opportunities across the Department of War (DoW) are released on the first Wednesday of each month.
FY 2026 DoW SBIR/STTR Solicitation ScheduleSchedule is available at the bottom of the page linked above
PY26.1 STRATFI Notice of Opportunity (Space)
Launched on July 28, 2025, the Space PY26.1 STRATFI Program operates as a continuous, rolling process, offering flexibility to meet evolving needs. Proposals are reviewed individually as received, with selection decisions made on an ongoing basis.
Additional program information, guidance documents and templates can be found HERE. Please coordinate with your government counterparts to obtain the necessary documentation.
*Cost base max and period of performance are determined at the topic level and can be found within the solicitation instructions.
About SBIR/STTR
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program was established by Congress in 1982 to fund research and development (R&D) by small businesses of 500 or fewer employees. Eleven federal agencies participate in the program, including the Department of War.
The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program was established in 1992 to fund cooperative R&D projects with small businesses and non-profit U.S. research institutions, such as universities. Five federal agencies participate, including the Department of War. Both programs focus on projects and services with the potential to develop into a product for military or commercial sectors.
Office of the Secretary of War (OSW) SBIR/STTR Eligibility Requirements
SBIR
- Applicant is a for-profit business based in the United States
- 500 or fewer employees
- Principal investigator’s primary employment (more than 50 percent) must be with small business
- Additional requirements apply
STTR
- Applicant is a for-profit business based in the United States
- Partner with U.S. research institution
- Formal cooperative research and development effort
- At least 40% of work performed by small business while 30% of work performed by research institution
- Additional requirements apply
Eligibility Guide
- Click HERE to view the Guide to Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Eligibility
System for Award Management (SAM)
Before a contract can be awarded, you must be registered in the System for Award Management, or SAM. SAM replaced the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), the Online Representations and Certifications Application, and the Excluded Parties List System. SAM allows firms interested in conducting business with the federal government to provide basic information on their business capabilities and financial information. To register, visit https://www.sam.gov/. If you had an active record in CCR, then you have an active record in SAM. You will receive email notifications 60, 30, and 15 days prior to the expiration of the record. You can search for registered entities in SAM by typing the business name or DUNS number into the search box.
Proposal Submissions
A SBIR or STTR Phase I, Phase II or Direct to Phase II (D2P2) proposal for any DoW component must be submitted through the online DoW Submission website
Proposal Select and Award
If your firm’s proposal has been selected for an award, the principal investigator and corporate official indicated on the proposal cover sheet will be notified by email.
You will receive an email for each selected proposal. Please read each email carefully, paying close attention to the proposal and topic numbers. The email will emphasize that no work is to be performed at this time and that a Government Contract Negotiator or Contracting Officer will be contacting you.
Proposal Receipt and Status
The Air Force is not responsible for ensuring email receipt by small businesses that have changed their email addresses since submission of the Phase I proposal without proper notification. If your email addresses have changed since proposal submission, please send an email to afrl.rgv.SBIRSTTR@us.af.mil with the change.