SBIR Program Reauthorized With Increases in Award Levels and Added Emphasis on Commercialization

After 14 short-term continuing resolutions and years of negotiations, the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs have been reauthorized through 2017. The legislation changes a number of features of SBIR/STTR, including making it possible for companies that are majority-owned by venture capital firms to receive awards.  It also increases both Phase I (from $100,000 to $150,000) and Phase II (from $750,000 to $1 million) award levels, which have not been raised since 1982.  And notably, the bill introduces performance-based standards to encourage companies to focus on commercialization.

The bill to reauthorize the program was passed by Congress in mid-December and is expected to be signed into law by the President in the near future.
 

For more details, see the release: 
http://smallbusiness.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=27219...