Custom Courses, Platform & Software Development for SBIR, STTR & Federal Grant Recipients

From pre-award proposal scoping and FAR-compliant budget justifications to post-award MVP engineering, empirical testing, and Phase III commercialization, we build award-winning educational software, interactive courses, and digital portals for federal grant awardees.

Get Grant Scoping & Proposal Support
Grant-funded research and software development team collaborating around a table
100% Client IP Ownership
FAR & SBIR Budget Compliant
Section 508 & WCAG 2.1 AA Compliant
Pre-Award & Post-Award End-to-End Support

Trusted Performance for Federal Grant Recipients

Intellectual Property Retention maintained by our grant-recipient clients on every project.

On-Time Milestone Delivery across Phase I feasibility prototypes and Phase II scale-up deliverables.

FAR-Compliant Cost Proposals structured to satisfy federal contracting officer and peer-reviewer audits.

“Partnering with their custom elearning team during our Phase I SBIR proposal gave us a major competitive edge. Their detailed budget justification and preliminary wireframes strengthened our application, and post-award, they delivered a Section 508 accessible MVP that impressed our agency program manager.”

Principal Investigator & Founder

Grant Recipient & Applicant Challenges We Solve

Grant team reviewing a pre-award project scope and budget

1. Rigorous Pre-Award Scoping & Subcontractor Budget Justification

Federal grant reviewers demand transparent, itemized subcontractor budgets. We provide audit-ready cost estimates, labor-hour breakdowns, and technical capability statements that align with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) standards.

Project team planning an SBIR and STTR compliant work split

2. Strict SBIR/STTR Subcontracting Work-Split Limits

SBIR and STTR programs impose rigid limits on outsourced research and development work (such as the 66% Phase I and 50% Phase II internal work requirements). We help structure project scopes so your small business maintains complete compliance and technical leadership.

Team developing a Phase I proof of concept

3. Rapid Phase I Proof of Concept (PoC) & MVP Feasibility Deadlines

Phase I grants operate on tight timelines and budgets. We specialize in rapid prototyping, turning complex scientific or pedagogical research into functional minimum viable products (MVPs) that validate feasibility.

Software team scaling a Phase II digital learning platform

4. Scalable Phase II Production & Technical Rigor

Phase II awards demand commercial-grade platform engineering and course production. We build scalable digital learning architectures, interactive modules, and backend portals capable of supporting nationwide deployments.

Accessibility specialist testing educational software

5. Mandatory Section 508 Accessibility & LMS Interoperability

Educational technology funded by federal grants must comply with Section 508 accessibility and integrate seamlessly into institutional platforms. We engineer courseware that meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards and supports industry standards, xAPI (cmi5), and modern API protocols.

Team preparing grant-funded technology for commercialization

6. Seamless Phase III Commercialization & TABA Execution

Transitioning from grant funding to private-market revenue requires commercial product polishing. We help grant recipients maximize Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) funding to create market-ready product demos, customer portals, and onboarding assets.

Supported Grant Programs & Funding Mechanisms

We work with small businesses, research institutions, universities, and non-profit organizations across major federal grant programs and non-dilutive funding mechanisms:

1. SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research)

  • Phase I (Feasibility & Proof of Concept): Rapid prototype development, UI/UX wireframing, and initial user feedback collection (up to $275k+ funding scope).
  • Phase II (Full Prototype & Scale-Up): Full-scale educational software engineering, multi-module course production, and empirical pilot testing (up to $1.8M+ funding scope).
  • Direct-to-Phase II & Sequential Phase II: Accelerated development for mature technologies ready for immediate full-scale builds and commercial validation.
  • Phase III (Commercialization): Custom platform enhancements, enterprise integrations, and market deployment without direct SBIR funding.

2. STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer)

  • Collaborative custom development bridging small businesses and non-profit research institutions/universities.
  • Software engineering designed to operationalize academic research, pedagogical frameworks, and laboratory innovations into commercial digital learning tools.

3. Broad Agency Announcements (BAA)

  • Specialized R&D software development for Department of Defense (DoD) agencies including DARPA, AFRL, ONR, and DTRA.
  • High-consequence simulation platforms, interactive technical training, and immersive virtual environments for military and intelligence applications.

