Department of Education Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct to Phase II 2025: Solicitation

The Department of Education Contracts and Acquisition Management is seeking proposals through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct to Phase II program to develop education technology products that will ready existing evidence-based innovations for use at scale in educational settings. Small businesses must partner with original academic or non-profit researchers who conceptualized and developed the innovations, focusing on technological development and commercialization planning to transition these innovations into scalable, sustainable education technology products. Eligible projects must demonstrate a strong evidence base for the original innovation and include comprehensive project narratives, budgets, commercialization plans, and letters of support from partnering researchers. The evaluation criteria emphasize the strength of the evidence base, the technological development approach, commercialization potential, and the partnership between the small business and original researchers. The proposal submission deadline was January 8, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. ET, with an anticipated award start date of May 7, 2025.

This opportunity is designated as a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 541720 for Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities. The Department of Education anticipated making up to three Direct to Phase II awards, each valued at $1,000,000 over a two-year performance period. Two contracts have already been awarded to The Calsoyas Group, LLC of Oakland, California (contract 91990025C0104) and Metamorphix, Inc. of Collierville, Tennessee (contract 91990025C0105), each receiving the full $1,000,000 firm-fixed price contract amount. The projects will be executed over a two-year timeline with performance centered in Washington, DC, though the specific technical work may occur at the contractors' locations or partner institutions. The solicitation allowed for compensation of instructors participating in pilot studies at university and high school settings, and permitted offerors to submit similar proposals to multiple SBIR programs provided proper disclosure was made.