15 U.S.C. § 638. — Research and development

((a)) ** Declaration of policy** Research and development are major factors in the growth and progress of industry and the national economy. The expense of carrying on research and development programs is beyond the means of many small-business concerns, and such concerns are handicapped in obtaining the benefits of research and development programs conducted at Government expense. These small-business concerns are thereby placed at a competitive disadvantage. This weakens the competitive free enterprise system and prevents the orderly development of the national economy. It is the policy of the Congress that assistance be given to small-business concerns to enable them to undertake and to obtain the benefits of research and development in order to maintain and strengthen the competitive free enterprise system and the national economy.

((b)) ** Assistance to small-business concerns** It shall be the duty of the Administration, and it is empowered—

((1)) to assist small-business concerns to obtain Government contracts for research and development;

((2)) to assist small-business concerns to obtain the benefits of research and development performed under Government contracts or at Government expense;

((3)) to provide technical assistance to small-business concerns to accomplish the purposes of this section;

((4)) to develop and maintain a source file and an information program to assure each qualified and interested small business concern the opportunity to participate in Federal agency small business innovation research programs and small business technology transfer programs;

((5)) to coordinate with participating agencies a schedule for release of SBIR and STTR solicitations, and to prepare a master release schedule so as to maximize small businesses’ opportunities to respond to solicitations;

((6)) to independently survey and monitor the operation of SBIR and STTR programs within participating Federal agencies;

((7)) to report not less than annually to the Committee on Small Business of the Senate, and to the Committee on Science and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives, on the SBIR and STTR programs of the Federal agencies and the Administration’s information and monitoring efforts related to the SBIR and STTR programs, including—

((A)) the data on output and outcomes collected pursuant to subsections (g)(8) and ()(9);

((B)) the number of proposals received from, and the number and total amount of awards to, HUBZone small business concerns and firms with venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm investment (including those majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms) under each of the SBIR and STTR programs;

((C)) a description of the extent to which each Federal agency is increasing outreach and awards to firms owned and controlled by women or by socially or economically disadvantaged individuals under each of the SBIR and STTR programs;

((D)) general information about the implementation of, and compliance with the allocation of funds required under, subsection (dd) for firms owned in majority part by venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms and participating in the SBIR program;

((E)) a detailed description of appeals of Phase III awards and notices of noncompliance with the SBIR Policy Directive and the STTR Policy Directive filed by the Administrator with Federal agencies;

((F)) an accounting of funds, initiatives, and outcomes under the Commercialization Readiness Program;

((G)) a description of the extent to which Federal agencies are providing in a timely manner information needed to maintain the database described in subsection (k);

((H)) with respect to a Federal agency to which subsection (f)(1) or (n)(1) applies, whether the Federal agency has complied with the applicable subsection for the year covered by the report;

((I)) the number of applications submitted to each Federal agency participating in the SBIR or STTR program in innovation open topics as compared to conventional topics, and how many small business concerns receive funding from open topics compared to conventional topics;

((J)) the total number and dollar amount, and average size, of awards made by each Federal agency participating in the SBIR or STTR program, by phase, from—

((i)) open topics; and

((ii)) conventional topics;

((K)) the minimum performance standards established under subsection (qq), including any applicable modifications under paragraph (3) of such subsection, and the number of small business concerns that did not meet those minimum performance standards, provided that the Administrator does not publish any personally identifiable information, the identity of each such small business concern, or any otherwise sensitive information; and

((L)) the aggregate number and dollar amount of SBIR and STTR awards made pursuant to waivers under subsection (qq)(3)(E), provided that the Administrator does not publish any personally identifiable information, the identity of each such small business concern, or any otherwise sensitive information;

((8)) to provide for and fully implement the tenets of Executive Order No. 13329 (Encouraging Innovation in Manufacturing);

((9)) to coordinate the implementation of electronic databases at each of the Federal agencies participating in the SBIR program or the STTR program, including the technical ability of the participating agencies to electronically share data; and

((10)) to consult, where appropriate, with personnel from the relevant Federal agency to assist small business concerns participating in a SBIR or STTR program with commercializing research developed under such a program before such small business concern is awarded a contract from such Federal agency.

((c)) ** Consultation and cooperation with Government agencies; studies and recommendations** The Administration is authorized to consult and cooperate with all Government agencies and to make studies and recommendations to such agencies, and such agencies are authorized and directed to cooperate with the Administration in order to carry out and to accomplish the purposes of this section.

((d)) ** Joint programs; approval of agreements; withdrawal of approval; publication in Federal Register**

((1)) The Administrator is authorized to consult with representatives of small-business concerns with a view to assisting and encouraging such firms to undertake joint programs for research and development carried out through such corporate or other mechanism as may be most appropriate for the purpose. Such joint programs may, among other things, include the following purposes:

((A)) to construct, acquire, or establish laboratories and other facilities for the conduct of research;

((B)) to undertake and utilize applied research;

((C)) to collect research information related to a particular industry and disseminate it to participating members;

((D)) to conduct applied research on a protected, proprietary, and contractual basis with member or nonmember firms, Government agencies, and others;

((E)) to prosecute applications for patents and render patent services for participating members; and

((F)) to negotiate and grant licenses under patents held under the joint program, and to establish corporations designed to exploit particular patents obtained by it.

