AFWERX and Air Force SBIR/STTR: Open Topics and Specific Topics in Each Release

AFWERX is the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force, and its SBIR and STTR money reaches companies through the Department of War releases on DSIP. Each release carries specific Air Force topics with a stated technical need, and some releases also carry an open topic that lets a company propose its own solution to an Air Force problem. What is in the releases right now is on the current releases page, which is rebuilt from the official DSIP listing.

Who this fits and who it does not

The eligibility rule is the SBIR/STTR rule: a US for-profit small business, 500 employees or fewer including affiliates, more than 50% owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents (13 CFR 121.702, with the exceptions that rule allows), with the work performed in the US. The Department of War adds requirements per topic: a CMMC level, ITAR restrictions on some topics, and for Direct to Phase II topics documented feasibility that must not derive from previously federally funded SBIR or STTR work.

• A specific topic fits a company whose product already does what the topic describes, or can be adapted to it in a Phase I.
• An open topic fits a company with a dual-use product and an Air Force or Space Force customer it can name. An open topic can be Phase I, Direct to Phase II, or both; the topic text says which, and a Direct to Phase II topic rejects Phase I proposals.
• It does not fit a company without a matching topic. There is no general Air Force SBIR window outside the published topics.

How the process works

1. Topics appear on DSIP in pre-release, when topic authors' names and contacts are published and direct questions are allowed. Once the release opens, questions go only through DSIP Topic Q&A.
2. The company registers in DSIP, SAM.gov and the SBA Company Registry, then submits the proposal volumes in DSIP. A proposal that is "In Progress" or "Ready to Certify" at the close is not submitted.
3. The component notifies selection or non-selection within 90 days of the deadline.
4. After a Phase I or Phase II, AFWERX's follow-on vehicles (TACFI and STRATFI on the AFWERX Get Funded page) match government and private investment to move a Phase II technology toward Phase III.

Releases open or in pre-release right now, from the synced DSIP data:

• DoW SBIR/STTR 2026 BAA/CSO Release 6: 44 topics, opens September 23, 2026, closes October 21, 2026
• DoW SBIR/STTR FY2027 BAA/CSO Release 1: 25 topics, opens October 28, 2026, closes November 25, 2026

Air Force topics in the releases that have not closed, soonest close first: DoW SBIR/STTR 2026 BAA/CSO Release 6: 14 Air Force topics, closes October 21, 2026; DoW SBIR/STTR FY2027 BAA/CSO Release 1: 16 Air Force topics, closes November 25, 2026. Award ceilings: Set in the Department of the Air Force component instructions for each release, unless the topic states a ceiling.

Counting backward from a close date: registrations active first, the technical volume drafted while questions can still be asked, cost volume and certifications next, and the DSIP certification done before the last day, never on it.

My read

• Open topics are not easier. They remove the requirement to match a topic text but they add the requirement to bring your own customer and, for Direct to Phase II, feasibility evidence. A letter from a real Air Force end user is the difference.
• Award ceilings for most Air Force topics are not printed on the topic; they sit in the Department of the Air Force component instructions for the release. I pull those before quoting any number to a client.
• Read the CMMC line. Level 2 self-assessment is common on current topics, and it is a real deliverable, not a checkbox.
• The monthly release rhythm (topics released on the first Wednesday of every month) means a missed topic is usually followed by a comparable one within a cycle or two. Track the technology area, not just one topic ID.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an AFWERX open topic I can apply to right now?

Open topics appear in some releases and not others. The current releases page lists every open and upcoming topic; an Air Force open topic carries "OPEN" in its title.

Can I submit a Phase I proposal to a Direct to Phase II topic?

No. A Direct to Phase II topic states that Phase I proposals will be rejected, and the feasibility documentation for a Direct to Phase II must not come from previously federally funded SBIR or STTR work.

Where are the award amounts?

In the component-specific instructions for the release on DSIP, unless the topic itself states a ceiling. Guidance on allowable content, cost and duration limits and page limits also lives there.

What is the difference between AFWERX, SpaceWERX and the Air Force SBIR program?

They are the same money through different front doors: AFWERX and SpaceWERX are the Department of the Air Force innovation hubs that run the open topics and the follow-on vehicles, and all proposals are still submitted against DSIP topics under the Department of War BAA or CSO.