Bio-inspired Underwater Teams

Name: Bio-inspired Underwater Teams — proposal window
Start: 2026-09-23
End: 2026-10-21

STTR topic from NSIN, solicitation 26.TZ. Closes 2026-10-21 (42 days left).

Component (WERX): NSIN
Agency: OSD
Program / Phase: STTR
Solicitation #: 26.TZ
Topic #: OSW26TZ06-NV008
Status: Pre-release
TPOC Q&A window: Open until 2026-09-23 — sponsors accept direct questions during pre-release.
Pre-release date: 2026-09-02
Open date: 2026-09-23
Close date: 2026-10-21 · 42 days until close · Add to calendar · See all deadlines
Set-aside: —
NAICS: —

Pre-release topic brief

Topic brief

This STTR topic is in pre-release. Use the TPOC Q&A window before proposals open — that is the highest-value intelligence window on OSW26TZ06-NV008.

Pre-release focus: Prioritize TPOC Q&A before the open date. Proposals open 2026-09-23.

Who this is for

Firms that already have a draft capability narrative ready to adapt
Teams that can ask sharp technical questions without revealing proprietary IP
Companies tracking a monthly DSIP / WERX release cadence

Capture playbook

Read the full topic text and note must-have vs nice-to-have requirements
Submit clarifying questions to the topic author / TPOC before Q&A closes
Map prior winners in the same component and tech domain (see related awards)
Run a free readiness scorecard and decide go / no-go before open day
Set a deadline alert for 2026-10-21 so you do not miss close

pWin cues

Clear alignment between past performance and stated technical objectives
Ability to field a prototype on the implied timeline
No hard requirement you cannot evidence (facility, clearance, TRL)

Watch-outs

Q&A ends when the topic opens — late questions often go unanswered
Incumbents from prior topic families may already be drafting
Pre-release text can still change; re-read on open day

Peer open topics

Topic brief FAQ

What is pre-release on SBIR/STTR topics?

Pre-release is the window after a topic is announced but before proposals open, when you may contact the topic author/TPOC with questions.

Should I start writing before the topic opens?

Outline and evidence mapping yes; final page-limited drafts wait until the official open text freezes requirements.

How do I track this deadline?

Save the topic on SBIR Signal and set a deadline alert, or use the deadline calendar export.

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Go / No-Go decision pack

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Incumbent detector

No adjacent award history found for this topic yet. Use the decision pack and scorecard to build your own go/no-go case, and re-check after the next data refresh.

Description

Utilize the fundamental understanding of hydrodynamic benefits from underwater vehicles swimming in proximity to each other to develop and demonstrate a design for an underwater vehicle team optimized for range, endurance, speed and quietness. The design should be based on rigorous analysis and leverage results from recent computational and experimental fluid dynamics investigations that have shown signifcant gains in efficiency resulting from group swimming. The design should also leverage new vehicle design spaces that result from the platform being unmanned and are available that might include novel propulsors (for example, fins, tails or other bio-inspired mechanisms) that utilize unsteady propulsion, body shape and body deformation. This STTR will provide increased capabilities for UUV teams based on the technology push from the fundamental understanding we now have of how hydrodynamic benefits of underwater swimming in groups.

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