DoD SBIR Agency Solicitation Timeline: Open and Close Dates for All Components

Defense Grant Writers · April 4, 2026 · Updated as agencies publish new dates

With the SBIR/STTR programs officially reauthorized, DoD components are resuming solicitation activity. This page tracks the specific open and close dates for each DoD SBIR component under Release 12 (DoD SBIR 2025.4), providing the information defense technology companies need to plan their submission timelines.

For the broader agency restart timeline covering all 11 SBIR-participating agencies (including NSF, NIH, NASA, DOE, and others), see our sister site's comprehensive coverage: SBIR/STTR Agency Restart Timeline.

Visual Timeline: DoD SBIR 2025.4 (Release 12)

Component-by-Component Breakdown

Component	Open Date	Close Date	Status	Last Modified
DOD (Solicitation Preface)	N/A	N/A	Preface Only	Sep 23, 2025
ARMY	Apr 15, 2026	May 13, 2026	Pre-Release	Sep 3, 2025
CBD	Apr 15, 2026	May 13, 2026	Pre-Release	Sep 3, 2025
DARPA	Apr 15, 2026	May 13, 2026	Pre-Release	Oct 27, 2025
DMEA	Apr 15, 2026	May 13, 2026	Pre-Release	Sep 3, 2025
DTRA	Apr 15, 2026	May 13, 2026	Pre-Release	Sep 11, 2025
SOCOM	Apr 15, 2026	May 13, 2026	Pre-Release	Oct 2, 2025
USAF	Apr 15, 2026	May 13, 2026	Pre-Release	Apr 2, 2026

Data sourced from the DoD SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) as of April 4, 2026. The DoD pre-releases topics on the first Wednesday of every month. All dates are subject to change — monitor DSIP for official updates.

What You Need to Know About This Release

Pre-Release Period (Now Through April 14)

During the pre-release window, you can view all 23 topics and contact topic authors directly with technical questions. This is the most valuable phase for applicants — once the solicitation opens on April 15, direct communication with topic authors is no longer permitted. Use this window to clarify technical requirements, confirm alignment between your technology and the topic's stated needs, and identify potential teaming partners.

Open Window (April 15 – May 13)

All seven components share the same submission window: proposals must be submitted through DSIP by May 13, 2026. This gives you 28 days from open to close. Given that many applicants are submitting their first proposals since the reauthorization lapse, expect the portal to see heavy traffic — do not wait until the final hours to submit.

USAF Component Update (April 2, 2026)

The USAF component instructions were most recently modified on April 2, 2026 — just two days ago. This is the most recent update among all components and may reflect changes to AFWERX-specific requirements, evaluation criteria, or formatting guidelines. Applicants targeting Air Force or Space Force topics should download and review the updated component instructions before beginning their proposal.

How This Differs from Normal DoD SBIR Cycles

This solicitation cycle is unusual in several respects. Release 12 was pre-released on September 3, 2025 — before the SBIR/STTR authorization lapsed on October 1. The topics were effectively frozen during the five-month gap and are now being opened with the original pre-release content. Some topics may have been refined during the lapse, but applicants should not assume the technical requirements have changed significantly from what was published in September.

The compressed timeline also means that future releases may follow quickly. DoD pre-releases new topics on the first Wednesday of each month, and with a backlog of topics to publish, applicants should be prepared for overlapping submission windows in the coming months.

Under the new S. 3971 reauthorization, DoD is only required to allocate 70% of its normal SBIR set-aside for FY2026 due to the six-month program lapse. However, the FY2027 budget proposal includes a 44% increase in total defense spending, which would substantially increase the SBIR funding pool starting in October 2026. For more on how the budget increase affects SBIR applicants, see our analysis: $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget: What the Historic DoD Funding Increase Means for SBIR Applicants.

Preparing Your Submission

With 11 days until the solicitation opens, use this time to finalize your proposal materials. Key steps include reviewing the component-specific instructions (each component may have different formatting, page limits, and evaluation criteria), confirming your SAM.gov registration and DSIP account are current, preparing your cost volume and budget justification, and drafting your commercialization strategy with specific DoD transition pathways.

For detailed guidance on structuring your technical volume, see our component-specific guides: Army D2P2 Technical Volume Guide, How to Write a DARPA BAA White Paper, and What DoD Reviewers Actually Score.

This article will be updated as agencies publish additional dates or modify existing windows. For the full agency restart timeline covering all 11 SBIR-participating agencies, visit sbirgrantwriters.com.