((2)) The Administrator may, after consultation with the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and with the prior written approval of the Attorney General, approve any agreement between small-business firms providing for a joint program of research and development, if the Administrator finds that the joint program proposed will maintain and strengthen the free enterprise system and the economy of the Nation. The Administrator or the Attorney General may at any time withdraw his approval of the agreement and the joint program of research and development covered thereby, if he finds that the agreement or the joint program carried on under it is no longer in the best interests of the competitive free enterprise system and the economy of the Nation. A copy of the statement of any such finding and approval intended to be within the coverage of this subsection, and a copy of any modification or withdrawal of approval, shall be published in the Federal Register. The authority conferred by this subsection on the Administrator shall not be delegated by him.

((3)) No act or omission to act pursuant to and within the scope of any joint program for research and development, under an agreement approved by the Administrator under this subsection, shall be construed to be within the prohibitions of the antitrust laws or the Federal Trade Commission Act [ et seq.]. Upon publication in the Federal Register of the notice of withdrawal of his approval of the agreement granted under this subsection, either by the Administrator or by the Attorney General, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any subsequent act or omission to act by reason of such agreement or approval.

((e)) ** Definitions** For the purpose of this section—

((1)) the term “extramural budget” means the sum of the total obligations minus amounts obligated for such activities by employees of the agency in or through Government-owned, Government-operated facilities, except that for the Department of Energy it shall not include amounts obligated for atomic energy defense programs solely for weapons activities or for naval reactor programs, and except that for the Agency for International Development it shall not include amounts obligated solely for general institutional support of international research centers or for grants to foreign countries;

((2)) the term “Federal agency” means an executive agency as defined in or a military department as defined in section 102 of such title, except that it does not include any agency within the Intelligence Community (as the term is defined in section 3.4(f) of Executive Order 12333 or its successor orders);

((3)) the term “funding agreement” means any contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into between any Federal agency and any small business for the performance of experimental, developmental, or research work funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government;

((4)) the term “Small Business Innovation Research Program” or “SBIR” means a program under which a portion of a Federal agency’s research or research and development effort is reserved for award to small business concerns through a uniform process having—

((A)) a first phase for determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas that appear to have commercial potential, as described in subparagraph (B), submitted pursuant to SBIR program solicitations;

((B)) a second phase, which shall not include any invitation, pre-screening, or pre-selection process for eligibility for Phase II, that will further develop proposals which meet particular program needs, in which awards shall be made based on the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of the proposals, as evidenced by the first phase, considering, among other things, the proposal’s commercial potential, as evidenced by—

((i)) the small business concern’s record of successfully commercializing SBIR or other research;

((ii)) the existence of second phase funding commitments from private sector or non-SBIR funding sources;

((iii)) the existence of third phase, follow-on commitments for the subject of the research; and

((iv)) the presence of other indicators of the commercial potential of the idea; and

((C)) where appropriate, a third phase for work that derives from, extends, or completes efforts made under prior funding agreements under the SBIR program—

((i)) in which commercial applications of SBIR-funded research or research and development are funded by non-Federal sources of capital or, for products or services intended for use by the Federal Government, by follow-on non-SBIR Federal funding awards; or

((ii)) for which awards from non-SBIR Federal funding sources are used for the continuation of research or research and development that has been competitively selected using peer review or merit-based selection procedures;

((5)) the term “research” or “research and development” means any activity which is (A) a systematic, intensive study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the subject studied; (B) a systematic study directed specifically toward applying new knowledge to meet a recognized need; or (C) a systematic application of knowledge toward the production of useful materials, devices, and systems or methods, including design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet specific requirements;

((6)) the term “Small Business Technology Transfer Program” or “STTR” means a program under which a portion of a Federal agency’s extramural research or research and development effort is reserved for award to small business concerns for cooperative research and development through a uniform process having—

((A)) a first phase, to determine, to the extent possible, the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and feasibility of ideas submitted pursuant to STTR program solicitations;

((B)) a second phase, which shall not include any invitation, pre-screening, or pre-selection process for eligibility for Phase II, that will further develop proposals that meet particular program needs, in which awards shall be made based on the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and feasibility of the idea, as evidenced by the first phase and by other relevant information; and

((C)) where appropriate, a third phase for work that derives from, extends, or completes efforts made under prior funding agreements under the STTR program—

((i)) in which commercial applications of STTR-funded research or research and development are funded by non-Federal sources of capital or, for products or services intended for use by the Federal Government, by follow-on non-STTR Federal funding awards; and

((ii)) for which awards from non-STTR Federal funding sources are used for the continuation of research or research and development that has been competitively selected using peer review or scientific review criteria;

((7)) the term “cooperative research and development” means research or research and development conducted jointly by a small business concern and a research institution in which not less than 40 percent of the work is performed by the small business concern, and not less than 30 percent of the work is performed by the research institution;

((8)) the term “research institution” means a nonprofit institution, as defined in section 3703(5)  of this title, and includes federally funded research and development centers, as identified by the National Scientific Foundation in accordance with the governmentwide Federal Acquisition Regulation issued in accordance with (or any successor regulation thereto);

((9)) the term “commercial applications” shall not be construed to exclude testing and evaluation of products, services, or technologies for use in technical or weapons systems, and further, awards for testing and evaluation of products, services, or technologies for use in technical or weapons systems may be made in either Phase II or Phase III of the Small Business Innovation Research Program and of the Small Business Technology Transfer Program, as defined in this subsection;

((10)) the term “commercialization” means—

((A)) the process of developing products, processes, technologies, or services; and

((B)) the production and delivery (whether by the originating party or by others) of products, processes, technologies, or services for sale to or use by the Federal Government or commercial markets;

((11)) the term “Phase I” means—

((A)) with respect to the SBIR program, the first phase described in paragraph (4)(A); and

