Advanced Reserve Power Source Technologies

The Department of the Air Force, under the Department of Defense, is soliciting proposals for Advanced Reserve Power Source Technologies through a direct-to-phase-II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. This total small business set-aside aims to stimulate technological innovation and adapt commercial solutions to close capability gaps. The solicitation is open for responses until November 25, 2026, and requires submission via the DSIP portal. Proposals are evaluated independently on a competitive basis, primarily focusing on technical capability and the merit of the approach in achieving specific topic objectives. All awards are subject to a risk-based due diligence security review, including a Foreign Risk Evaluation, which can disqualify a proposal regardless of technical merit if national security risks cannot be mitigated. Eligible applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and the SBA Company Registry. The contract may utilize various instrument types, including Firm-Fixed-Price or Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee. Performance periods generally span six to twelve months for Phase I and 24 months for Phase II. Key requirements include compliance with NIST SP 800-171 for cybersecurity, ITAR and EAR for export controls, and the disclosure of any organizational conflicts of interest. Proposals must be submitted in seven specific volumes, with the technical volume provided as a single PDF. Payment is processed electronically through the Wide Area WorkFlow (WAWF) system in accordance with prompt payment regulations.