Contract · Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

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

Agency: EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF / EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Location: WASHINGTON, DC
Amount: Amount not listed
Deadline: Open, no deadline listed
Posted: Apr 14, 2026
Set-aside: Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
NAICS code: 541720

What this contract is for

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 IB solicitation #91990026R0004, 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 IB 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 a new component to be integrated with an existing education technology prototype or product over a period of 9 months. The goal of the Phase IB 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 IB: A New Component to be Integrated with an Existing Education Technology Prototype of Product for Use by Learners, Educators or Administrators (or Other School Personnel) Successful Phase IB 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 new component to be integrated with the education technology prototype or product over a period of 2 years and to prepare for commercialization. The result from Phase IB and the subsequent Phase II funding under this solicitation will be a nov...

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