What Is a Contracting Sprint in the SBIR Program?

If you've recently been selected for an SBIR award—or you're just diving deeper into the program—you may have come across the term “Contracting Sprint.” But what exactly does it mean?

Let’s break it down.

The Origin of the Contracting Sprint

The concept of a Contracting Sprint was developed by AFWERX, a U.S. Air Force innovation arm, in response to the overwhelming volume of proposals received under the Open Topic model. Unlike traditional SBIRs, which typically involve a handful of proposals reviewed by a single technical point of contact, the Open Topic model can attract thousands of Phase I submissions and hundreds of Direct-to-Phase II awards.

To manage this scale efficiently and meet tight award timelines, AFWERX introduced a two-part sprint process:

1. Evaluation Sprint
2. Contracting Sprint

Part 1: The Evaluation Sprint

This phase typically lasts one to two weeks and focuses on compliance. With so many submissions, evaluators are looking for quick ways to filter out non-compliant proposals. Here’s what matters most:

• SAM.gov Registration: Ensure your registration is complete—not just for grants, but for contracts. SBIRs through the Department of Defense are contracts, not grants. This distinction is critical.
• Formatting and Submission Rules: If the solicitation says 13 pages, don’t submit 14. Font size, section headers, and other formatting rules are strictly enforced. Non-compliance is an easy reason for disqualification.

Part 2: The Contracting Sprint

Once evaluations are complete and top proposals are selected, the Contracting Sprint begins—usually lasting another one to two weeks. This is where things move fast:

• Rapid Communication: After months of silence, you may suddenly receive emails requesting documents with 24-hour (or shorter) turnaround times.
• Document Resubmission: Even if you submitted all required documents earlier, be prepared to send them again. This redundancy is common.
• Contract Signing: You may be asked to sign the actual contract vehicle quickly, so stay alert and responsive.

For example, if a Direct-to-Phase II round closed in May, the Contracting Sprint might be scheduled for mid to late August.

Final Thoughts

The Contracting Sprint is a high-speed, high-stakes phase of the SBIR process. It’s designed to streamline awards and ensure timely execution—but it requires attention to detail, compliance, and responsiveness.

So if you're in the running for an SBIR award, now you know what to expect—and how to prepare.

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