((B)) with respect to the STTR program, the first phase described in paragraph (6)(A);

((12)) the term “Phase II” means—

((A)) with respect to the SBIR program, the second phase described in paragraph (4)(B); and

((B)) with respect to the STTR program, the second phase described in paragraph (6)(B);

((13)) the term “Phase III” means—

((A)) with respect to the SBIR program, the third phase described in paragraph (4)(C); and

((B)) with respect to the STTR program, the third phase described in paragraph (6)(C);

((14)) the term “senior procurement executive” means an official designated under as the senior procurement executive of a Federal agency participating in a SBIR or STTR program;

((15)) the term “covered individual” means an individual who—

((A)) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research and development award from a Federal research agency; and

((B)) is designated as a covered individual by the Federal research agency concerned;

((16)) the term “foreign affiliation” means a funded or unfunded academic, professional, or institutional appointment or position with a foreign government or government-owned entity, whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary);

((17)) the term “foreign country of concern” means the People’s Republic of China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, or any other country determined to be a country of concern by the Secretary of State;

((18)) the term “malign foreign talent recruitment program” has the meaning given such term in ;

((19)) the term “federally funded award” means a Phase I, Phase II (including a Phase II award under subsection (cc)), or Phase III SBIR or STTR award made using a funding agreement; and

((20)) the term “agency acquisition workforce” means the employees of a Federal agency that have procurement or acquisition responsibilities, including—

((A)) employees described in ; and

((B)) individuals that are part of the acquisition workforce, as defined in .

((f)) ** Federal agency expenditures for SBIR program**

((1)) ** Required expenditure amounts** Except as provided in paragraph (2)(B), each Federal agency which has an extramural budget for research or research and development in excess of $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, or any fiscal year thereafter, shall expend with small business concerns—

((A)) not less than 1.5 percent of such budget in each of fiscal years 1993 and 1994;

((B)) not less than 2.0 percent of such budget in each of fiscal years 1995 and 1996;

((C)) not less than 2.5 percent of such budget in each of fiscal years 1997 through 2011;

((D)) not less than 2.6 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2012;

((E)) not less than 2.7 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2013;

((F)) not less than 2.8 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2014;

((G)) not less than 2.9 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2015;

((H)) not less than 3.0 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2016; and

((I)) not less than 3.2 percent of such budget in fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter,

((2)) ** Limitations** A Federal agency shall not—

((A)) use any of its SBIR budget established pursuant to paragraph (1) for the purpose of funding administrative costs of the program, including costs associated with salaries and expenses; or

((B)) make available for the purpose of meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) an amount of its extramural budget for basic research which exceeds the percentages specified in paragraph (1).

((3)) ** Exclusion of certain funding agreements** Funding agreements with small business concerns for research or research and development which result from competitive or single source selections other than an SBIR program shall not be considered to meet any portion of the percentage requirements of paragraph (1).

((4)) ** Rule of construction** Nothing in this subsection may be construed to prohibit a Federal agency from expending with small business concerns an amount of the extramural budget for research or research and development of the agency that exceeds the amount required under paragraph (1).

((g)) ** Administration of small business innovation research programs by Federal agencies required to establish such programs** Each Federal agency required by subsection (f) to establish a small business innovation research program shall, in accordance with this chapter and regulations issued hereunder—

((1)) unilaterally determine categories of projects to be in its SBIR program;

((2)) issue small business innovation research solicitations in accordance with a schedule determined cooperatively with the Small Business Administration;

((3)) unilaterally determine research topics within the agency’s SBIR solicitations, giving special consideration to broad research topics and to topics that further 1 or more critical technologies, as identified by—

((A)) the National Critical Technologies Panel (or its successor) in the 1991 report required under section 6683  of title 42, and in subsequent reports issued under that authority; or

((B)) the Secretary of Defense, in the 1992 report issued in accordance with section 2522  of title 10, and in subsequent reports issued under that authority;

((4))

((A)) unilaterally receive and evaluate proposals resulting from SBIR proposals; and

((B)) make a final decision on each proposal submitted under the SBIR program—

((i)) not later than 1 year after the date on which the applicable solicitation closes, if with respect to the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation, or 90 days after the date on which the applicable solicitation closes, if with respect to any other participating agency; or

((ii)) if the Administrator authorizes an extension with respect to a solicitation, not later than 90 days after the date that would otherwise be applicable to the agency under clause (i);

((5)) subject to subsection (), unilaterally select awardees for its SBIR funding agreements and inform each awardee under such an agreement, to the extent possible, of the expenses of the awardee that will be allowable under the funding agreement;

((6)) administer its own SBIR funding agreements (or delegate such administration to another agency);

((7)) make payments to recipients of SBIR funding agreements on the basis of progress toward or completion of the funding agreement requirements and, in all cases, make payment to recipients under such agreements in full, subject to audit, on or before the last day of the 12-month period beginning on the date of completion of such requirements;

((8)) collect annually, and maintain in a common format in accordance with the simplified reporting requirements under subsection (v), such information from awardees as is necessary to assess the SBIR program, including information necessary to maintain the database described in subsection (k), including—

((A)) whether an awardee—

((i)) has venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm investment or is majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms and, if so—

((I)) the amount of venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm investment that the awardee has received as of the date of the award; and

((II)) the amount of additional capital that the awardee has invested in the SBIR technology;

((ii)) has an investor that—

((I)) is an individual who is not a citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident of the United States and, if so, the name of any such individual; or

((II)) is a person that is not an individual and is not organized under the laws of a State or the United States and, if so, the name of any such person;

