SBIR Phase I proposal template
An SBIR Phase I proposal asks a federal agency to fund a short feasibility study of a new technology at a small business. The technical volume explains the problem, what you will prove in Phase I, how you will prove it, who will do the work and where the product goes after. Each agency sets its own page limits and section order. Use the outline below as your first draft and then match it to the solicitation's exact headings.
Reviewers usually score technical merit, the team and commercial potential. Phase I is about feasibility. A reviewer with a stack of Phase I proposals looks first for a clear technical question that a small team can answer with the money and months on offer. A tight set of objectives that a small team can prove in the award period scores better than a plan to build the finished product. The company must be a for-profit US small business with no more than 500 employees.
Free to copy and adapt. Square brackets mark what you replace. Nothing here is tied to a particular funder. Read each funder's guidelines for required headings, page limits and attachments before you paste a finished draft into their application form.
The template
Identification and significance of the problem
The problem, who has it and why current solutions fall short. Use numbers the reviewer can check.
[Customer or agency] needs [capability]. Current options [limit, with a figure]. [Company name] proposes [innovation], which would [result].
Phase I technical objectives
Three to five questions Phase I will answer. Each must have a measurable success criterion. Objectives written as numbers a reviewer can check at the end of the award read as far less risky than objectives written as broad goals.
Objective 1: Show that [claim]. Success means [metric and threshold].
Objective 2: Show that [claim]. Success means [metric and threshold].
Objective 3: Show that [claim]. Success means [metric and threshold].
Phase I work plan
Tasks under each objective, who does each and when. A simple timeline by month is enough.
Task 1 ([months]): [what], led by [person]. Supports Objective [number].
Task 2 ([months]): [what], led by [person].
Task 3 ([months]): [what], led by [person].
Final report ([month]).
Related work
What you and others have already done. Show you know the field and where your approach differs.
Prior work by [team or others] showed [result]. [Approach] differs because [reason]. Our preliminary results include [data].
Key personnel, facilities and partners
The principal investigator, key staff, any consultants or subcontractors and the equipment you will use. Most agencies require the PI to be primarily employed by the company.
Principal investigator: [name], [title], [relevant experience].
Key staff: [name], [role].
Consultants or subcontractors: [name], [role].
Facilities: [location and equipment].
Commercial potential
The market, the first customers and the path to Phase II and beyond. Name agencies or companies that have shown interest. A signed letter of interest from a potential customer or program manager carries more weight with reviewers than any market report you can cite.
The first market is [customer segment], worth about $[size]. [Agency or company] has expressed interest in [use]. After Phase II, we plan to [sell, license or partner].
Skip the blank page
Quillify finds SBIR and STTR topics across agencies alongside every other grant and checks your eligibility against the full solicitation. It drafts the technical volume from your own data and patents. It also builds a compliance matrix of every requirement and deadline in the solicitation.
Questions people ask
How long is an SBIR Phase I proposal?
It depends on the agency and the solicitation. Technical volumes commonly run 15 to 25 pages. Always check the current solicitation.
What is the difference between SBIR and STTR?
STTR requires a formal partnership with a research institution that does part of the work. SBIR does not. Our SBIR and STTR guide covers the rest.
Do I need SAM.gov registration?
Yes, along with registration on SBIR.gov. Start both well before the deadline.
Related guides: SBIR and STTR explained. The SBIR commercialization plan. Can I use AI on an SBIR proposal? Agency by agency. Your SBIR Phase I is ending. Plan Phase II now. Registrations you need before a federal grant. All free templates.
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