Get your submission ready! · THE LATINO STARTUP

Get your submission ready!

Hola Mi Gente!

This information is far too important not to get out to the group as soon as possible. In doing my research I’ve compiled a checklist to know if you have the opportunity to apply for a life changing grant. Please do your due diligence and make sure you check all your requirements before submission. If the opportunity exists to get a group Zoom call to help each other submit their application count me in. 📅🚨🎯💵💻📲

SBIR Grant Application — Complete Requirements Checklist

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) FY26 Phase I Solicitation

Prepared: May 14, 2026Solicitation Opens: June 3, 2026Proposals Due: ~July 7, 2026Prepared for: Founders preparing DOT SBIR Phase I applications

1. Timeline & Key Dates

MilestoneDatePre-Solicitation Q&A PeriodApril 29 – May 29, 2026 (5:00 PM ET)Full Solicitation OpensJune 3, 2026Proposals Due~July 7, 2026Anticipated Award NotificationsTBD (typically 4–6 months after close)Phase I Period of PerformanceTypically 6–12 months

Note: The SBIR program was reauthorized in April 2026 via the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (SBIESA) after a lapse from Sept 2025. New rules apply — see Section 9.

2. Registration Requirements (Complete Before June 3)

Every registration must be active before submission. Some take weeks — start immediately.

2A. Login.gov Account

Required for SAM.gov, Grants.gov, SBA systems
Free at login.gov

2B. SAM.gov Registration

Register at sam.gov
Assigns your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) — 12-character alphanumeric ID (replaces DUNS)
Registration is free but can take 6–8 weeks
Must be renewed annually — verify it's active and not expired
Required info: legal business name, address, EIN/TIN, banking info, NAICS codes, business type

2C. Grants.gov Account

Register at grants.gov
DOT uses its own Volpe portal, but Grants.gov account is recommended

2D. SBA Company Registry (SBIR.gov)

Register at sbir.gov company registration
Requires your UEI number from SAM.gov
You receive an SBC Control ID (format: SBC_123456789)
This ID must be included in every SBIR proposal
Takes ~10 minutes once you have your UEI

2E. Volpe SBIR Submission Portal

DOT proposals are submitted at Volpe SBIR Portal
Create an account before solicitation opens

Registration Checklist

☐ Login.gov account
☐ SAM.gov registration — verify active, check expiration
☐ UEI number obtained
☐ Grants.gov account
☐ SBA Company Registry — obtain SBC Control ID
☐ Volpe SBIR submission portal account

3. Eligibility Requirements

3A. Small Business Size Standard

500 or fewer employees (including affiliates) per 13 CFR 121.702

3B. Ownership

51%+ owned by U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens
Cannot be majority-owned by VC, hedge funds, or PE firms
Confirm and document ownership structure

3C. Place of Performance

Research must be performed in the U.S.
Must be organized for profit, independently owned and operated

3D. Principal Investigator (PI)

Must designate a single PI
PI must be primarily employed by the company (20+ hrs/week, cannot work 19+ hrs/week elsewhere)
Must demonstrate relevant technical credentials

3E. Work Performance (DOT-Specific)

Minimum 2/3 of labor hours must be performed by the submitting small business
Maximum 1/3 by subcontractors/consultants
This is a hard requirement

4. Phase I Budget Requirements

Award Amount

DOT Phase I maximum: up to $200,000
Actual ceiling per topic is specified in solicitation (some cap at $150K)

Cost Sharing / Matching Funds

NO cost sharing or matching funds required — mandated by SBIR policy

Budget Categories

Direct Labor: Salaries/wages with hours and rates
Fringe Benefits: As percentage of direct labor
Materials & Supplies: Itemized
Equipment: Items over $5,000 — must be justified
Travel: Domestic, project-related
Subcontracts/Consultants: Must not exceed 1/3 of total effort
Other Direct Costs
Indirect Costs/Overhead: Negotiated rate or de minimis 10%
Profit/Fee: Typically 7–10% for contracts