((iii)) is owned by a woman or has a woman as a principal investigator;

((iv)) is owned by a socially or economically disadvantaged individual or has a socially or economically disadvantaged individual as a principal investigator;

((v)) is a faculty member or a student of an institution of higher education, as that term is defined in ; or

((vi)) is located in a State described in subsection (u)(3);

((B)) a justification statement from the agency, if an awardee receives an award in an amount that is more than the award guidelines under this section; and

((C)) data with respect to the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST Program);

((9)) make an annual report on the SBIR program to the Small Business Administration and the Office of Science and Technology Policy;

((10)) include, as part of its annual performance plan as required by subsections (a) and (b) of , a section on its SBIR program, which section shall describe whether or not the Federal agency complied with the requirements of subsection (f) for the year covered by that plan and include a justification for failure to comply (if applicable),, and shall submit such section to the Committee on Small Business of the Senate, and the Committee on Science and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives;

((11)) provide for and fully implement the tenets of Executive Order No. 13329 (Encouraging Innovation in Manufacturing);

((12)) provide timely notice to the Administrator of any case or controversy before any Federal judicial or administrative tribunal concerning the SBIR program of the Federal agency;

((13)) require each small business concern submitting a proposal or application for a federally funded award to disclose in the proposal or application—

((A)) the identity of all owners and covered individuals of the small business concern who are a party to any foreign talent recruitment program of any foreign country of concern, including the People’s Republic of China;

((B)) the existence of any joint venture or subsidiary of the small business concern that is based in, funded by, or has a foreign affiliation with any foreign country of concern, including the People’s Republic of China;

((C)) any current or pending contractual or financial obligation or other agreement specific to a business arrangement, or joint venture-like arrangement with an enterprise owned by a foreign state or any foreign entity;

((D)) whether the small business concern is wholly owned in the People’s Republic of China or another foreign country;

((E)) the percentage, if any, of venture capital or institutional investment by an entity that has a general partner or individual holding a leadership role in such entity who has a foreign affiliation with any foreign country of concern, including the People’s Republic of China;

((F)) any technology licensing or intellectual property sales to a foreign country of concern, including the People’s Republic of China, during the 5-year period preceding submission of the proposal; and

((G)) any foreign business entity, offshore entity, or entity outside the United States related to the small business concern;

((14)) after reviewing the disclosures of a small business concern under paragraph (13), and if determined appropriate by the head of such Federal agency, request such small business concern to provide true copies of any contractual or financial obligation or other agreement specific to a business arrangement, or joint-venture like arrangement with an enterprise owned by a foreign state or any foreign entity in effect during the 5-year period preceding submission of the proposal with respect to which such small business concern made such disclosures;

((15)) evaluate whether a small business concern presents a security risk for any reason, through measures including—

((A)) the due diligence process required under subsection (vv);

((B)) disclosures submitted under this subsection; or

((C)) coordination with the intelligence community, as defined in , Federal law enforcement, and other counterintelligence capabilities of the Federal Government;

((16)) not make an award under the SBIR program of the Federal agency to a small business concern if the head of the Federal agency determines that the small business concern submitting the proposal or application—

((A)) has an owner or covered individual that is party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program;

((B)) has a business entity, parent company, or subsidiary located in the People’s Republic of China or another foreign country of concern;

((C)) has an owner or covered individual that has a foreign affiliation with a research institution located in the People’s Republic of China or another foreign country of concern;

((D)) has a security risk connecting the small business concern to an entity, including any affiliates of the entity, or individual on—

((i)) the UFLPA Entity List maintained by the Department of Homeland Security;

((ii)) the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control maintained by the Department of the Treasury;

((iii)) the Section 889 Prohibition List established under section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (; ) and maintained by the Department of Defense;

((iv)) the list of Chinese Military companies required under section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( note) and maintained by the Department of Defense;

((v)) the Military End User List maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce;

((vi)) the Entity List maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce;

((vii)) the List of Equipment and Services maintained by the Federal Communications Commission; or

((viii)) the Withhold Release Orders and Findings List maintained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection;

((E)) has a security risk with a primary source that is classified; or

((F)) has a security risk that the Federal agency determines warrants a denial;

((17)) provide for—

((A)) a process under which, upon making an award decision to deny an application on the basis of a determination under paragraph (16), or upon making a determination under paragraph (16) that a small business concern has a security risk described in that paragraph, the Federal agency provides to the small business concern, as appropriate pursuant to the discretion of the Federal agency and in a manner that does not compromise national security, a notification—

((i)) advising the small business concern of such determination; and

((ii)) identifying the basis for such determination; and

((B)) a policy that clarifies that receipt of an award decision denying an application does not prohibit the small business concern from being eligible for an award in a subsequent award cycle;

((18)) require a small business concern receiving an award under its SBIR program to repay all amounts received from the Federal agency under the award if—

((A)) the small business concern makes a material misstatement that the Federal agency determines poses a risk to national security; or

((B)) there is a change in ownership, change to entity structure, or other substantial change in circumstances of the small business concern that the Federal agency determines poses a risk to national security; and

((19)) require a small business concern receiving an award under its SBIR program to regularly report to the Federal agency and the Administration throughout the duration of the award on—

((A)) any change to a disclosure required under subparagraphs (A) through (G) of paragraph (13);

((B)) any material misstatement made under paragraph (18)(A); and

((C)) any change described in paragraph (18)(B).

