Skip to content

U.S. DOT FY 2026 Phase I Pre-Solicitation Q&A



This U.S. DOT Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Pre-solicitation Q&A Forum provides small businesses an opportunity to submit clarifying questions on the topics published in the U.S. DOT Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Phase I Pre-Solicitation. Questions will be answered by the Technical Experts/Topic Authors at the U.S. DOT Operating Administrations during this period. Questions shall be limited to improving the understanding of a particular topic's requirements and should not share proposal ideas nor proprietary information.

The U.S. DOT’s FY 2026 Pre-Solicitation period is April 29, 2026, through May 29, 2026, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time (ET). Only questions posted within this period will be responded to.

How to Use the SBIR Pre-solicitation Q&A Forum:

Register : Anyone can view questions but registration is required if you wish to post a question and receive a notification when it is responded to.
  1. To create a new account or to sign in with an existing account please click on “sign in” located at the top right of the page
  2. A new pop-up window will open to make a selection, you can use an existing Google or Facebook account to access the site or you might select to create a new account.
  3. If you choose to access UserVoice with an existing Google or Microsoft account, you will be required to enter your login credentials for Google or Microsoft and agree to terms of service
  4. If you need to create a new account, click "Create an Account" underneath the password box
  5. In the next screen, type in the e-mail and click "Verify E-mail".
  6. Navigate to your inbox and click the link within the e-mail to verify. The link will be generated by noreply@trymagic.com
  7. That link will be live for 20 minutes. Once that time elapses, you will have to request another one
  8. Navigate back to UserVoice, and you will need to provide your name, a password, and agree to terms of service and storage permissions. Click "Create Account".
Search: Browse the existing questions by category to find the topic you are interested in and to see if your question has already been addressed. If you see a question, you are also interested in, you can add a vote to the question, or leave a comment.

Post: If your question has not already been posted, use the “Type your technical question” box at the bottom of the page to enter your question.
  1. Select the research topic your question is related to from the drop-down menu that appears when you begin typing.
  2. You may add more detail in the Description box (optional). Do NOT attach any files. The U.S. DOT shall not consider any submitted materials other than questions.
  3. Enter your e-mail address and password.
  4. When finished, select “Post idea.” If you registered, you will be able to track responses to your post. Please include only one question or comment per post to help us keep the forum organized.
Please note, all comments will be public information. Potential offerors shall not include in the question(s) or comment(s) any information that they do not wish to be made public. Telephone inquiries or meeting requests will not be addressed and may be removed. The U.S. DOT shall not respond to requests for advice or guidance on any offeror’s solution to any SBIR topic and shall not consider any submitted materials other than questions.

List a question and then select the research topic your question is related to from the drop-down menu that appears when you begin typing

(thinking…)

Enter your idea and we'll search to see if someone has already suggested it.

If a similar idea already exists, you can support and comment on it.

If it doesn't exist, you can post your idea so others can support it.

Enter your idea and we'll search to see if someone has already suggested it.

3 results found

  1. Ed Brake (Emergency Brake System for Semi-Trucks and Buses)

    To Whom It May Concern,
    I am writing to inquire about the potential alignment of my project, which focuses on an innovative approach to emergency stopping systems for heavy-duty vehicles, with the U.S. DOT or NHTSA Phase I proposals for the current fiscal year. I would appreciate any guidance on whether this project could be suitably adapted for submission.
    Thank you for your time and consideration.
    Best regards, Ed Alves

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback
    Signed in as (Sign out)
    Close
    Close

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  26-FH1: Edge AI-V2X Integrated Practical Solutions for Congestion Prevention and Mitigation  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback
    Signed in as (Sign out)
    Close
    Close

  2. Would a human-centered safety communication system that generates real-time visual warning signals (based on braking behavior and environmen

    The system I am developing focuses on proactive accident prevention by providing immediate, human-visible signals to surrounding drivers and pedestrians.

    In addition to visual signaling, the system integrates environmental awareness (e.g., stop sign detection via GPS) to anticipate potential risk situations and provide advance warning.

    I would like to understand whether such human-generated and behavior-based signaling systems can be recognized as a valid input or complementary component within predictive safety analytics frameworks.

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback
    Signed in as (Sign out)
    Close
    Close

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  26-OS1: Predictive Safety Analytics for Commercial Transport Modernization  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback
    Signed in as (Sign out)
    Close
    Close

  3. Does predictive safety include human-visible communication systems designed to prevent accidents before driver reaction?

    I am developing a predictive human-centered safety communication system that provides a forward-facing visual signal activated during braking to improve awareness for oncoming drivers and pedestrians.

    In addition, the system is being expanded to include:

    • an amber-colored signal for regulatory compatibility,

    • a fully cordless, solar-powered design,

    • and GPS-based detection of stop signs to provide advance warning signals to drivers.

    Given that this approach is based on human-visible communication rather than AI-based analytics, I would like to confirm whether such a system falls within the scope of predictive safety analytics for this topic.

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback
    Signed in as (Sign out)
    Close
    Close

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  26-OS1: Predictive Safety Analytics for Commercial Transport Modernization  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback
    Signed in as (Sign out)
    Close
    Close
  • Don't see your idea?

U.S. DOT FY 2026 Phase I Pre-Solicitation Q&A

Categories