UPDATED 12/4/23: The Request for Proposal (RFP) has been issued for the 2024 SBIR Phase IA. Key dates are listed below.
1/3/24: Deadline for all questions related to the RFP which must be submitted via email to Andreea.Patterson@ed.gov and Cc. David.geary@ed.gov. (recommended to use excel Questions template in attachments section)
1/18/24: Proposal submission deadline 11am EST and must be submitted via email to Andreea.Patterson@ed.gov and Cc. David.geary@ed.gov.
4/17/24: On or before this date, official results email notification to all offerors.
5/1/24: Start date for awardees.
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 goal of ED/IES SBIR is to grow a portfolio of research-based and commercially viable products that are widely deployed to address pressing needs 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:
The ED/IES SBIR Phase IA program solicitation #91990024R0010 invites eligible for-profit small business firms and partners to submit proposals for $250,000 contracts to develop and evaluate a prototype of an entirely new education technology product (where no or limited previous development has occurred) over a period of 8 months. The goal of the Phase IA track is to stimulate novel (e.g., first of its kind) approaches to solve pressing problems in education. Successful Phase IA awardees under the solicitation will be eligible to apply for a Phase II award for $1,000,000 in 2025, to fully develop and evaluate the new 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 new education technology product.
Other 2024 ED/IES SBIR solicitations:
Important Notes:
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. Phase I is to determine, insofar as possible, the scientific or technical merit of ideas submitted under the SBIR program. The proposal should concentrate on Research/Research & Development (R/R&D) that will establish the feasibility of the technological approach, a prerequisite for further Department support in Phase II. ED/IES SBIR is a highly competitive program – historically between 5 and 7% of submitted proposals result in a Phase I award, and about 50% of Phase I awardees win a Phase II award the following year.
For more information about the ED/IES SBIR program, please see here: www.ies.ed.gov/sbir
Please note that due to an office transition, the primary means of communication with Department personnel should be via email. The listed phone numbers may not be active or may change in the future.