Bill > HR7217

This bill, titled the SBIR Administrative Funding Act, extends and modifies how federal agencies can fund administrative, oversight, and contract processing costs for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which are designed to encourage small businesses to engage in federal research and development. Specifically, it pushes the authorization for these administrative costs from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2030, and increases the percentage of program funds that can be used for these administrative purposes from 3 percent to 3.3 percent. Furthermore, it introduces a mechanism for agencies like the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, NASA, and the National Science Foundation to transfer a portion of their SBIR/STTR funds to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to bolster the SBA's resources for administering these programs, with the caveat that these transferred funds cannot be used for programs established under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. The bill also aims to increase participation in the SBIR and STTR programs from underserved populations and states that have historically received fewer awards, allowing agencies to use a portion of their authorized funds for outreach and technical assistance to achieve this goal.

Business and Industry

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7217/all-info