Introduction
Every year, thousands of small businesses across the United States apply for Department of Defense (DoD) SBIR and STTR funding. But no matter how strong your innovation or how compelling your proposal, none of it matters if you don’t navigate the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) correctly.
DSIP is the required online system for submitting all DoD SBIR and STTR proposals. It’s not just a filing tool—it’s a structured, multi-volume submission system with strict formatting, timing, and compliance requirements. Whether you’re applying for Phase I or Phase II, understanding the ins and outs of DSIP is essential to avoid disqualification and ensure your proposal gets reviewed.
In this guide, we walk you through the entire DSIP submission process—from account registration to proposal certification—so you can confidently submit a compliant and competitive application.
Getting Started with DSIP
Before you can submit a proposal through the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP), you need to set up your access and ensure your company’s registrations are in order. This is a one-time setup that can be reused across multiple submissions—but it must be done right the first time.
Registering on DSIP via Login.gov
DSIP uses Login.gov for secure authentication. If you don’t already have an account, you’ll need to create one at Login.gov using the email address you intend to associate with DSIP. After logging in, you’ll be redirected to DSIP to complete your firm’s profile.
Use the same email address for both systems to avoid linking issues. If your company already has a DSIP profile, you may need the Firm’s PIN to join. Only one person is designated as the Firm Administrator, and others must be added by that admin.
During registration, you’ll be asked for company identifiers such as:
- DUNS or UEI number (depending on the agency’s system)
- CAGE code
- Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
Completing Your DSIP Firm Profile
Once logged in, navigate to your firm profile and verify or input your company information. This includes addresses, points of contact, and entity details. You’ll also need to confirm that:
Make sure these registrations are active and accurate—DSIP uses them to auto-fill key portions of your proposal, and any mismatch can lead to submission errors.
Preparing a Competitive Proposal
Submitting through DSIP isn’t just about uploading documents—it’s about presenting a complete, accurate, and compliant proposal across seven distinct volumes. Each one has its own requirements and plays a different role in your evaluation.
Identifying Topics and Creating Your Proposal Entry
Start by browsing current solicitations under the “Funding Opportunities” tab on DSIP. DoD issues multiple Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) or Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs) annually, each containing dozens of topics from various components.
During the pre-release period, you can contact topic authors to clarify requirements. Once the solicitation officially opens, all communications must cease, and proposals must be submitted exclusively through DSIP.
Once you’ve selected a topic, click “Create Proposal” to begin entering data into the system. Each topic corresponds to a single proposal—no duplicates allowed.
Volume 1: Proposal Cover Sheet
The Cover Sheet collects administrative data including:
- Company name and address
- Proposal title and abstract
- Topic number
- Principal Investigator information
- Estimated project cost and duration
Incomplete or inaccurate entries can lead to outright rejection. Double-check spelling, topic codes, and budget figures before saving.
Volume 2: Technical Volume
This is the heart of your proposal: a detailed explanation of your technology and project plan, uploaded as a PDF. Follow formatting rules precisely:
- Max 20 pages (or as specified in the solicitation)
- 1-inch margins, single column, 10-point minimum font
- No external links or active media
- Include headers or footers with your company name, topic number, and proposal ID
Content typically includes:
- Problem Statement and Technical Objectives
- Phase I Work Plan
- Related R&D
- Commercialization Approach
- Team Qualifications and Facilities
If your technical volume exceeds page limits or contains disallowed elements, some agencies will stop reading at the limit—or reject it outright.
Volume 3: Cost Volume
The Cost Volume is entered directly into DSIP’s web form. You’ll itemize:
- Direct labor (by individual and hourly rate)
- Materials and equipment
- Travel
- Subcontractors or consultants
- Indirect costs and profit (if permitted)
Be sure your total cost doesn’t exceed the topic’s cap (e.g., $150,000 for most Phase I efforts). Subcontracting is limited—typically no more than 33% of the work for Phase I can be outsourced.
Volume 4: Company Commercialization Report
This volume summarizes your firm’s previous SBIR/STTR awards and commercialization outcomes. DSIP can auto-pull this data from the SBA Company Registry, but it’s your responsibility to ensure the report is accurate and up to date on SBIR.gov.