((h)) ** Establishment of goals for funding agreements for research or research and development to small business concerns by agencies having budgets for research and development** In addition to the requirements of subsection (f), each Federal agency which has a budget for research or research and development in excess of $20,000,000 for any fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 1983 or subsequent fiscal year shall establish goals specifically for funding agreements for research or research and development to small business concerns, and no goal established under this subsection shall be less than the percentage of the agency’s research or research and development budget expended under funding agreements with small business concerns in the immediately preceding fiscal year.

((i)) ** Annual reporting**

((1)) ** In general** Each Federal agency required by this section to have an SBIR program or to establish goals shall report annually to the Small Business Administration the number of awards (including awards under subsection (y)) pursuant to grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements over $10,000 in amount and the dollar value of all such awards, identifying SBIR awards and comparing the number and amount of such awards with awards to other than small business concerns.

((2)) ** Calculation of extramural budget**

((A)) ** Methodology** Not later than 4 months after the date of the enactment of each appropriations Act for a Federal agency required by this section to have an SBIR program, the Federal agency shall submit to the Administrator a report, which shall include a description of the methodology used for calculating the amount of the extramural budget of that Federal agency.

((B)) ** Administrator’s analysis** The Administrator shall include an analysis of the methodology received from each Federal agency referred to in subparagraph (A) in the report required by subsection (b)(7).

((j)) ** Small Business Administration policy directives for the general conduct of small business innovation research programs**

((1)) ** Policy directives** The Small Business Administration, after consultation with the Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Intergovernmental Affairs Division of the Office of Management and Budget, shall, within one hundred and twenty days of , issue policy directives for the general conduct of the SBIR programs within the Federal Government, including providing for—

((A)) simplified, standardized, and timely SBIR solicitations;

((B)) a simplified, standardized funding process which provides for (i) the timely receipt and review of proposals; (ii) outside peer review for at least Phase II proposals, if appropriate; (iii) protection of proprietary information provided in proposals; (iv) selection of awardees; (v) retention of rights in data generated in the performance of the contract by the small business concern; (vi) transfer of title to property provided by the agency to the small business concern if such a transfer would be more cost effective than recovery of the property by the agency; (vii) cost sharing; and (viii) cost principles and payment schedules;

((C)) exemptions from the regulations under paragraph (2)  if national security or intelligence functions clearly would be jeopardized;

((D)) minimizing regulatory burden associated with participation in the SBIR program for the small business concern which will stimulate the cost-effective conduct of Federal research and development and the likelihood of commercialization of the results of research and development conducted under the SBIR program;

((E)) simplified, standardized, and timely annual report on the SBIR program to the Small Business Administration and the Office of Science and Technology Policy;

((F)) standardized and orderly withdrawal from program participation by an agency having a SBIR program; at the discretion of the Administration, such directives may require a phased withdrawal over a period of time sufficient in duration to minimize any adverse impact on small business concerns; and

((G)) the voluntary participation in a SBIR program by a Federal agency not required to establish such a program pursuant to subsection (f).

((2)) ** Modifications** Not later than 90 days after , the Administrator shall modify the policy directives issued pursuant to this subsection to provide for—

((A)) retention by a small business concern of the rights to data generated by the concern in the performance of an SBIR award for a period of not less than 4 years;

((B)) continued use by a small business concern participating in Phase III of the SBIR program, as a directed bailment, of any property transferred by a Federal agency to the small business concern in Phase II of an SBIR program for a period of not less than 2 years, beginning on the initial date of the concern’s participation in Phase III of such program;

((C)) procedures to ensure, to the extent practicable, that an agency which intends to pursue research, development, or production of a technology developed by a small business concern under an SBIR program enters into follow-on, non-SBIR funding agreements with the small business concern for such research, development, or production;

((D)) an increase to $150,000 in the amount of funds which an agency may award in Phase I of an SBIR program, and to $1,000,000 in Phase II of an SBIR program, and an adjustment of such amounts every year for inflation;

((E)) a process for notifying the participating SBIR agencies and potential SBIR participants of the 1991, 1992, and the current critical technologies, as identified—

((i)) by the National Critical Technologies Panel (or its successor), in accordance with section 6683  of title 42; or

((ii)) by the Secretary of Defense, in accordance with section 2522  of title 10;

((F)) enhanced outreach efforts to increase the participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns, as defined in , and the participation of small businesses that are 51 percent owned and controlled by women in technological innovation and in SBIR programs, including Phase III of such programs, and the collection of data to document such participation;

((G)) technical and programmatic guidance to encourage agencies to develop gap-funding programs to address the delay between an award for Phase I of an SBIR program and the application for and extension of an award for Phase II of such program;

((H)) procedures to ensure that a small business concern that submits a proposal for a funding agreement for Phase I of an SBIR program and that has received more than 15 Phase II SBIR awards during the preceding 5 fiscal years is able to demonstrate the extent to which it was able to secure Phase III funding to develop concepts resulting from previous Phase II SBIR awards; and

((I)) procedures to ensure that agencies participating in the SBIR program retain the information submitted under subparagraph (H) at least until the Government Accountability Office submits the report required under section 105 of the Small Business Research and Development Enhancement Act of 1992.

