SBIR/STTR Website Improvement Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3953
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Commerce
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-02T18:20:07Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The SBIR/STTR Website Improvement Act (H.R. 3953) aims to increase transparency in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These are federal initiatives that provide grants to small businesses for research and development (R&D) in technology. The bill requires federal agencies running these programs to collect and publicly share more detailed information about subcontracts with research institutions, helping track how funds are used and promoting fair access for diverse institutions.
Key Provisions
- Reporting on Subcontracted Research Institutions: Agencies must report for each SBIR (Phases I, II, or III) or STTR (Phases I or II) award:
- The name and location of any subcontracted research institution performing R&D.
- The type of institution: (1) a higher education institution (like a college or university, defined under federal education law); (2) a nonprofit organization (other than a higher education institution, as defined in a technology innovation law); or (3) a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC, government-supported labs identified by federal rules).
- For higher education institutions, additional details on whether it qualifies as a minority-serving institution, such as:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs, part B institutions).
- Hispanic-serving institutions.
- Tribal Colleges or Universities.
- Alaska Native-serving or Native Hawaiian-serving institutions.
- Predominantly Black Institutions.
- Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions.
- Native American-serving nontribal institutions.
- Database Updates: The Small Business Administration (SBA) must expand its public database to include this new information for all phases of SBIR and STTR awards (previously limited to Phases I and II).
- Implementation Deadline: The SBA Administrator must update the database with the new requirements within one year of the bill's enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 9(g)(8) of the Small Business Act for SBIR and Section 9(o)(9) for STTR by adding a new subparagraph (D) requiring detailed subcontract reporting, which was not previously mandated.
- Expands Section 9(k) database requirements to cover Phase III SBIR awards (commercialization phase, previously excluded) and adds the subcontract details to reporting forms and public access rules.
- These changes build on existing transparency rules but introduce specific focus on subcontractor diversity and types, replacing limited prior data collection with more comprehensive, categorized reporting.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Federal agencies with SBIR/STTR programs (e.g., Department of Defense, National Science Foundation) will face increased administrative burdens to collect and report data, potentially improving oversight of fund allocation but requiring system updates.
- On Citizens and Small Businesses: Small businesses can better understand award patterns and partnerships, aiding competition for grants. It promotes equity by highlighting opportunities at minority-serving institutions, potentially benefiting underrepresented entrepreneurs and researchers.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. programs; however, it could indirectly enhance U.S. innovation competitiveness by strengthening ties with diverse domestic research partners.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: Those administering SBIR/STTR (11 agencies total), responsible for data collection.
- Small Businesses: Award recipients, who must report subcontract details.
- Research Institutions: Universities, nonprofits, and FFRDCs, especially minority-serving ones, gaining visibility for future collaborations.
- Small Business Administration (SBA): Oversees the public database and ensures compliance.
- Congress and Policymakers: Benefits from better data for evaluating program effectiveness.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens administrative reporting under the Small Business Act without creating new penalties; relies on existing definitions from education and technology laws for clarity. No challenges to enforcement mechanisms anticipated.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority to regulate commerce and support innovation (Article I, Section 8); promotes equal protection by emphasizing diverse institutions without mandating quotas.
- Political: Encourages bipartisan support for small business innovation and equity in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) funding. Could influence future budgets by providing data to justify program expansions, but may spark debates on reporting burdens for agencies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Conaway, Herbert C. [D-NJ-3]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-06-12: Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-06-12: Introduced in House
- 2025-06-12: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- SBIR/STTR Website Improvement Act — issued 2025-06-12 — PDF (11 pages)