Department of Education Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IA 2026: Solicitation

The Department of Education is soliciting proposals under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IA program for fiscal year 2026, designated by solicitation number 91990026R0003, with a total small business set-aside under FAR 19.5 and NAICS code 541720. Proposals must be submitted electronically via email to David.Yadeta@ed.gov with a copy to David.Geary@ed.gov by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on June 29, 2026, and must not exceed 25 MB in file size; physical submissions, faxes, or other electronic methods are not accepted. Proposals must be submitted as a single Microsoft Word or PDF document with the filename format “CompanyName.PhaseIA.ProposalTitle.pdf” or “.doc(x)” and must not exceed 50 characters. The project narrative is limited to 10 pages, formatted in 12-point or larger font, single-spaced, with 1-inch margins on all sides and a maximum of 15 characters per inch. All submissions must include the required cover pages exactly as provided, without page numbers, with numbering beginning on the first page of the project narrative. Offerors must be registered in SAM.gov with a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI); proposals without a UEI will be rejected without review. Additionally, offerors must provide a PDF of the SBIR.gov SBC Registration Control ID Form, certify ownership and HUBZone status, and include signatures from both the Authorized Representative and Project Director. Failure to include any required certifications or documentation will result in non-review. The contract is a Firm Fixed-Price award with an estimated value of $250,000 for a nine-month period of performance from October 5, 2026, to July 4, 2027. Evaluation will be based on five criteria, with Significance weighted at 40 points and Project Team, Budget, and Prior SBIR Projects at 30 points; the remaining criteria—Phase I R&D Plan and Prior SBIR Awards—do not have specified point values but collectively contribute to a total maximum score of 100. Proposals will be evaluated competitively without discussions, except for clarifications permitted under FAR 15.306(a), and awards will be made solely on the basis of highest scores within available funding.