Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Improvements Act of 2017

Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Improvements Act of 2017

This bill amends the Small Business Act to require:

• the Small Business Administration's (SBA's) annual report on the Small Business Information and Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs to be submitted by December 31, and
• each federal agency required to establish an SBIR program to submit its annual report on such program by March 30.

The bill requires (current law authorizes) the Department of Defense (DOD), for any contract under the Commercial Readiness Program with a value of at least $100 million, to:

• establish goals for the transition of Phase III technologies in subcontracting plans, and
• require a prime contractor to report the number and dollar amount of contacts entered into for Phase III SBIR or STTR projects.

The bill authorizes all agencies participating in the SBIR program, during FY2018-FY2022, to provide SBIR Phase II awards for a project to a small business concern without regard to whether such concern was provided a Phase I award for such project.

The bill changes the temporary pilot program that a covered agency may establish for the allocation of SBIR and STTR program funds for awards for technology development, testing, evaluation, and commercialization assistance for SBIR and STTR phase II technologies, or to support the progress of research, research and development, and commercialization conducted under such programs to phase III, to a permanent Civilian Agency Commercialization Readiness Program.

The bill extends until September 30, 2022, the deadline until which the SBA shall allow each agency required to conduct an SBIR program to use not more than 3% of program funds for administrative, oversight, and contract processing costs.