Industry Guide to SBIR

1. Determine if your company is eligible.

Small Businesses are eligible to apply to SBIR if they have less than 500 employees, are at least 51% U.S.-owned, and have sold your product or service to at least one non-defense commercial customer.

Review the full eligibility guidelines here.

2. View Air Force focus areas and user needs.

While the “Open Topic” allows any businesses that meets the SBIR criteria to apply, we encourage applicants to view our current list of focus areas and Air Force user needs to determine if your product or service might be desired by a certain unit.

View the focus areas currently listed here.

View our current Air Force users needs here.

3. Review application requirements and prepare to submit required materials.

Start by applying for a Phase I SBIR contract, which requires a 15-slide pitch deck and 5-page online application.

View the application requirements here.

4. Apply during the application window.

We have three application windows each year. If selected for Phase I, you will receive up to $50 thousand to work with the Air Force for 3 months to see if your solution can be adapted to meet the needs of an Air Force end-user.

View this a detailed guide on how to apply.

Apply during the next application window from Sept. 24 to Oct. 23.

5. If selected for a Phase I contract, find an Air Force customer.

To be able to move on to Phase II or Phase III, you must locate an Air Force customer and have them sign a memorandum of agreement signifying their intention to work with your company.

To find a customer, browse the focus areas and Air Force user needs for a point of contact or attend AFWERX events like Spark Colliders, and reach out to us at support@afwerx.af.mil.

6. Apply for a Phase II contract.

If you find a match between your product and an Air Force end-user, you can apply to receive up to $3 million for a trial period of your solution with your Air Force user.

7. Progress to sole-source contract with any U.S. Federal Government Agency.

After the trial, you are given the right to a sole-source (i.e. no-tender competition) contract with any agency in the U.S. Federal Government. Additional resources for each phase are included below.

Phase I Application Resources

SBIR 19.3-CS01 Open Topic Description

Instructions

• Review SBIR 19.3-CS01 Open Topic Instructions instructions in the SBIR X19.2 section here.
• Phase I Proposal Template

Broad Focus Areas and Specific User Needs for 19.3 Open Topic

• The 19.3 Open Topic Technology Focus Areas correspond to Pitch Days and other funding opportunities.
• Need IDs (opportunities and unmet needs identified by Air Force end-users)

Additional Resources

• SBIR Phase I Proposal Walk-Through (A how to apply guide)
• Common Application Mistakes to Avoid
• Sample Application Pitch Deck
• SBIR Eligibility Guide

Phase II and Direct to Phase II Application Resources

Direct to Phase II Open Topic Description

Instructions

• Review the Direct to Phase II instructions at this link under SBIR X19.2

Additional Resources

• For a walk-through on the proposal process, common mistakes to avoid, sample pitch decks, an eligibility guide, and video series, see the “Phase I Application Resources” section.
• Open Topic Description for DoD (crash course on why this program exists and how DoD Personnel can engage with it)
• Open Topic Customer Memorandum Template For Air Force Customers to indicate interest in your solution; this is REQUIRED for you to be awarded Phase II or Direct to Phase II.
• Milestone Template Fill this out in addition to the milestones in the MOU - they should be the same; this streamlines the contract award process.
• If your Phase II (or III) customer requires you to work with classified information, please see this guide Classified Contracts: The Facility Clearance Process & Expectations on gaining a classified contract
• If you are proposing matching funds for a RAPID Phase II application, submit this RAPID form with your Phase II or Direct to Phase II application.
• Stand-Alone Section K

Phase III Resources

As soon as a company has received a Phase I SBIR/STTR contract, they can then transition the solution sole-source to any U.S. Federal Government agency via a SBIR Phase III. This is the end goal for all of our companies that go through the SBIR/STTR process.

While SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II are managed and mostly funded by the SBIR/STTR office, the Phase III is quite different in the fact that is is not funded or managed by the office.

In a sense, "Phase III" is a misnomer and could be better described as “Sole-Source Government Purchase.” In general, Phase IIIs can use nearly any color of money (i.e. R&D, O&M, etc), they have no dollar amount limit, and have no time limit on when they can be enacted, meaning it’s okay if the company received the SBIR award many years ago.

Phase III refers to work that derives from, extends, or completes an effort made under prior SBIR/STTR funding agreements, but is funded by sources other than the SBIR/STTR program. Once a company has received a Phase I or II award, sole-source Phase III awards may be made to the company, since competition requirements were satisfied under Phase I and II.

Additional Resources:

• Phase III Overview
• Phase III Advanced Information
• GSA AAS Phase III Pilot Program (just one option available to assist you)