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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

U.S. DOT’s Small Business Innovation Research Program FY26 Phase I Solicitation Period is Now Closed

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Phase I solicitation closed on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Webinar Materials and Recording

A solicitation webinar was held on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET for small businesses interested in applying to the U.S. DOT SBIR FY26 solicitation. View the slide deck used during the webinar.

Review the recording: https://usdot.zoomgov.com/rec/share/hCrj4LVOr5c0E3VEmlMnSRhjrmPn1l3xhmQr76gNNUITF_tFiRIxdJun0bUtaAJX.kK532C-ihVhWJdHv

Passcode: +$N2^8n2

Any statements or remarks made during the webinar shall not alter the terms of the solicitation. The terms and conditions of the solicitation remain unchanged unless an amendment is issued that incorporates any changes discussed or alluded to during the webinar.

Timeline

The DOT SBIR Program Office intends to make recommendations for FY26 Phase I awards no later than 90 days after the solicitation closing date.

FY26 Research Topics

See Section 9 of the FY26 solicitation for full research topic descriptions.

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