4. Department of Education Grants (ED/IES SBIR)

  • Institute of Education Sciences (IES) funded EdTech innovations, AI-powered adaptive tutors, game-based learning, and special education accessible software.

5. National Science Foundation (NSF America’s Seed Fund)

  • Deep-tech educational software, human-computer interaction (HCI) research tools, STEM learning platforms, and data-driven instruction engines.

6. National Institutes of Health Grants (NIH R41/R42/R43/R44 & CDMRP)

  • Healthcare workforce training, medical simulation software, clinical trial training portals, patient education modules, and health literacy digital tools.

7. Additional Agency & Foundation Grants

  • Custom digital solutions for grants awarded by the Department of Energy (DOE), USDA, NASA, NIST, USAID, and private philanthropic foundations.

Custom Services We Offer

We provide end-to-end custom development services tailored to the specific objectives, technical requirements, and reporting milestones of grant recipients:

1. Custom eLearning Courses & Online Modules

  • Modern xAPI (Experience API), cmi5, and other industry-standard compliant interactive courseware.
  • Pedagogically grounded instructional design tailored to adult learners, K-12 students, or specialized industry workforces.
  • Microlearning modules designed for rapid knowledge retention and mobile accessibility.

2. Custom Online Platforms & Digital Portals

  • Learning management web applications, custom LMS extensions, and microlearning portals.
  • Student, teacher, researcher, and administrator web dashboards with real-time performance analytics.
  • Multi-tenant cloud architectures designed for institutional scalability and seamless deployment.

3. Rich Multimedia & Immersive Content

  • High-definition video production, motion graphics, and interactive technical diagrams.
  • Professional narration, multi-language localization, and customized visual branding.
  • Hand-on experiential modules and interactive equipment simulations.

4. Interactive Learning & AI-Enhanced Tools

  • Scenario-based decision simulations and branching logic practice environments.
  • AI-driven adaptive learning engines that personalize content delivery based on learner proficiency.
  • Conversational AI persona role-plays for communication, leadership, and soft-skills training.

5. Interoperability & System Integration

  • Industry-standard integration for seamless connectivity with institutional LMS environments (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Brightspace).
  • Custom API development for secure data exchange, single sign-on (SSO), and student information system (SIS) integration.

6. Empirical Efficacy Testing & Learning Telemetry

  • Data collection telemetry engines, learner progress tracking, and pre/post-intervention analytics dashboards.
  • Usability testing protocols, pilot trial instrumentation, and empirical reporting tools to support agency program manager reviews.

Pre-Award Support: Before the Grant is Received

Securing federal grant funding requires a compelling technical proposal and a defensible budget. We partner with grant applicants during the pre-award phase to maximize proposal win rates:

01

Brainstorming & EdTech Concept Scoping

  • Collaborating with Principal Investigators (PIs) and project leads to translate research concepts into concrete software specs.
  • Defining project scope, technical feasibility parameters, and milestone-based development roadmaps.
02

Proposal Cost Estimates & Budget Justification

  • Providing itemized, audit-defensible subcontractor cost proposals with transparent labor categories, hourly rates, and deliverables.
  • Structuring work splits to ensure 100% compliance with federal small business subcontracting caps (e.g., 66% Phase I / 50% Phase II rules).
03

Technical Architecture & Wireframing

  • Creating visual UI/UX wireframes, user flow diagrams, and system architecture mockups to attach to technical proposal submissions.
  • Drafting preliminary technical methodology descriptions for inclusion in the commercialization plan or R&D work plan.
04

Formal Letters of Support & Commitment

  • Issuing formal Subcontractor Commitment Letters, Technical Capability Statements, and Commercialization Partner Letters of Support to validate your development capacity to peer reviewers.

Post-Award Execution: After the Grant is Received

Once your grant is awarded, we execute agile custom development designed to satisfy agency program managers and meet strict milestone deadlines:

Proof of Concept (PoC) & MVP Rapid Engineering

  • Fast-tracking Phase I prototype builds to validate core technical hypotheses and pedagogical efficacy within short award windows.
  • Delivering functional digital prototypes ready for initial feasibility testing and agency review.

