Federal government program provides funds for R D
Small businesses looking for funding to support research and development projects may be interested in the US government's Small Business Innovative Research Program. The program, overseen by the Small Business Administration, is a competitive award system for businesses with 500 or fewer employees interested in proposing innovative ideas that meet the government's needs. Projects are funded through the SBIR Program, not agency budgets. The SBIR Program, created by the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982, is designed to assist participating federal agencies in meeting their respective research needs. While stimulating technological innovation, the program also provides qualified small businesses with opportunities to compete for a greater share of federal R D awards. Federal agencies have awarded more than $3.2 billion for more than 25,000 research projects since the program started. The Department of Energy (DOE), National Science Foundation, and the Environmental Protection Agency are among 11 agencies participating in the program. Agencies designate topics upon which SBIR proposals will be sought; release at least one SBIR solicitation annually; receive and evaluate SBIR proposals; and award SBIR funding agreements, based upon technical and scientific merit and how well the proposals meet the agencies needs. Before leaving office, President Bush signed legislation extending the program to the year 2000 and tripling the federal government's commitment to the program to $1.6 billion annually by 1997. The measure also requires federal agencies with external R D budgets greater than $100 million to allocate an amount - equal to 2.5 percent of the funds they award - to small businesses. That is double that required before the new legislation became law.
- OSTI ID:
- 6690663
- Journal Information:
- Hydro Review; (United States), Vol. 12:1; ISSN 0884-0385
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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