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

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) anticipate the release of a 2026 Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase IA solicitation #91990026R0003, on or about April 30, 2026. The proposal submission date will be in late June 2026, approximately 60 days after the solicitation release. 

The program, known as ED/IES SBIR, provides awards to eligible for-profit businesses and partners for the research and development and evaluation of new, commercially viable education technology products (“products”).  

The Phase IA program solicitation will invite eligible for-profit small business firms and partners to submit proposals for $250,000 for contracts to develop and evaluate a prototype of an entirely novel education technology product (where no or limited previous development has occurred) over a period of 9 months. The goal of the Phase IA track is to solicit proposals for ground-breaking high-risk high reward approaches to solve pressing problems in education. 

Small Business firms and partners who possess strong research and development and evaluation capabilities for education technology products in the below priority area are encouraged to participate. 

PRIORITY AREA IA: Prototypes of Novel Education Technology Products for Use by Learners, Educators or Administrators (or Other School Personnel) 

Successful Phase IA awardees under the solicitation will be eligible to apply for a Phase II award for $1,000,000 in 2027, to fully develop and evaluate the novel education technology product over a period of 2 years and to prepare for commercialization. The result from Phase IA and the subsequent Phase II funding under this solicitation will be a novel education technology product. 

Three other 2026 ED/IES SBIR solicitations will be released on the same day as the Phase IA solicitation: 

• The Phase IB program solicitation 91990026R0004 will request proposals for the development of a new component to be integrated with an existing education technology prototype or product. The existing prototype or product is required to be research-based. The resulting product from Phase IB and II funding under this solicitation will be a new version of an education technology product. 

• The Direct to Phase II program solicitation #91990026R0005 will request proposals for the development of new education technology products to ready existing evidence-based innovations (e.g., products, interventions, tools) for commercial use at scale. Awards will be for $1,000,000 over a period of 2 years.   The existing evidence-based innovation is required to have originally been conceptualized and developed by an academic researcher while at an academic institution or by a researcher at a non-profit education research organization. One or more of the academic researchers that originally created the innovation are required to participate in the project team. Projects that focus on advancing innovations that are not evidence-based will not be eligible for the Direct to Phase II program. 

mportant Notes: 

• Offerors will not be permitted to submit the same or similar proposals under the 2026 Phase IA, IB, Direct to Phase II or Phase II solicitations. Any duplicate or similar proposals that are submitted under more than one of these 2026 solicitations will be rejected without review.  

• For more information and specifications, please refer to the Phase IA, Phase IB, Direct to Phase II and Phase II solicitations after release. 
   

About the ED/IES SBIR Program 

The purpose of the SBIR program is to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, strengthen the role of small business in meeting Department research and development needs, increase the commercial potential of Department-supported research results, and improve the return on investment from Federally funded research for economic and social benefits to the Nation. ED/IES SBIR provides awards to eligible for-profit businesses and partners for the research and development and evaluation of new, commercially viable education technology products (“products”). The ED/IES SBIR portfolio consists of research-based and commercially viable products that are widely deployed to address pressing needs in education.  ED/IES SBIR is a highly competitive program – historically about 5 to 7% of submitted proposals resulted in a Phase I award, about 10% result in a Direct to Phase II award, and about 50% of Phase I awardees have won a Phase II award the following year. For more information about the ED/IES SBIR program, please see:  www.ies.ed.gov/sbir  Please note: the primary means of communication with Department personnel is via email.   

Please review the FAQ page to assist you in the preparation and submission of your proposal.  FAQ page: https://ies.ed.gov/small-business-innovation-research-sbir/edies-sbir-frequently-asked-questions 

This notice is not a request for proposals at this time.  Interested parties should continue to monitor this posting for updates.