((3)) ** Additional modifications** Not later than 120 days after , the Administrator shall modify the policy directives issued pursuant to this subsection—

((A)) to clarify that the rights provided for under paragraph (2)(A) apply to all Federal funding awards under this section, including Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III;

((B)) to provide for the requirement of a succinct commercialization plan with each application for a Phase II award that is moving toward commercialization;

((C)) to require agencies to report to the Administration, not less frequently than annually, all instances in which an agency pursued research, development, or production of a technology developed by a small business concern using an award made under the SBIR program of that agency, and determined that it was not practicable to enter into a follow-on non-SBIR program funding agreement with the small business concern, which report shall include, at a minimum—

((i)) the reasons why the follow-on funding agreement with the small business concern was not practicable;

((ii)) the identity of the entity with which the agency contracted to perform the research, development, or production; and

((iii)) a description of the type of funding agreement under which the research, development, or production was obtained; and

((D)) to implement subsection (v), including establishing standardized procedures for the provision of information pursuant to subsection (k)(3).

((4)) ** Modifications relating to procurement center representatives** Upon the enactment of this paragraph, the Administrator shall modify the policy directives issued pursuant to this subsection to require procurement center representatives (as described in section 644() of this title) to consult with the appropriate personnel from the relevant Federal agency, to assist small business concerns participating in the SBIR program, particularly in Phase III, and advocate for the maximum practicable use and transition of products, services, and technologies developed under SBIR or STTR programs to Phase III by means of Phase III awards to small business concerns.l

((k)) ** Database**

((1)) ** Public database** Not later than 180 days after , the Administrator shall develop, maintain, and make available to the public a searchable, up-to-date, electronic database that includes—

((A)) the name, size, location, and an identifying number assigned by the Administrator, of each small business concern that has received a Phase I or Phase II SBIR or STTR award from a Federal agency;

((B)) a description of each Phase I or Phase II SBIR or STTR award received by that small business concern, including—

((i)) an abstract of the project funded by the award, excluding any proprietary information so identified by the small business concern;

((ii)) the Federal agency making the award; and

((iii)) the date and amount of the award;

((C)) an identification of any business concern or subsidiary established for the commercial application of a product or service for which an SBIR or STTR award is made;

((D)) information regarding mentors and Mentoring Networks, as required by ;

((E)) with respect to assistance under the STTR program only—

((i)) whether the small business concern or the research institution initiated their collaboration on each assisted STTR project;

((ii)) whether the small business concern or the research institution originated any technology relating to the assisted STTR project;

((iii)) the length of time it took to negotiate any licensing agreement between the small business concern and the research institution under each assisted STTR project; and

((iv)) how the proceeds from commercialization, marketing, or sale of technology resulting from each assisted STTR project were allocated (by percentage) between the small business concern and the research institution;

((F)) for each small business concern that has received a Phase I or Phase II SBIR or STTR award from a Federal agency, whether the small business concern—

((i)) has venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm investment and, if so, whether the small business concern is registered as majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms as required under subsection (dd)(3);

((ii)) is owned by a woman or has a woman as a principal investigator;

((iii)) is owned by a socially or economically disadvantaged individual or has a socially or economically disadvantaged individual as a principal investigator;

((iv)) is owned by a faculty member or a student of an institution of higher education, as that term is defined in ; or

((v)) received assistance under the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST Program); and

((G)) for each award granted, whether the award is classified or designated as—

((i)) direct to Phase II, under subsection (cc);

((ii)) subsequent Phase II, under subsection (bb)(1);

((iii)) a strategic breakthrough award under subsection (ff)(3);

((iv)) a Phase III prime contract award; or

((v)) a Phase III subcontract award.

((2)) ** Government database** Not later than 90 days after , the Administrator, in consultation with Federal agencies required to have an SBIR program pursuant to subsection (f)(1) or an STTR program pursuant to subsection (n)(1), shall develop and maintain a database to be used exclusively for SBIR and STTR program evaluation that—

((A)) contains for each small business concern that applies for, submits a proposal for, or receives an award under Phase I or Phase II of the SBIR program or the STTR program—

((i)) the name, size, and location of, and the identifying number assigned by the Administration to, the small business concern;

((ii)) an abstract of the applicable project;

((iii)) the specific aims of the project;

((iv)) the number of employees of the small business concern;

((v)) the names and titles of the key individuals that will carry out the project, the position each key individual holds in the small business concern, and contact information for each key individual;

((vi)) the percentage of effort each individual described in clause (v) will contribute to the project;

((vii)) whether the small business concern is majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms; and

((viii)) the Federal agency to which the application is made and contact information for the person or office within the Federal agency that is responsible for reviewing applications and making awards under the SBIR program or the STTR program;

((B)) contains for each Phase II award made by a Federal agency—

((i)) information collected in accordance with paragraph (3) on revenue from the sale of new products or services resulting from the research conducted under the award;

((ii)) information collected in accordance with paragraph (3) on additional investment from any source, other than Phase I or Phase II SBIR or STTR awards, to further the research and development conducted under the award; and

((iii)) any other information received in connection with the award that the Administrator, in conjunction with the SBIR and STTR program managers of Federal agencies, considers relevant and appropriate;

((C)) includes any narrative information that a small business concern receiving a Phase II award voluntarily submits to further describe the outputs and outcomes of its awards;

((D)) includes, for each awardee—

((i)) the name, size, and location of, and any identifying number assigned by the Administrator to, the awardee;

((ii)) whether the awardee has venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm investment and, if so—

((I)) the amount of venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm investment as of the date of the award;

((II)) the percentage of ownership of the awardee held by a venture capital operating company, hedge fund, or private equity firm, including whether the awardee is majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms; and

((III)) the amount of additional capital that the awardee has invested in the SBIR or STTR technology, which information shall be collected on an annual basis;

((iii)) the names and locations of any affiliates of the awardee;

((iv)) the number of employees of the awardee;

((v)) the number of employees of the affiliates of the awardee; and

((vi)) the names of, and the percentage of ownership of the awardee held by—

((I)) any individual who is not a citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident of the United States; or

((II)) any person that is not an individual and is not organized under the laws of a State or the United States;

((E)) includes any other data collected by or available to any Federal agency that such agency considers may be useful for SBIR or STTR program evaluation;

((F)) is available for use solely for program evaluation purposes by the Federal Government or, in accordance with policy directives issued by the Administration, by other authorized persons who are subject to a use and nondisclosure agreement with the Federal Government covering the use of the database; and

((G)) includes a timely and accurate list of any individual or small business concern that has participated in the SBIR program or STTR program that has been—

((i)) convicted of a fraud-related crime involving funding received under the SBIR program or STTR program; or

((ii)) found civilly liable for a fraud-related violation involving funding received under the SBIR program or STTR program.