Full-Scale Software & Content Engineering

  • Building production-grade software applications, custom courseware suites, and backend infrastructure during Phase II execution.
  • Implementing robust data storage, user management, and scalable cloud hosting architectures.

Empirical Testing, Usability Pilots & Data Analytics

  • Supporting controlled pilot deployments in classrooms, clinics, or industrial environments.
  • Gathering learner interaction telemetry, usability feedback, and quantitative performance metrics to support grant progress reporting.

Iterative Sprint Cycles & Section 508 Audits

  • Conducting bi-weekly agile development sprints with continuous client preview access.
  • Performing continuous Section 508 accessibility audits and WCAG 2.1 AA verification using screen readers and automated testing tools.

Project Closeout & Commercialization Readiness

We ensure a smooth project closeout while positioning your technology for long-term commercial success and Phase III transition:

01

Milestone Deliverables & PM Demonstration Support

  • Delivering final compiled codebases, xAPI/cmi5 packages, deployment scripts, and comprehensive technical closeout documentation.
  • Producing high-impact demonstration software and video walkthroughs for Agency Program Manager (PM) final reviews.
02

TABA (Technical & Business Assistance) Execution

  • Helping grant recipients utilize allocated TABA funds ($6,500 for Phase I / $50,000 for Phase II) for commercialization readiness.
  • Building commercial marketing portals, product demo videos, customer onboarding collateral, and investor pitch assets.
03

Phase III Commercialization Transition

  • Preparing software architecture for commercial SaaS licensing, enterprise deployment, and app store distribution.
  • Establishing automated CI/CD deployment pipelines, system maintenance handbooks, and customer support documentation.
04

100% Client Intellectual Property (IP) Transfer

  • Transferring complete, unencumbered ownership of all custom source code, course files, design assets, and media components upon project completion.

Modern Technical Architecture & Compliance Standards

Section 508 & WCAG 2.1 AA Accessibility

Native screen reader support, keyboard navigation, closed captioning, and high-contrast UI modes.

Modern Learning Interoperability & Analytics

xAPI (cmi5) real-time performance telemetry, industry-standard integration, and universal LMS & LXP compatibility.

Enterprise Security & Privacy

Standardized encryption (AES-256), SOC 2 compliance readiness, FERPA/COPPA compliance for educational software, and HIPAA alignment for healthcare training.

Scalable Cloud Architecture & Multi-Device Deployment

Cloud-native microservices infrastructure, responsive mobile optimization, offline-first data sync capabilities, and automated CI/CD deployment pipelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a grant recipient hire an external agency for custom elearning development?

Yes. Federal grant programs allow awardees to engage external custom development partners as subcontractors or consultants. Our team provides transparent labor breakdowns and cost justifications that meet Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) compliance requirements while respecting SBIR/STTR work-split limits.

Who owns the intellectual property (IP) created during the project?

You do. Our client agreements guarantee 100% client intellectual property ownership. All custom code, digital assets, graphics, and courseware created during the project belong entirely to your organization.

How do you assist during the pre-award proposal phase?

We collaborate with you to define the technical scope, draft UI/UX wireframes, detail the technical methodology, and provide a comprehensive subcontractor budget justification along with a formal Letter of Support for your grant proposal.

Can we use TABA (Technical and Business Assistance) funds for your services?

Yes. While core R&D activities are funded through your main grant budget, supplemental TABA funds ($6,500 in Phase I and $50,000 in Phase II) can be utilized for non-R&D commercialization activities such as developing customer onboarding portals, product demo videos, and commercial product branding.

What learning management systems (LMS) do your custom modules support?

Our custom elearning modules and platforms support all major commercial, academic, and government LMS environments, including Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Brightspace, Cornerstone, and DoD Joint Knowledge Online (JKO).

Ready to Strengthen Your Grant Proposal or Fast-Track Post-Award Development?

Partner with an experienced custom elearning and software development team that understands federal grant mechanisms, pre-award proposal requirements, and post-award technical execution.