Department of Education Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IB 2026: Solicitation   2

Background
The U.S. Department of Education's (ED) Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), administered by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), aims to foster the development of new, commercially viable education technology products.

The goal is to create a portfolio of research-based products that address significant needs in education. This solicitation invites eligible for-profit small business firms to submit proposals for Phase IB, focusing on developing a new component to be integrated with existing education technology products.

Work Details
The contractor shall develop and evaluate a prototype of a new component to be integrated with an existing education technology prototype or product. The proposal must include:
- A description of the new component prototype and its functionality at the end of the Phase IB project.
- Strong plans for development and integration within the existing product.
- An appropriate research design for demonstrating usability and feasibility by the end of Phase I.
- A letter of agreement from an educational institution indicating willingness to participate in Phase IB research.
- Details on the project team’s expertise in technological R&D, education theory, and commercialization strategies.
- A budget that appropriately allocates funding for technological R&D and evaluation.

Period of Performance
The contract will be performed over a period of nine months, starting from the award date.