U.S. DOT SBIR Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Phase I Pre-Solicitation Is Now Open
The FY26 Phase I Pre-Solicitation is open through May 29, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Key Dates for Phase I Solicitation
The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program has announced the dates for the FY26 Phase I solicitation:
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 – Friday, May 29, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET: Pre-solicitation Q&A period
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 – Tuesday, July 7, 2026: Solicitation period (estimated)
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FY26 Proposed Research Topics
The proposed FY26 research topics are listed below. Full descriptions of each research topic are included in Appendix A, which is included in the FY26 pre-solicitation notice.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
- 26-FH1: Edge Artificial Intelligence Vehicle-to-Everything (AI-V2X) Integrated Practical Solutions for Congestion Prevention and Mitigation
- 26-FH2: Automated Mobile Catch-basin Inspection System
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- 26-FR1: Mobile High-Power Emergency Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) De-energizer System for Rail Vehicle Propulsion
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) - 26-FT1: Person-Centered, Carefree, Complete Trip Planning – Powered by AI
Office of the Secretary (OST)
- 26-OS1: Predictive Safety Analytics for Commercial Transport Modernization
- 26-OS2: Freight Corridor Predictive Intelligence
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- 26-PH1: Increase End-of-Life Battery Safety and Recovery of Rare Earth Minerals
- 26-PH2: Thermal Indicator Coatings for Hazardous Materials Packaging Safety
- 26-PH3: Self-repairing Hazardous Materials Packaging
- 26-PH4: Improved Response to Lithium-ion Battery Fires