U.S. DOT’s SBIR 17.1 Solicitation Is Now Open
Small businesses are invited to submit research proposals for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program fiscal year 2017 solicitation. The 17.1 solicitation is open October 19, 2016, through December 21, 2016.
Volpe administers the U.S. DOT SBIR program on behalf of the Secretary of Transportation.
Solicitation Topics
The 17.1 solicitation seeks innovative proposals from small businesses interested in conducting research on the below topics from five different U.S. DOT agencies.
Federal Highway Administration
- Accurate and rapid measurement of adsorption capacity of fly ash in concrete mixtures
- Rapid assessment of air void system in fresh concrete
Federal Railroad Administration
- Methods for remanufacturing creosote-railroad ties
- Broken rail detection from flashing rear end device
- Resilient wayside structures to reduce severity of passenger equipment collisions and derailments
- Smart phone application for onboard railroad passenger information system
Federal Transit Administration
- Train crowding and information dissemination for transit users
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Detection of THC use in drivers
Office of the Secretary of Transportation – Research
- System and supply chain for recycling lithium-ion batteries in the transportation system
More detailed information about the 17.1 solicitation is available on U.S. DOT’s SBIR website. Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. (ET) on December 21, 2016.
About SBIR

The U.S. DOT SBIR program is a highly competitive, awards-based program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in research or research and development that addresses high priority research areas within U.S. DOT. This program helps identify solutions to some of our nation’s most pressing transportation challenges.
Small businesses that participate in U.S. DOT’s SBIR program have developed numerous new and innovative technologies that have benefitted the Department and the public, while providing a basis for growth for small businesses.