Defense Authorization Conference Report Includes Long-Term SBIR Reauthorization

Press Release

Members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on Monday announced that they had agreed on a long-term reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program during conference negotiations on the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Conferees said that they had agreed on a six-year extension of the program, which is a competitive initiative aimed at bolstering small high-tech companies. Senator Ayotte, a member of the Senate Small Business Committee, is a cosponsor of the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization bill (S. 493) and worked to incorporate the bill as an amendment to the defense authorization bill during recent debate on the Senate floor.

"SBIR gives tremendous opportunities to New Hampshire's small technology firms, generating increased growth and supporting their innovative contributions to our national security," said Senator Ayotte. "I look forward to this important legislation soon being signed into law."

As a member of the Small Business Committee, Senator Ayotte has been a strong supporter of the SBIR program, which aims to increase participation of small defense and technology companies in federally funded research and development through competitive grants. The funding comes from within government agencies' existing research and development budgets. The SBIR program was created in 1982 through legislation authored by former New Hampshire Senator Warren Rudman.

Highlights of the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Bill (S. 493/Amendment 1115):

* Reauthorizes the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for six years;

* Reauthorizes and enhances the Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) program, which has been effective in increasing the participation of small business in federal research and development and the start-up of high-tech firms;

* Streamlines and improves data collection reporting requirements, including developing metrics for annual evaluations by each participating agency;

* For oversight and fraud protection, mandates amendment of the SBIR/STTR Policy Directives to include specific measures to prevent waste, fraud and abuse; requires inspectors general of participating federal agencies to establish fraud detection measures, coordinate fraud related information sharing between agencies, and provide fraud prevention related education and training to agencies administering the program.

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