At a glance
Possible toolACQ-17 · Other statutory tools
Authority holder: Participating federal agency; DoD/component STTR officials
Other statutory tools
Mechanism tags describe the source text; they do not expand the authority.
Availability and verificationExpress statutory pathway; award-specific appropriations, available balances, delegations, implementation and approvals not independently verified.
Program process and intake
Checked 2026-10-04 · program documented. Program evidence is separate from legal authority, available funds and transaction approval.
DARPA has a dated STTR solicitation route with a mandatory research-institution partnership, not simply an alternative label for SBIR.
DARPA STTR — DoD/DoW 2026 BAA topics
- Who this route serves
- Eligible small businesses partnered with a qualifying US research institution
- Administering office / routing lead
- DARPA Small Business Programs Office and sponsoring technical office; DSIP submission
Direct implementationSTTR is the cooperative-research branch of the SBA statutory program, with separate partnership requirements from SBIR.
What this evidence label means Named topic shown accepting submissionsDARPA lists DPA26TZ06-DV004 (SHIELDER, Defense Sciences Office), opening 23 September and closing 21 October 2026.
Status reference date: 2026-10-04 · research checked 2026-10-04
DARPA SBIR/STTR topics — 2026 BAAs · Active SBIR DPA26BZ06-DV023 and STTR DPA26TZ06-DV004; open 23 September, close 21 October 2026solicitation or program notice · Evidence record Program eligibility
STTR requires a formal nonprofit research-institution partnership in addition to small-business eligibility.
SBA SBIR/STTR — How to Apply · Eligibility, registrations and three program phasesofficial program guidance · Evidence recordAt least 40% of the work is performed by the small business and at least 30% by its research institution; the policy does not provide a waiver of these work-share minima.
SBA SBIR/STTR Policy Directive, May 2023 file · Sections 4(c) and 6(a); PDF pp. 27–35; later statutory amendments must also be appliedofficial program guidance · Evidence record
Steps and preparation
Funding, limits and authority relationship
DARPA STTR topic instructions →
topic index and submission routing: Use the STTR section and the specific topic’s DSIP instructions.
Research scope and sources checked
The first program-depth pass checked the cited program pages, notices and legal framework. Evidence is limited to the named routes and source-access notes; it does not establish every implementation of the statute.
What remains unverified
- FY 2026 STTR component PDF was access-blocked. Do not claim verified current ceilings, required IP-allocation agreement wording or every security certification from the generic page.
A dated source check is not continuing monitoring. Recheck the linked official notice before preparing a submission. Browse program research →
Funding conditions
- Generally 0.45% of eligible extramural R&D for covered agencies; agency threshold/exclusions apply.
- Remaining required FY2026 funds may carry into FY2027 under P.L. 119-83 §9(b).
Read the funding and execution guide
Who contributes what
Need & planning
- DoD/component SBIR-STTR program office and technical topic owner
Resources
- Component extramural R&D budget owner
Approval
- Authorized component grants/contracting official; required research-security reviewers
Execution
- Service or Defense Agency SBIR-STTR office and award officer
Office profile
Partners & review
- SBA program-wide policy
- Eligible small business; acquisition customer; research-security and counterintelligence partners
Office links are editorial matches to the original role text, not verified delegations. Composite labels and unmatched actors are preserved.
Coordination pathwayComponent technical need → STTR office → eligible business/institution team → negotiated research/IP plan → award official.
Actor and execution-role sources
What this research establishes
Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
Public fundingRules recordedGenerally 0.45% of eligible extramural R&D for covered agencies; agency threshold/exclusions apply. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument. Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent. EngagementProcess sourcedDARPA has a dated STTR solicitation route with a mandatory research-institution partnership, not simply an alternative label for SBIR. Program check: 2026-10-04; see each route for intake status. Confidence: High on express authority and cited conditions; execution assignment is illustrative unless statute expressly names it.
Currentness: GovInfo 2024 Code (includes FY2025 NDAA, P.L. 118-159) read in full for cited provision; targeted FY2026 NDAA P.L. 119-60 amendment/repeal sweep. No claim of complete legislative currency through 2026-10-02; remaining 2026 delta needs counsel validation. P.L. 119-83 § §9–10 extends STTR and military-institution pilot through 2031-09-30; currentness otherwise qualified.
Review scope: Original research target October 2, 2026; no record-specific last-review date supplied. Publication is not legal-currentness certification.