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Program Year 2026

Information Hub

NASA SBIR/STTR Program

We are targeting release of the BAA and 2026 Appendix A as soon as possible based on program reauthorization.

Welcome! This is the information hub for program year 2026, where you can find details on the NASA SBIR/STTR Phase I opportunities. We recommend you bookmark this page and subscribe to receive our updates right here. We will continue to update this page with more information as it becomes available. 

Shift to a Broad Agency Announcement

This year, the NASA SBIR/STTR program is undergoing a change from our traditional solicitation cycle to a Broad Agency Announcement, or BAA.  

  • Traditional NASA SBIR/STTR solicitation cycle
    • NASA SBIR/STTR Phase I “Mainline” Solicitation
      • Released in January
      • Contained the majority of subtopics for the program year
    • NASA SBIR Ignite Phase I Solicitation
      • Released in the summer
      • Contained the remainder of subtopics for the program year

Beginning this fall, we’ll be utilizing a BAA, which will empower us to release Phase I subtopics for SBIR, STTR, and SBIR Ignite over multiple appendices throughout the year. 

  • New NASA SBIR/STTR solicitation cycle for program year 2026
    • NASA SBIR/STTR Broad Agency Announcement
      • Release date TBD
      • Outlines proposal guidelines and requirements
    • 2026 Appendix A
      • Release date TBD
      • Contains a small number of SBIR subtopics for proposal
    • 2026 Appendix B
      • Release date TBD
    • Additional appendix information
      • To be announced at a later date

Again, please look to this page as we update it throughout the year. Or sign up for our e-mail updates to receive the latest information about our program right in your inbox.  

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Broad Agency Announcement? 

  • A Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is a funding mechanism used to procure basic and applied research. As outlined in section 35.016 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), a BAA is used by agencies to fulfill their requirements for scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing the state-of-the-art or increasing knowledge or understanding rather than focusing on a specific system or hardware solution. 

Why is the NASA SBIR/STTR program moving to a BAA? 

  • The BAA opens up a world of opportunity for our community of innovators and for the Agency by allowing the NASA SBIR/STTR program to be more flexible and responsive. Through phased appendix releases, we can solicit proposals for both known and emergent technology needs in a way that can better adapt to changes in mission priorities and developments in the commercial marketplace.
  • Additionally, the phased release schedule creates more opportunities for small businesses to propose and participate throughout the year.

When will the first appendix be released? 

  • The NASA SBIR/STTR BAA release is TBD. This document will outline proposal guidelines and requirements.
  • The pilot appendix release is TBD and will include a small number of SBIR subtopics for proposal.

How do I know whether I should propose to the first appendix, or wait for others?

  • In the past, there have been limits on how many proposals can be submitted to the NASA SBIR/STTR mainline solicitation and a separate limit set on how many proposals can be submitted to the NASA SBIR Ignite solicitation. With the shift to the BAA, the NASA SBIR/STTR program will still have proposal limits, but they will reset for each appendix. So, if there’s a subtopic you feel you’re well-equipped to propose to in the first appendix, don’t hesitate.

What if the first appendix does not include relevant subtopics for my small business?

  • If you don’t see the subtopic you were hoping for in the pilot appendix, you can look to our next appendix, release date TBD.

I am a current NASA SBIR/STTR awardee. Will the BAA affect my existing contract?

  • The BAA will not affect existing NASA SBIR/STTR contracts. These existing contracts will proceed according to the guidelines detailed in the solicitation to which you proposed.