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Program Year 2026

Information Hub

NASA SBIR/STTR Program

Welcome! This is the information hub for program year 2026, where you can find details on the NASA SBIR/STTR Phase I opportunities available starting in October 2025 (the start of the federal fiscal year). 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
      • Targeted for release in October 2025
      • Outlines proposal guidelines and requirements
    • 2026 Appendix A
      • Targeted for release in November 2025
      • Contains a small number of SBIR subtopics for proposal
    • 2026 Appendix B
      • Targeted for release in early 2026
    • 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 is targeted for release in October 2025. This document will outline proposal guidelines and requirements.
  • The pilot appendix is targeted for release in November 2025 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, targeted for release in early 2026.

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.