Sponsor
Gilbert Ray Cisneros
Representative · D-CA
Representative · D-CA
The bill increases small businesses' ability to win and commercialize Phase III government contracts by training acquisition staff and standardizing procurement practices, at the cost of implementation expenses, potential increases in sole‑source awards, and some loss of procurement flexibility.
Small businesses with SBIR/STTR awards will have clearer, more reliable paths to Phase III government contracts, increasing revenue opportunities for innovators.
Federal contracting officers and the acquisition workforce will better understand SBIR/STTR missions, authorities, and data rights, reducing procurement errors and contract delays.
Standardized solicitation provisions and model contract language will reduce administrative and legal burdens for small firms during market research and Phase transitions.
Greater awareness and use of Phase III sole‑source authority could increase sole‑source contract awards, reducing competition and potentially raising costs for taxpayers.
Implementing required training, standardized procedures, and new contract language will impose administrative and compliance costs on agencies, SBA, and prime contractors, potentially diverting resources from other programs.
Mandates for procurement-center representatives and standardized processes could reduce procurement flexibility and slow other acquisition activities in some agencies.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires SBA-led training for acquisition staff and mandates agency standardization and advocacy to ease transition of SBIR/STTR technologies into Phase III procurements.
Official title: To amend section 9 of the Small Business Act to require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish training on Phase III acquisitions for the acquisition workforce, and for other purposes.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Gilbert Ray Cisneros · Last progress August 1, 2025
Requires the Small Business Administration (SBA), working with Defense, GSA, and other agencies, to create training for contracting officers and the acquisition workforce on Phase III SBIR/STTR procurements, and to strengthen agency responsibilities to move SBIR/STTR-developed technologies into Phase III contracts. Agencies must standardize and simplify Phase I–III award procedures and provide model contract language and solicitation clauses to clarify what small businesses must provide to demonstrate Phase III eligibility. Technical heading punctuation changes are also made but do not alter substance.