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0 to 1 · Research note · 26 Oct 2026

13 Homeland Security small-business R&D contracts start in September 2026: five Phase II contracts just under $1,000,000 each, eight Phase III contracts from $99,161 to $24,380,808

Public contract records in Svatantra.ai's signal database show 13 Department of Homeland Security contracts labeled SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) with a start date in September 2026, to 13 firms. The five Phase II contracts sit between $998,003 and $999,998 and all went to recipients the public record lists as small businesses. The eight Phase III contracts run from $99,161 to $24,380,808, six of the eight recipients are listed as 'Not Designated a Small Business', and six of the eight were not competed. This note sets out the counts, all 13 named records, the Phase III rules as the government states them, the SBA commercialization standard now under comment, and what the data does not show.

By Jayprakash Mistry, Founder, Svatantra.ai

One email with the PDF attached. You will be on the list for future notes and can unsubscribe from any of them. The list is not sold or shared.

Every number, and where it comes from

The first five figures in the note.

The full table has 20 rows. Each figure is as published on the date shown, with its denominator.

FigureWhat it measuresSource
13Department of Homeland Security contracts whose award description names SBIR, STTR or Small Business Innovation Research, with a period-of-performance start date between 1 and 30 September 2026 (actual range 16 to 30 September). 13 distinct award IDs, 13 distinct source recordsSvatantra.ai signal database, count at 23 Oct 2026
13Distinct recipient firms (unique entity identifiers) across the 13 contractsSvatantra.ai signal database, count at 23 Oct 2026
5Contracts labeled Phase II in the award description (one reads 'SECOND PHASE II'). Obligations as printed: minimum $998,003, maximum $999,998. Start dates 23 to 30 September 2026Svatantra.ai signal database, count at 23 Oct 2026
8Contracts labeled Phase III in the award description. Obligations as printed: minimum $99,161 (SIMX), maximum $24,380,808 (Deloitte Consulting LLP). Start dates 16 to 30 September 2026Svatantra.ai signal database, count at 23 Oct 2026
$4,997,174Sum of the five Phase II obligations as printed. Author's arithmeticDerived from Svatantra.ai signal database, count at 23 Oct 2026

15 more figures in the PDF, each with its source.

Sources

20 primary releases.

