The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program: Reauthorization Efforts (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised March 5, 2012 |
| Report Number |
RS22865 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Wendy H. Schacht, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982, P.L. 97-219, created Small BusinessInnovation Research (SBIR) programs within the major federal research and development (R&D)agencies. This effort was intended to increase participation of small innovative companies infederally funded R&D. Government agencies with extramural R&D budgets of $100 million ormore are required to set aside a portion of these funds to support research and development insmall firms through the SBIR program.Reauthorized several times over the years, the SBIR program was scheduled to terminate onSeptember 30, 2008. A companion pilot activity, the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)program, was scheduled to end the following year. A series of temporary extensions kept bothprograms in operation until the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 was enacted as Title LI of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.In general, the new legislation reauthorizes the SBIR and STTR programs through September 30,2017; incrementally increases the set aside for the SBIR effort to 3.2% by FY2017 and beyond;incrementally expands the set aside for the STTR activity to 0.45% in FY2016 and beyond;increases the amount of Phase I and Phase II awards; allows the National Institutes of Health, theDepartment of Energy, and the National Science Foundation to award up to 25% of SBIR funds tosmall businesses that are majority-owned by venture capital companies, hedge funds, or privateequity firms and other agencies to award up to 15% of SBIR funds to such firms; createscommercialization pilot programs; and expands oversight activities, among other things.
