This Solicitation opportunity from Department Of Transportation was posted on June 26, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
U.S. Department of Transportation Small Business Innovation Research Fiscal Year 2026 Phase I Solicitation
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Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation, through the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, is issuing its Fiscal Year 2026 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) solicitation to engage U.S. small businesses in innovative research aligned with critical transportation priorities. This solicitation, designated as 6913G626QSBIR1, is a Total Small Business Set-Aside under FAR 19.5 and is restricted to small businesses qualifying under NAICS code 541715 with no more than 500 employees, as defined by 13 CFR 121.702. Proposals must be submitted electronically by the deadline of July 7, 2026, and no hard copies will be accepted. A pre-proposal webinar is scheduled for June 9, 2026, and technical inquiries addressed during the pre-solicitation period are archived online for reference. The solicitation centers on ten specific research topics, including Edge AI-V2X systems for congestion mitigation, automated inspection of catch-basins, mobile high-power emergency battery de-energizers for rail systems, AI-powered trip planning, and predictive intelligence for freight corridors. Each topic includes detailed updates clarifying desired Phase I outcomes, technical specifications, and expectations for Phase II deliverables such as prototypes, validation reports, technical documentation, and commercialization strategies. Packaging solutions involving hazardous materials must comply with 49 CFR 178, specifying material types, environmental resilience under transportation conditions, and visual marking requirements like irreversible thermochromic indicators for temperature exposure, while excluding radioactive material packaging. Performance is expected to originate from Cambridge, Massachusetts, with field demonstrations required for certain topics involving state DOTs and freight partners. All offers must demonstrate technical merit and alignment with U.S. DOT goals while maintaining full compliance with SBIR program regulations.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
MASet-Aside
Timeline
Submission Closed
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), is providing this notice to issue its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Phase I solicitation pursuant to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. The purpose of this solicitation is to invite U.S. small businesses to submit innovative research offers in response to the solicitation topics, which serve as key research areas for the U.S. DOT. Each small business concern submitting an offer must qualify as a small business in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR); 13 CFR 121.702. The applicable North American Industry Classification System code is 541715 with a size standard of 500 employees.
In addition to this SAM posting, the U.S. DOT SBIR FY 2026 Phase I solicitation and any documents related to it will be available on the U.S. DOT SBIR program website. This solicitation is issued through electronic means only; no hard copies will be available. A pre-proposal webinar is being held on June 9, 2026 from 2:00-3:00 pm Eastern Time. Information on the pre-proposal webinar may be found in the solicitation on page ii and/or from the U.S. DOT SBIR program website.
Technical questions and answers received on the SBIR FY26 topics that were released during the pre-solicitation period of April 29, 2026, through May 29, 2026, are available at https://usdot.uservoice.com/forums/967226-u-s-dot-fy-2026-phase-i-pre-solicitation-q-a. There are frequently asked questions and answers (FAQs) relative to the overall SBIR program on the U.S. DOT SBIR program website. Offerors must go to the website to access the FAQs.
Topic 26-FH1: Edge AI-V2X Integrated Practical Solutions for Congestion Prevention and Mitigation, has been updated with clarifications on what the topic seeks to develop including more specifics on expected functionalities, desired outcomes, and expectations for the Phase I final report. Additional details are also provided for the Phase II desired outcomes.
Topic 26-FH2: Automated Mobile Catch-basin Inspection System, has been updated with clarifications in the Topic Description.
Topic 26-FR1: Mobile High-Power Emergency BESS De-energizer System for Rail Vehicle Propulsion, has provided additional information on the battery energy storage systems (BESS) and additional details on the operational goals for the system to be developed.
Topic 26-FT1: Person-Centered, Carefree, Complete Trip Planning - Powered by AI, has added detail to clarify the desired outcomes of Phase I.
Topic 26-OS2: Freight Corridor Predictive Intelligence, has updated the overarching objectives, provided additional details in the technical parameters, and clarified the desired outcomes and expectations for Phase I.
Topic 26-PH1: Increase End-of-Life Battery Safety and Recovery of Rare Earth Minerals, has added details to clarify the desired outcomes of Phase I.
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