Epir, Inc.

Epir, Inc. is a self-certified small disadvantaged business manufacturer based in Bolingbrook, Illinois that specializes in advanced infrared sensor technologies, radiation-hardened detectors, and semiconductor materials for defense and scientific applications. The company, registered in SAM.gov since January 2011, leverages expertise in molecular beam epitaxy and semiconductor device development to serve federal agencies through contracts and grants valued in the millions of dollars. Epir's core competencies center on designing and manufacturing high-performance infrared focal plane arrays, extended shortwave infrared sensors, and specialized detector systems for national security and fundamental physics research.

Through federal contract awards, Epir has demonstrated substantial capability in research and development of cutting-edge sensor technologies across multiple defense agencies. The company has received prime contract awards totaling approximately $10.4 million from the Missile Defense Agency, Office of Naval Research, Air Force Research Laboratory, Naval Strategic Systems Programs, and Army Research Development and Engineering Command. Notable contract engagements include a $4.5 million firm fixed-price definitive contract from the Army's Research Development and Engineering Command for extended shortwave infrared sensors applied to high-energy laser targeting systems, and a $1.49 million Small Business Technology Transfer Phase II contract from the Missile Defense Agency for radiation-hardened infrared focal plane array development. Additional significant awards include a $1.998 million Office of Naval Research Phase II SBIR contract for advanced sensor technologies and radiation-hardened detectors, a $1.778 million Missile Defense Agency Phase II SBIR contract for a non-destructive cryogenic wafer-level screening system, and various Phase I SBIR and STTR contracts ranging from $150,000 to $240,000 with the Air Force Research Laboratory, Naval Strategic Systems Programs, and Army. All small business set-aside contracts have been designated as total small business set-asides, reflecting Epir's status as a qualified small disadvantaged business contractor.

Through federal grant awards, Epir has engaged with the Department of Energy's Office of Science to advance fundamental physics and nuclear physics detector technologies. The company has received four project grants under the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program (CFDA 81.049) totaling over $612,000, supporting research initiatives spanning from June 2021 through April 2025. Grant-funded projects have included wafer-scale integration of high-energy physics detectors using modified direct bond interconnect technology, versatile 3D integration for nuclear physics detectors with high-density and low-capacitance specifications, development of AC-LGAD silicon detectors with alternate gain layers for improved reliability, and optimization of gain layer designs for radiation-hard large-area avalanche photodiode-based silicon detectors. These grants represent the Office of Science's investment in Epir's capabilities to develop advanced detector prototypes and technologies that support fundamental research objectives in high-energy and nuclear physics, demonstrating the company's role as a critical research and development partner for the federal government's scientific mission.