Bill > S853

This bill, called the "INNOVATE Act", proposes comprehensive improvements to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The bill aims to enhance opportunities for small businesses in technology innovation across several key areas. It introduces a new Phase 1A program to increase accessibility for new entrants, creates a "strategic breakthrough allocation" allowing the Department of Defense to provide larger funding up to $30 million for promising technologies, and strengthens research security measures by implementing more rigorous due diligence processes to assess potential national security risks. The bill also streamlines program participation by reducing administrative burdens, such as limiting the number of proposals a small business can submit in a year, and modifies performance standards for companies receiving multiple Phase I and Phase II awards. Additionally, the bill extends the SBIR and STTR program authorizations through 2028, expands opportunities for small businesses in emerging states and rural areas, and establishes new requirements for protecting intellectual property from unintended foreign disclosure. The legislation seeks to make these federal research funding programs more accessible, efficient, and secure for small businesses engaged in technological innovation.

Business and Industry

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/853/all-info