((3)) ** Updating information for database**

((A)) ** In general** A small business concern applying for a Phase II award under this section shall be required to update information in the database established under this subsection for any prior Phase II award received by that small business concern. In complying with this paragraph, a small business concern may apportion sales or additional investment information relating to more than one Phase II award among those awards, if it notes the apportionment for each award.

((B)) ** Annual updates upon termination** A small business concern receiving a Phase II award under this section shall—

((i)) update information in the database concerning that award at the termination of the award period; and

((ii)) be requested to voluntarily update such information annually thereafter for a period of 5 years.

((C)) ** Government database** Not later than 60 days after the date established by a Federal agency for submitting applications or proposals for a Phase I or Phase II award under the SBIR program or STTR program, the head of the Federal agency shall submit to the Administrator the data required under paragraph (2) with respect to each small business concern that applies or submits a proposal for the Phase I or Phase II award.

((4)) ** Protection of information** Information provided under paragraph (2) shall be considered privileged and confidential and not subject to disclosure pursuant to .section 552 of title 5

((5)) ** Rule of construction** Inclusion of information in the database under this subsection shall not be considered to be publication for purposes of subsection (a) or (b) of .section 102 of title 35

((l)) ** Reporting of awards made from single proposal, to multiple award winners, or to critical technology topics**

((1)) ** Single proposal** If a Federal agency required to establish an SBIR program under subsection (f) makes an award with respect to an SBIR solicitation topic or subtopic for which the agency received only 1 proposal, the agency shall provide written justification for making the award in its next quarterly report to the Administration and in the agency’s next annual report required under subsection (g)(8).

((2)) ** Multiple awards** An agency referred to in paragraph (1) shall include in its next annual report required under subsection (g)(8) an accounting of the awards the agency has made for Phase I of an SBIR program during the reporting period to entities that have received more than 15 awards for Phase II of an SBIR program during the preceding 5 fiscal years.

((3)) ** Critical technology awards** An agency referred to in paragraph (1) shall include in its next annual report required under subsection (g)(8), an accounting of the number of awards it has made to critical technology topics, as defined in subsection (g)(3), including an identification of the specific critical technologies topics, and the percentage by number and dollar amount of the agency’s total SBIR awards to such critical technology topics.

((m)) ** Termination** The authorization to carry out the Small Business Innovation Research Program established under this section shall terminate on .September 30, 20312031-09-30

((n)) ** Required expenditures for STTR by Federal agencies**

((1)) ** Required expenditure amounts**

((A)) ** In general** With respect to each fiscal year through fiscal year 2031, each Federal agency that has an extramural budget for research, or research and development, in excess of $1,000,000,000 for that fiscal year, shall expend with small business concerns not less than the percentage of that extramural budget specified in subparagraph (B), specifically in connection with STTR programs that meet the requirements of this section and any policy directives and regulations issued under this section.

((B)) ** Expenditure amounts** The percentage of the extramural budget required to be expended by an agency in accordance with subparagraph (A) shall be—

((i)) 0.15 percent for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2003;

((ii)) 0.3 percent for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2011;

((iii)) 0.35 percent for each of fiscal years 2012 and 2013;

((iv)) 0.40 percent for each of fiscal years 2014 and 2015; and

((v)) 0.45 percent for fiscal year 2016 and each fiscal year thereafter.

((2)) ** Limitations** A Federal agency shall not—

((A)) use any of its STTR budget established pursuant to paragraph (1) for the purpose of funding administrative costs of the program, including costs associated with salaries and expenses, or, in the case of a small business concern or a research institution, costs associated with salaries, expenses, and administrative overhead (other than those direct or indirect costs allowable under guidelines of the Office of Management and Budget and the governmentwide Federal Acquisition Regulation issued in accordance with ); or

((B)) make available for the purpose of meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) an amount of its extramural budget for basic research which exceeds the percentage specified in paragraph (1).

((3)) ** Exclusion of certain funding agreements** Funding agreements with small business concerns for research or research and development which result from competitive or single source selections other than an STTR program shall not be considered to meet any portion of the percentage requirements of paragraph (1).

