Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program

Wendy H. Schacht
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

In 1982, the Small Business Innovation Development Act (P.L. 97-219) established Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs within the major federal research and development (R&D) agencies designed to increase participation of small innovative companies in federally funded R&D. Government agencies with R&D budgets of $100 million or more are required to set aside a portion of these funds to finance the SBIR activity. Through FY2007, over $22.3 billion in awards have been made for more than 100,016 projects. Extended several times, the program was scheduled to sunset on September 30, 2008. Although, to date, no specific legislation has reauthorized the program, the Small Business Administration determined that P.L. 110-235 temporarily extended the SBIR activity through March 20, 2009. Subsequently, P.L. 111- 10 provided an additional extension of the program through July 31, 2009; P.L. 111-43 extended it through September 30, 2009; and P.L. 111-66 extended the effort through October 31, 2009. The SBIR program was once again extended through April 30, 2010, by P.L. 111-89 and through September 30, 2010, by P.L. 111-214. On July 8, 2009, H.R. 2965, a bill to reauthorize and alter the SBIR initiative, passed the House; the Senate substituted the language of S. 1233 (amended) and passed its version of H.R. 2965 on July 13, 2009. For further information on SBIR reauthorization activity see CRS Report RS22865, The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program: Reauthorization Efforts, by Wendy H. Schacht.


Date of Report: August 4, 2010
Number of Pages: 9
Order Number: 96-402
Price: $29.95

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