U.S. Department of Transportation Small Business Innovation Research Fiscal Year 2026 Phase I Solicitation

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) FY 2026 Phase I Solicitation for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. The program encourages small businesses to engage in research and development (R&D) with the potential for commercialization, aligning with federal R&D objectives. The DOT is seeking innovative research ideas and solutions in response to specific topics listed in the solicitation and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

• Proposals must align with one of the research topics provided.

• Phase I awards are intended to establish technical merit, feasibility, and commercial potential.

• The R&D work must be performed in the United States.

• A minimum of two-thirds (66.7%) of the research or analytical effort must be performed by the awardee for Phase I.

• Technical proposals must not exceed 15 pages.

• Phase I awards may be funded up to $200,000, with a six-month period of performance.

• Awards will be Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) purchase orders.

• Phase II awards may be funded up to $1,500,000 with a period of performance up to 24 months.

• Profit is allowed but typically does not exceed 10%.

• Cost sharing is not applicable to Phase I awards.

• Solicitation Issue Date: June 3, 2026

• Registration Deadline for Solicitation Webinar: June 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET

• Administrative Questions Due: June 30, 2026, 3:00 p.m. ET

• Solicitation Closing Date / Proposal Submissions Due: July 7, 2026, 3:00 p.m. ET

• Proposals must be submitted through the U.S. DOT's automated submission system.

• Evaluation will be based on technical merit, feasibility, commercial potential, and proposal quality.

• Eligibility requirements are unique to the SBIR program.

• Companies majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms are not eligible.

• The Principal Investigator's primary employment must be with the small business concern (SBC).

• Performance benchmark requirements related to Phase I to Phase II transition rates and commercialization rates must be met.

• Several topics have been amended with clarifications since pre-solicitation.

• Notable changes for 2026 include SBIR Program Reauthorization and a change in how SAM and SBIR Company Registrations are submitted (now in Appendices A & B).

• Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) requests are now required at the time of proposal submission, with funding up to $6,500 for Phase I.

• Disclosures of Foreign Affiliation or Relationships to Foreign Countries are required.

• Specific research topics are detailed in Section 9, covering areas such as FHWA, FRA, FTA, OST, and PHMSA.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "APPENDIX A: U.S. DOT SBIR Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Phase I Research Topics," serves as a detailed appendix to a solicitation, outlining specific research topics for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for Fiscal Year 2026. It provides potential bidders with a comprehensive list of research areas across various U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) administrations.

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA): Topics include Edge AI-V2X for congestion prevention and Automated Mobile Catch-basin Inspection.
• Federal Railroad Administration (FRA): Focuses on a Mobile High-Power Emergency BESS De-energizer System for Rail Vehicle Propulsion.
• Federal Transit Administration (FTA): Features Person-Centered, Carefree, Complete Trip Planning powered by AI.
• Office of the Secretary (OST): Includes Predictive Safety Analytics for Commercial Transport Modernization and Freight Corridor Predictive Intelligence.
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA): Covers topics such as End-of-Life Battery Safety and Recovery of Rare Earth Minerals, Thermal Indicator Coatings for Hazardous Materials Packaging Safety, Self-repairing Hazardous Materials Packaging, and Improved Response to Lithium-ion Battery Fires.

This appendix is crucial for potential bidders as it details the specific research and development topics that the DOT is interested in funding through the SBIR program. It allows vendors to identify opportunities that align with their expertise and capabilities, guiding their proposal development efforts for the associated solicitation.