((o)) ** Federal agency STTR authority** Each Federal agency required to establish an STTR program in accordance with subsection (n) and regulations issued under this chapter, shall—

((1)) unilaterally determine categories of projects to be included in its STTR program;

((2)) issue STTR solicitations in accordance with a schedule determined cooperatively with the Administration;

((3)) unilaterally determine research topics within the agency’s STTR solicitations, giving special consideration to broad research topics and to topics that further 1 or more critical technologies, as identified—

((A)) by the National Critical Technologies Panel (or its successor) in reports required under section 6683  of title 42; or

((B)) by the Secretary of Defense, in accordance with section 2522  of title 10;

((4))

((A)) unilaterally receive and evaluate proposals resulting from STTR solicitations; and

((B)) make a final decision on each proposal submitted under the STTR program—

((ii)) if the Administrator authorizes an extension for a solicitation, not later than 90 days after the date that would be applicable to the agency under clause (i);

((5)) unilaterally select awardees for its STTR funding agreements and inform each awardee under such an agreement, to the extent possible, of the expenses of the awardee that will be allowable under the funding agreement;

((6)) administer its own STTR funding agreements (or delegate such administration to another agency);

((7)) make payments to recipients of STTR funding agreements on the basis of progress toward or completion of the funding agreement requirements and, in all cases, make payment to recipients under such agreements in full, subject to audit, on or before the last day of the 12-month period beginning on the date of the completion of such requirements;

((8)) include, as part of its annual performance plan as required by subsections (a) and (b) of , a section on its STTR program, which section shall describe whether or not the Federal agency complied with the requirements of subsection (n) for the year covered by that plan and include a justification for failure to comply (if applicable),, and shall submit such section to the Committee on Small Business of the Senate, and the Committee on Science and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives;

((9)) collect annually, and maintain in a common format in accordance with the simplified reporting requirements under subsection (v), such information from applicants and awardees as is necessary to assess the STTR program outputs and outcomes, including information necessary to maintain the database described in subsection (k), including—

((A)) whether an applicant or awardee—

((i)) has venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm investment or is majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms and, if so—

((I)) the amount of venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm investment that the applicant or awardee has received as of the date of the application or award, as applicable; and

((II)) the amount of additional capital that the applicant or awardee has invested in the STTR technology;

((ii)) has an investor that—

((I)) is an individual who is not a citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident of the United States and, if so, the name of any such individual; or

((II)) is a person that is not an individual and is not organized under the laws of a State or the United States and, if so, the name of any such person;

((iii)) is owned by a woman or has a woman as a principal investigator;

((iv)) is owned by a socially or economically disadvantaged individual or has a socially or economically disadvantaged individual as a principal investigator;

((v)) is a faculty member or a student of an institution of higher education, as that term is defined in ; or

((vi)) is located in a State in which the total value of contracts awarded to small business concerns under all STTR programs is less than the total value of contracts awarded to small business concerns in a majority of other States, as determined by the Administrator in biennial fiscal years, beginning with fiscal year 2008, based on the most recent statistics compiled by the Administrator;

((B)) if an awardee receives an award in an amount that is more than the award guidelines under this section, a statement from the agency that justifies the award amount; and

((C)) data with respect to the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST Program);

((10)) submit an annual report on the STTR program to the Administration and the Office of Science and Technology Policy;

((11)) adopt the agreement developed by the Administrator under subsection (w) as the agency’s model agreement for allocating between small business concerns and research institutions intellectual property rights and rights, if any, to carry out follow-on research, development, or commercialization;

((12)) develop, in consultation with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the Office of Government Ethics, procedures to ensure that federally funded research and development centers (as defined in subsection (e)(8)) that participate in STTR agreements—

((A)) are free from organizational conflicts of interests relative to the STTR program;

((B)) do not use privileged information gained through work performed for an STTR agency or private access to STTR agency personnel in the development of an STTR proposal; and

((C)) use outside peer review, as appropriate;

((13)) not later than , develop procedures for assessing the commercial merit and feasibility of STTR proposals, as evidenced by—

((A)) the small business concern’s record of successfully commercializing STTR or other research;

((B)) the existence of Phase II funding commitments from private sector or non-STTR funding sources;

((C)) the existence of Phase III follow-on commitments for the subject of the research; and

((D)) the presence of other indicators of the commercial potential of the idea;

((14)) implement an outreach program to research institutions and small business concerns for the purpose of enhancing its STTR program, in conjunction with any such outreach done for purposes of the SBIR program;

((15)) provide for and fully implement the tenets of Executive Order No. 13329 (Encouraging Innovation in Manufacturing);

((16)) provide timely notice to the Administrator of any case or controversy before any Federal judicial or administrative tribunal concerning the STTR program of the Federal agency;

((17)) require each small business concern submitting a proposal or application for a federally funded award to disclose in the proposal or application—

((D)) whether the small business concern is wholly owned in the People’s Republic of China or another foreign country;

((G)) any foreign business entity, offshore entity, or entity outside the United States related to the small business concern;

((18)) after reviewing the disclosures of a small business concern under paragraph (17), and if determined appropriate by the head of such Federal agency, request such small business concern to provide true copies of any contractual or financial obligation or other agreement specific to a business arrangement, or joint-venture like arrangement with an enterprise owned by a foreign state or any foreign entity in effect during the 5-year period preceding submission of the proposal with respect to which such small business concern made such disclosures;

((19)) evaluate whether a small business concern presents a security risk for any reason, through measures including—

((A)) the due diligence process required under subsection (vv);

((B)) disclosures submitted under this subsection; or

((C)) coordination with the intelligence community, as defined in , Federal law enforcement, and other counterintelligence capabilities of the Federal Government;

((20)) not make an award under the STTR program of the Federal agency to a small business concern if the head of the Federal agency determines that the small business concern submitting the proposal or application—

((A)) has an owner or covered individual that is party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program;

((B)) has a business entity, parent company, or subsidiary located in the People’s Republic of China or another foreign country of concern;

((C)) has an owner or covered individual that has a foreign affiliation with a research institution located in the People’s Republic of China or another foreign country of concern;

((D)) has a foreign risk connecting the small business concern to an entity, including any affiliates of the entity, or individual on—