National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR/STTR

A Phase I technical proposal — all 9 parts including all graphics — must not exceed a total of 15 standard letter-size (8.5 x 11 inch / 21.6 x 27.9 cm) pages. NASA will not accept technical proposal uploads with any page(s) over the 15-page limit. The additional forms required for proposal package submission do not count against the 15-page limit, but all submitted content other than those required forms counts against the page limit. Verified verbatim in NASA's FY2025 SBIR Phase I solicitation Section 3.1.2. For FY2026-2027 the BAA Reference Guide confirms a single total page-limit applies and lists the same proposal parts, but the binding total number is stated in the per-appendix BAA documents (not in the Reference Guide), so confirm the exact number against the active 2026/2027 appendix.

Suggested (not strict) per-part page lengths for SBIR Phase I within the total page limit: Identification & Significance of the Innovation 3.5; Technical Objectives 1; Work Plan 3; Related R/R&D 1; Key Personnel & Bibliography 2.5; Commercialization and Business Plan (FY2025: 'The Market Opportunity') 1; Facilities/Equipment 1; Subcontractors & Consultants 1; Related/Essentially Equivalent/Duplicate Proposals & Awards 1. The FY26-27 BAA Reference Guide states these are guidelines and not strict requirements (except a minimum-page requirement for the Commercialization and Business Plan in SBIR/STTR Phase II), and that you are still required to meet the total page-limit proposal requirements as described in the BAA.

Use type size 10 point or larger for text or tables, except as legends on reduced drawings.

Use 1.0-inch (2.5 cm) margins. Margins may be used for header/footer information.

Pages must be standard letter size, 8.5 by 11 inches (21.6 by 27.9 cm).

NASA's SBIR/STTR Phase I solicitation does NOT specify a line-spacing (single/double-spaced) requirement. The only Section 3.1.2 format sub-rules are Required Page Limits, Margins (1.0 inch), Type Size (10 point), Header/Footer Requirements, and Project Title. Do not enforce a line-spacing rule for NASA unless a specific BAA appendix states one.

NASA administratively screens all elements of a proposal package for compliance with format requirements. At its discretion, NASA may decline any proposal package or disregard specific proposal content that exceeds the stated limits when adjusted to comply with format requirements. Separately, the Administrative Review reviews all proposal packages received by the published deadline against Chapters 3 and 6; NASA may decline and not evaluate a proposal package that is not compliant with the requirements in chapters 3 and 6 (eliminated from consideration without technical evaluation).

Include the SBC (small business concern) name, proposal number, and project title in the header on each page of the proposal. Include the page number and the proprietary legend (if applicable) in the footer on each page. Margins may be used for header/footer information.

The Phase I technical proposal must contain all 9 parts in order, number, and title: Part 1 Identification and Significance of the Proposed Innovation; Part 2 Technical Objectives; Part 3 Work Plan; Part 4 Related R/R&D; Part 5 Key Personnel and Bibliography of Directly Related Work; Part 6 The Market Opportunity (the FY2026-2027 BAA Reference Guide labels the equivalent part 'Commercialization and Business Plan'); Part 7 Facilities/Equipment; Part 8 Subcontractors and Consultants; Part 9 Related, Essentially Equivalent, and Duplicate Proposals and Awards. NASA will decline any proposal package that does not have all 9 parts and it will not be evaluated; if a part is not applicable, it must still be included and marked 'Not applicable.'

The proposing small business concern, combined with its affiliates, must not have more than 500 employees.

For an SBIR Phase I contract, the small business must be the primary performer and perform at least two-thirds (67%) of the research effort; subcontractors or consultants may perform up to one-third (33%) of the effort.

For an SBIR Phase I award, the principal investigator must be primarily employed with the SBC at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed project. Primary employment means more than one-half of the PI's employment time is spent in the employ of the SBC, based on a 40-hour workweek; NASA considers a 19.9-hour-or-more workweek elsewhere to conflict with this rule. Co-PIs are not allowed.

Small businesses owned in majority part by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms are NOT eligible to submit a proposal to the NASA SBIR/STTR solicitation. (NASA does not exercise the VCOC majority-ownership authority that some other agencies allow.)

NASA conducts a risk-based due-diligence review of cybersecurity practices, patent analysis, employee analysis, and foreign ownership (including financial ties such as surety, equity, and debt obligations to a foreign country, person, or entity). Offerors must complete the 'Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations or Relationships to Foreign Countries' form. NASA will not approve purchases from or work with countries on the Designated Country list; if a foreign vendor is proposed, the Phase I contract may be delayed or not awarded.

Offerors must register with the SBIR Firm Registry (https://www.sbir.gov/registration) and with SBA's Company Registry, updating commercialization status, and must provide a unique SBC Control ID (assigned by SBA upon completion of Company Registry registration) and upload a PDF copy of the SBA Company Registry registration. This is in addition to SAM.gov registration. Active SAM registration under NAICS code 541713 or 541715 as a small business is also required at time of submission.

Offerors must be registered in SAM.gov with a validated Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and a CAGE code at the time the offer is submitted (FAR 4.1102(a)). The SAM registration must be active under NAICS code 541713 or 541715 as a small business at the time of proposal submission, with purpose of registration listed as 'All Awards.' NASA advises applying immediately as registration typically takes several weeks.

All Phase I proposal packages must be submitted electronically through NASA's ProSAMS (Proposal Submissions and Award Management System) at https://prosams.nasa.gov. ProSAMS requires firm registration and login. The package must be electronically endorsed by the designated small business representative and the principal investigator before the deadline. The proposal package comprises the required forms enumerated in Section 3.1.3 (contact info, certifications, summary, budget, technical proposal, briefing chart, optional TABA, I-Corps form, SBC-level forms, and electronic endorsement).

NASA Phase I awards are up to $225,000 for the FY2026-2027 BAA cycle (a 50% increase from the prior $150,000 ceiling). The requested funding for the technical effort must not exceed the stated maximum. (Historical: the FY2025 SBIR Phase I solicitation set Maximum Contract Value $150,000, or $156,500 including the optional $6,500 TABA.)

HISTORICAL/CORROBORATING: For FY2025 SBIR Phase I, the Maximum Contract Value was $150,000, and the total requested funding for the Phase I effort must not exceed $150,000 (or $156,500 if requesting the optional $6,500 TABA). This figure was superseded by the $225,000 ceiling for the FY2026-2027 BAA; retained to flag that the dollar ceiling changed between cycles and the current value must be taken from the active BAA appendix.

SBIR Phase I period of performance is up to 6 months.

STTR Phase I period of performance is up to 13 months.

For the 2026 cycle, the 2026 Appendix A SBIR and 2026 Appendix B SBIR & STTR Phase I solicitations closed May 21, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET. NASA moved to a rolling Broad Agency Announcement (BAA, opportunity 80NSSC26R0003), released April 17, 2026 and valid through Sept. 30, 2027, releasing Phase I subtopics across multiple appendices (anticipated 2-3 per fiscal year), so deadlines are appendix-specific. Always confirm the exact closing date/time for the specific appendix being targeted.