Department of Education Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct to Phase II 2026: Solicitation

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) anticipate releasing a pre-solicitation notice for the 2026 Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Direct to Phase II solicitation #91990026R0005 around April 30, 2026, with proposals due approximately 60 days later. This program, known as ED/IES SBIR, provides awards of $1,000,000 over two years to eligible for-profit businesses for research, development, and evaluation of new, commercially viable education technology products. The Direct to Phase II program specifically targets existing evidence-based innovations originally created by researchers at academic institutions or non-profit research organizations, aiming to ready them for use at scale and plan for commercialization. Small businesses that originated education technology projects are not eligible for this specific phase, and a member of the original research team must be part of the SBIR project team. This program does not require a prior Phase I award. The notice also mentions three other 2026 ED/IES SBIR solicitations (Phase IA, Phase IB, and Phase II) that will be released concurrently, each with distinct focuses and eligibility criteria. A critical note prohibits submitting the same or similar proposals across these solicitations. The overarching purpose of the SBIR program is to stimulate technological innovation, strengthen small businesses, and enhance the commercial potential of federally funded research for economic and social benefits. Interested parties are advised to monitor official postings for updates, as this is not a request for proposals.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, administered by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), released the “Direct to Phase II” solicitation #91990026R0005. This Request for Proposals (RFP), issued on April 30, 2026, and closing on June 29, 2026, seeks proposals for projects to develop new education technology products that ready existing evidence-based innovations for large-scale use and plan for commercialization. The program awards $1,000,000 contracts over two years to eligible small businesses, bypassing the Phase I requirement. Key eligibility criteria include that the original evidence-based innovation must have been conceptualized by academic or non-profit researchers (not small businesses), and one of the original researchers must be part of the proposed SBIR project team. Proposals must demonstrate a strong evidence base for the existing innovation, justify the need for further technological development to enable scaling, and outline a pilot study plan to measure the new product's usability, feasibility, and impact on outcomes. A robust commercialization plan, including intellectual property strategy and financial projections, is also required. Duplicate proposals across other 2026 ED/IES SBIR solicitations (Phase IA or IB) will be rejected, though multiple unique proposals are permitted.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) has released the FY 2026 Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Solicitation (#91990026R0005). This RFP invites eligible small businesses to propose projects that ready existing evidence-based innovations—originally developed by academic or non-profit researchers—for use at scale in education through new education technology products, coupled with commercialization plans. The program offers $1,000,000 contracts over two years, bypassing the Phase I requirement. Proposals must detail the evidence base, technological development, a pilot study to demonstrate scalability and outcome consistency, and a comprehensive commercialization plan, including intellectual property and financing. Key submission deadlines include June 29, 2026, for proposals, with awards anticipated by October 5, 2026. Strict eligibility and formatting requirements apply, emphasizing that the innovation must not have originated from a for-profit small business and should not be widely commercially deployed.