Even though the commercialization report is not scored during Phase I evaluations, it’s required for submission and may influence Phase II or Phase III eligibility. If DSIP can’t generate your CCR automatically, you may need to upload a PDF manually.
Volume 5: Supporting Documents
Some agencies require additional files—such as letters of support, resumes, or cost narratives—which are uploaded here. Check the specific topic instructions to know what’s optional, required, or not reviewed.
Typical supporting documents include:
- Key personnel resumes (if not in Volume 2)
- Letters of support from potential customers or partners
- Cost justifications or quotes for specialized equipment
- Institutional support letters for STTRs
Do not use Volume 5 for extra technical content.
Most agencies won’t consider it, and some may penalize attempts to circumvent page limits.
All files must be PDFs unless otherwise specified. Upload each file separately and confirm they open properly in DSIP.
Volume 6: Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) Training
Every applicant must complete the FWA training annually. DSIP includes a direct link to the training material (about three pages) and a checkbox to certify completion. The Proposal Owner is responsible for marking this step done.
Skipping this step prevents submission—complete it even if you’ve done it in prior years.
Volume 7: Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations
DSIP now requires an online disclosure form regarding foreign ownership, control, or influence. You’ll answer yes/no questions about:
- Foreign investments in the company
- Affiliations of team members with foreign talent programs
- Other ties to foreign countries of concern
Answer truthfully and completely. This volume is required to submit and has national security implications.
Final Review and Submission
Once all seven volumes are complete, your final step is to review and certify the proposal. This isn’t just a formality—errors at this stage can still derail your submission, even if every document is technically uploaded.
Use DSIP’s Checklist—But Don’t Rely on It Alone
DSIP shows a “100% complete” progress bar when each volume is filled in, but this indicator doesn’t verify that the right documents were uploaded, or that they meet the formatting rules.
DSIP’s “100% complete” status isn’t foolproof.
It only confirms volumes are filled—not that content is accurate or compliant.
Here’s a final pre-submission checklist to confirm:
- All volumes (1 through 7) are complete and uploaded
- Cover sheet matches the technical and cost volumes
- Technical PDF is final and meets all formatting rules
- Budget aligns with topic-specific cost limits
- Required attachments (resumes, letters) are in Volume 5
- Fraud, Waste, and Abuse training is marked complete
- Foreign disclosures are submitted in Volume 7
Certify and Submit
Only a designated Corporate Official (CO) can certify and submit the proposal. This person must:
- Be registered in DSIP
- Have authority to legally represent the company
The CO will certify the proposal by attesting to eligibility, accuracy, and compliance. Once submitted, the proposal status in DSIP will change from “In Progress” or “Ready to Certify” to “Submitted.”
DSIP will email a confirmation receipt. Keep this email—if you don’t receive one, your proposal may not have been accepted.
Tips for Smooth Submission
Even if your proposal is technically sound, a last-minute submission error can still prevent it from being considered. These tips will help ensure a smooth and successful upload through DSIP.
Submit Early—Not Just On Time
DSIP servers can lag under heavy traffic near the deadline, and once the window closes, there are no exceptions.
Submit your proposal at least 48 hours early.
This avoids system delays or upload failures during peak traffic periods.
Last-minute submissions are especially risky if:
- You need to re-upload files due to formatting issues
- DSIP flags a volume as incomplete unexpectedly
- Your Corporate Official isn’t available to certify
Common Upload Issues to Avoid
These are frequent reasons proposals fail to submit:
- PDF is corrupted or unreadable after upload
- File exceeds page or size limits
- Filename includes disallowed characters (stick to simple letters, numbers, dashes)
- Volume 2 includes external links or active content (not permitted)
Track Your Status
After submission, monitor DSIP for status updates. You should see:
- “Submitted” under proposal status
- Confirmation email with timestamp
- Optional download of final submission package for your records
If you encounter issues after submission, contact the DSIP Help Desk immediately. They can verify receipt or clarify issues, but they cannot override deadlines or allow late uploads.