  1. USASpending.gov, DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP, award 70B04C26C00000142 (Start 30 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "CARGO SYSTEMS PROGRAM DIRECTORATE DIGITAL INNOVATION MISSION ENABLEMENT SBIR PHASE III CONTRACT". Total obligation $24,380,808. Signed 2026-09-29. Period 2026-09-30 to 2027-09-29. Sub-agency U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Set-aside "NO SET ASIDE USED."; extent competed "NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION"; business categories include "Not Designated a Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  2. USASpending.gov, STEAMPUNK, INC., award 70Z02326C93000001 (Start 16 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "BEACON SBIR PHASE III AWARD". Total obligation $9,739,315.20; base and all options $19,478,630.40. Signed 2026-09-16. Period 2026-09-16 to 2027-03-15. Sub-agency U.S. Coast Guard. "NO SET ASIDE USED."; "NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION"; "Not Designated a Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  3. USASpending.gov, PRESCIENT EDGE CORPORATION, award 70Z02326F93100002 (Start 29 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "SBIR PHASE III MAMS TO#3". Total obligation $3,500,000. Delivery order, signed 2026-09-21. Period 2026-09-29 to 2028-03-28. Sub-agency U.S. Coast Guard. Set-aside field empty; extent competed "NOT COMPETED"; business categories include "Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  4. USASpending.gov, DIGITAL BAZAAR INC, award 70RSAT26C00000023 (Start 30 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "SBIR PHASE III TAK". Total obligation $2,999,830.19. Signed 2026-09-30. Period 2026-09-30 to 2028-03-29. Sub-agency Office of Procurement Operations. "NO SET ASIDE USED."; "FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION"; "Not Designated a Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  5. USASpending.gov, ANALYTICAL AI, INC., award 70RSAT26C00000014 (Start 30 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "SBIR PHASE III R&D FOR LIMITED MOBILITY PASSENGERS SCREENING." Total obligation $1,243,602.86; base and all options $2,828,063.86. Signed 2026-09-28. Period 2026-09-30 to 2029-09-29. "SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE - TOTAL"; "FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES"; "Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  6. USASpending.gov, SNA INTERNATIONAL LLC, award 70RDA126C00000002 (Start 30 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE III - BUILDING, INTEGRATING, AND SUSTAINING DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) BIOMETRIC & FORENSIC SERVICES". Total obligation $1,197,473.80; base and all options $6,354,410.80. Signed 2026-09-29. Period 2026-09-30 to 2031-09-29. "NO SET ASIDE USED."; "NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION"; "Not Designated a Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  7. USASpending.gov, CLEO ROBOTICS LABS INC., award 70B06C26C00000158 (Start 24 September 2026)
    Verbatim description begins: "SBIR PHASE III AWARD FOR CLEO DD1/DRONUT CONFINED-SPACE AERIAL DRONE SYSTEMS". Total obligation $1,036,717.50. Signed 2026-09-24. Period 2026-09-24 to 2027-09-29. Sub-agency U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "NO SET ASIDE USED."; "NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION"; "Not Designated a Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  8. USASpending.gov, SIMX, INC, award 70B06C26P00000563 (Start 30 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "VALOR VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING SIMULATOR HEADSETS FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL UNDER SBIR PHASE III." Total obligation $99,161; base and all options $420,261. Purchase order, signed 2026-09-30. Period 2026-09-30 to 2027-09-29. Sub-agency U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "NO SET ASIDE USED."; "NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION"; "Not Designated a Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  9. USASpending.gov, TOYON RESEARCH CORPORATION, award 70RSAT26C00000018 (Start 30 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "THE PURPOSE OF THIS NEW SBIR/LRBAA CONTRACT IS TO COMMIT $999,999.99 TO FACILITATE A NEW CONTRACT FOR SBIR PHASE II TOPIC 3: ON-PERSON SCREENING STREAM OF COMMERCE ANALYSIS TOOL." Total obligation $999,998.47; base and all options $1,499,997.13. Signed 2026-09-30. Period 2026-09-30 to 2029-03-29. "SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE - TOTAL"; "Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  10. USASpending.gov, INTELLISENSE SYSTEMS INC, award 70RSAT26C00000024 (Start 29 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "SBIR PHASE II AWARD - ON-PERSON SCREENING STREAM OF COMMERCE ANALYSIS TOOL". Total obligation $999,993.61; base and all options $1,499,991.87. Signed 2026-09-29. Period 2026-09-29 to 2027-09-29. "SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE - TOTAL"; "Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  11. USASpending.gov, N5 SENSORS INC, award 70RWMD26C00000004 (Start 23 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "BASE AWARD SBIR PHASE II PERSON WORN DETECTOR FOR AEROSOLIZED CHEMICAL THREATS". Total obligation $999,990.12; base and all options $1,999,977.32. Signed 2026-09-25. Period 2026-09-23 to 2027-09-22. "SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE - TOTAL"; "Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  12. USASpending.gov, MAKEL ENGINEERING, INC., award 70RWMD26C00000005 (Start 30 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "BASE AWARD SBIR SECOND PHASE II WEARABLE MULTIMODAL AEROSOLIZED CHEMICAL THREAT DETECTOR". Total obligation $999,188.64; base and all options $1,999,870.15. Signed 2026-09-28. Period 2026-09-30 to 2027-09-29. "NO SET ASIDE USED."; "FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION"; "Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  13. USASpending.gov, PENDAR TECHNOLOGIES LLC, award 70RSAT26C00000022 (Start 30 September 2026)
    Verbatim description: "SBIR/LRBAA CONTRACT DHS SBIR 25.1 PHASE II TOPIC 1 FENTANYL ATTRIBUTION FORENSICS/SOURCE PROFILING". Total obligation $998,003.26; base and all options $1,497,123.14. Signed 2026-09-30. Period 2026-09-30 to 2028-09-29. "SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE - TOTAL"; "FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES"; "Small Business".
    usaspending.gov
  14. US General Services Administration, Assisted Acquisition Services, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) (Accessed 23 October 2026)
    "No. There is no limit on the number, duration, type or dollar value of Phase III awards made to a firm." "No. The Phase III awardee can be any size." "All Phase III SBIR awards must be funded entirely by non-SBIR/STTR funds." "Competition conducted in Phase I/II satisfies all Federal competition requirements".
    aas.gsa.gov
  15. Crowell & Moring, Government Contracts Legal Forum, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 101: Following Re-Authorization, What Contractors (and Their Investors) Need to Know (15 May 2026)
    "Phase III awards may be sole-source and should be awarded to the SBIR firm (or its successor-in-interest) to the greatest extent practicable." "As a result, Phase III contracts are not subject to small business eligibility rules." "There is no value or duration limit for Phase III awards." "On April 13, 2026, President Trump signed into law the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act".
    governmentcontractslegalforum.com
  16. US Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate, Small Business Innovation Research (Accessed 23 October 2026)
    "There is no limit on the number, duration, type or dollar value of Phase III awards made to a small business." "Only SBIR Phase I awardees are eligible to participate in subsequent phases." The page also states Phase II awards "are limited to $750,000", a figure the 2026 records and DHS's 2023 release exceed; it is not used.
    dhs.gov
  17. US Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate, DHS Awards Funds to 15 U.S. Small Businesses for R&D Prototypes (29 August 2023)
    "each Phase II awardee received approximately $1 million to build and demonstrate a prototype over a two-year period"; "awarded a total of $14,994,521 to 15 small businesses".
    dhs.gov
  18. Federal Register, Small Business Administration, Updated Minimum Performance Standards for Commercialization for Firms That Receive Funding Through the SBIR and STTR Programs (91 FR 56536) (2 September 2026)
    Notice and request for comment; comments due 31 October 2026; effective 15 November 2026. Applies to a firm that has "received more than 25 Phase II awards during the five most recently completed fiscal years". Non-SBIR revenue share "of at least 33 percent during the three most recent fiscal years excluding the current fiscal year" at the FY2027 assessment; from FY2028 the firm "must demonstrate a non-SBIR revenue share of at least 50 percent". A firm that fails "is not eligible to submit a proposal for a new Phase I or Direct-to-Phase-II award from any participating agency" for one year.
    federalregister.gov
  19. US Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Ranking Members Markey, Velazquez, Lofgren Slam SBA Proposal That Defies Congress, Harms Successful Innovation Small Businesses (16 October 2026)
    Release of a letter to the SBA Office of Investment and Innovation (the release page does not print the letter's date). The lawmakers write that "the notice expressly goes against Congressional intent when it comes to commercialization" and ask SBA to "extend the public comment period of the new proposal" and "delay implementation until the proposal is fully vetted".
    sbc.senate.gov
  20. Svatantra.ai, Signal database (23 October 2026)
    Counted: signals from public federal contract records with awarding agency Department of Homeland Security, an award description containing SBIR, STTR or 'Small Business Innovation Research', and a contract start date between 1 and 30 September 2026. 13 records, 13 distinct award IDs, 13 distinct recipient identifiers; 5 labeled Phase II, 8 labeled Phase III, by the words in the description. Amounts are obligations as printed. Counts at 23 October 2026.
    svatantra.ai