5. DOT Phase I Proposal Format & Structure

Formatting

Font: minimum 10 point
Page size: 8.5" x 11"
Margins: 1 inch all sides
Pages numbered consecutively
Submit as PDF through Volpe portal
Use bold headings to label each section

Required Sections (In This Order)

SectionDescriptionPages 1–2: Cover SheetSolicitation Appendix A template — company info, PI, topic, cost, SBC Control ID, UEIPage 3: Project SummarySolicitation Appendix B template — brief abstractA. Problem/OpportunityThe transportation problem, significance, current state of the artB. Technical ObjectivesSpecific, measurable Phase I objectives with go/no-go criteriaC. Work PlanDetailed tasks, methodology, timeline, milestones, decision pointsD. Related WorkPrior research, how your approach differs, prior SBIR awardsE. Anticipated ResultsExpected outcomes, feasibility metricsF. Commercialization PlanMarket, customers, revenue potential, Phase II/III plansG. Key PersonnelResumes/CVs, experience, time commitmentH. Facilities & EquipmentAvailable resources, equipment needsI. ConsultantsQualifications, roles, letters of commitmentJ. Commercialization ReportPrior SBIR history (or "first-time applicant")K. Cost & Pricing ProposalDetailed budget — separate document from technical proposal

6. Certifications & Representations

Required (Self-Certified at Time of Award)

Small Business Concern (500-employee standard)
U.S. ownership (51%+)
PI employment certification
Work performance certification (2/3 in-house)

Optional (Can Improve Competitiveness)

Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB): Self-certify in SAM.gov
HUBZone: Requires SBA certification — check HUBZone Map
Women-Owned (WOSB): Self-certify in SAM.gov
Veteran-Owned (VOSB) / Service-Disabled (SDVOSB)
8(a) Program: Requires SBA application

Standard Federal Certifications

Lobbying, debarment/suspension, drug-free workplace — included in solicitation forms

7. Intellectual Property & Data Rights

You retain ownership of all inventions and IP
Government gets a royalty-free license for government purposes (minimum 4 years)
Must disclose inventions within 2 months
Must elect title and file patents within 2 years of disclosure or government may claim title
Mark data with SBIR data rights legend for protection

8. Post-Award Requirements

Progress reports: Typically quarterly
Final technical report: Due at end of Phase I
Financial reports: Per award terms
Invention disclosure reports
Company Commercialization Report (CCR): Required for future SBIR applications
Maintain eligibility throughout award period
Phase II opportunity for successful Phase I awardees ($750K–$1.5M)

9. 2026 Reauthorization Changes (SBIESA)

These are NEW rules that didn't exist in prior years.

Foreign Screening: Cap tables, investors, and collaborators are now screened. Foreign ties to "countries of concern" can result in rejection.
Proposal Caps: Agencies may limit submissions per company per cycle.
Execution-First Evaluation: Reviewers prioritize detailed milestones and fallback plans over high-level vision.
Stronger Commercialization Emphasis: Must show market demand signals upfront.
Strategic Breakthrough Awards: New category up to $30M for companies with Phase II traction.

10. Common Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected

Administrative Disqualifiers (Rejected Before Review)

Missing or expired SAM.gov registration
Missing SBC Control ID
Exceeding page limits
Wrong section order or missing headings
Late submission — even 1 minute late
PI not primarily employed by the company
Budget exceeds the topic cap

Technical Weaknesses (Scored Poorly)

Vague objectives — no measurable milestones
Weak commercialization plan — no identified customers
Budget doesn't align with work plan
Insufficient innovation
No fallback plan
PI lacks relevant credentials
Doesn't address the specific DOT topic

Strategic Mistakes

Not reading the full solicitation
Generic/recycled proposals not tailored to DOT
No letters of support
Underestimating the 2/3 labor requirement
Not attending pre-solicitation Q&A sessions

11. Key Resources & Links

Compiled from sbir.gov, volpe.dot.gov, sba.gov, and related federal sources as of May 14, 2026. Always verify against the official FY26 solicitation document when released June 3, 2026.

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