How to Buy Capabilities

SBIR Phase III

Sole-source Phase III awards based on existing SBIR-derived capabilities. Fast to award, flexible in scope, no dollar ceiling.

What is SBIR Phase III?

The most powerful and least understood procurement tool in the federal toolkit

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) exists to turn the ingenuity of America’s small businesses into mission-ready innovation, bridging the gap between breakthrough ideas and real-world impact for the nation.

SBIR progresses through three phases: Phase I proves technical feasibility, Phase II develops and prototypes the innovation, and Phase III transitions it into commercialization, production, and operational deployment.

Phase III awards allow agencies to direct award follow-on work derived from previously competed and awarded SBIR Phase I or Phase II innovation. It’s one of the fastest paths to getting proven AI capability delivered.

SBIR three-phase timeline flowing from Phase I Feasibility (6–12 months, SBIR-funded), to Phase II R&D + Prototype (~24 months, SBIR or privately funded), to Phase III Production + Services (open to agency purchase), with Phase III advantages of Sole Source, No dollar ceiling, Any Non-SBIR Appropriation, Any agency, and a typical 4–8 week award timeline.
  • Sole-source authority

    No requirement for full and open competition.

    Agencies can award directly based on SBIR derivation. This eliminates months from the typical procurement timeline and lets you start delivery faster.

  • Flexible scope

    Not limited to research and development.

    Phase III covers production, services, operations, maintenance, and any follow-on work derived from SBIR innovations. You can procure full delivery and operational support.

  • Any non-SBIR funding source

    Sized to fit mission and budget.

    Phase III can use any appropriation outside of SBIR program funds. No statutory dollar ceiling on the award amount.

How it works

Four steps from requirement to delivery, typically 4–8 weeks to award.

01

Identify SBIR basis

Strategi’s Phase I/II work — including Q, Aperture®, and Base Buddy — establishes the derivation basis for follow-on Phase III awards.

02

Scope the requirement

Define the mission need, deliverables, timeline, and budget for the Phase III effort. We help you structure the requirement to align with Phase III authorities.

03

Prepare draft memo + documentation

We provide technical documentation supporting the SBIR derivation and draft contracting memos. We also supply draft scope language, labor categories, and pricing.

04

Scale + Sustain

Your contracting team completes the award using Phase III authority. Delivery begins approximately 2 weeks of award.

What’s available in Phase III

Agentic AI platform and related capabilities available for sole-source Phase III awards.

  • Q Platform + Services

    License Q, our agentic AI platform, and receive delivery services for connector development, agent configuration, evaluation harness development, and production deployment. Includes managed, dedicated, or customer-hosted deployment options.

  • BaseBuddy Deployment

    Deploy BaseBuddy as a governed mission assistant with custom connectors to your systems of record. Includes workflow configuration, evaluation, training, and ongoing operational support.

  • Aperture®

    Portfolio management and visualization for complex defense architectures. Software licenses available for rapid delivery.

  • Voltron

    Core engine for the purchase of satellite imagery and its distribution workflows. Powerful workflow engine that adapts to multiple mission needs and integrates with diverse data sources.

  • SEDE Platform

    Scalable Enterprise DevSecOps Ecosystem (SEDE) platform to stand up large-scale distributed DevSecOps solutions.

  • AI/Data Engineering Services

    Custom agentic AI development, data engineering, cloud infrastructure, and related delivery services derived from Strategi’s SBIR innovations. Scoped to your specific mission requirements.

  • Operations + Sustainment

    Ongoing operational support for deployed platforms and solutions. Monitoring, maintenance, connector updates, and capability enhancements. Phase III explicitly covers production operations.

  • Advanced Combat Vision AI

    Advanced Combat Vision AI for Real-time Multi-Object Recognition in an Austere Environment.

  • Adversarial Adversarial Perturbation Filters for Survivable Artificial Intelligence

    Strategi’s patented AI technology. Dual use for commercial and military applications.

FAQ

What evidence is needed to show SBIR derivation?

We provide technical documentation tracing the connection between our Phase I/II innovations and the proposed Phase III work. This typically includes a technology description, mapping to the original SBIR topics, and a narrative showing how the proposed work derives from and extends the SBIR research.

Can Phase III cover services, not just products?

Yes. Phase III explicitly covers production, services, operations, and maintenance derived from SBIR work. You can procure platform licenses, delivery services, operational support, and training — all under Phase III authority.

Is there a dollar limit on Phase III awards?

No statutory dollar limit. Phase III awards are sized to the mission requirement and available appropriations. Awards can be structured as firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials, or cost-reimbursement depending on agency preference.

How long does the award process take?

Typically 4–8 weeks from requirement definition to award, depending on agency processes and J&A review timelines. Significantly faster than full and open competition, which typically takes 6–18 months.

Can any agency use Phase III?

Yes. Phase III authority is available to any federal agency, not just the agency that funded the original SBIR. The key is that the work derives from SBIR Phase I or Phase II innovations — the funding source for Phase III can be any non-SBIR program appropriation.

Commercial pricing & licensing

Strategi Consulting maintains a published schedule of commercial software licenses and professional service rates to facilitate market research and acquisition planning for our government and commercial partners. The following price list includes FY 2026 rates for the Voltron, Polaris (Q), and Aperture product suites, as well as our specialized engineering labor categories.

Ready to explore SBIR Phase III?

Tell us which Phase III capabilities you want to see in action, and we’ll show you — not just tell you — through a live demo.