SBIR/STTR Programs for Small Business

The NYS SBDC can help small businesses learn about opportunities in the SBIR/ STTR programs and help them prepare proposals for the programs.

The objectives of the SBIR/STTR programs are to stimulate technological innovation, to strengthen the role of small businesses in meeting Federal research and development needs, and to increase private sector commercialization of innovations developed through Federal research and development. All federal agencies with an extramural research budget of $100 million or more must set aside a percentage of their research dollars for awards to small businesses and individuals.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a highly competitive three-phase award system which provides qualified small businesses with opportunities to propose innovative ideas that meet specific research and research and development needs of the Federal government. Ten agencies currently participate in the SBIR program that allows for-profit small businesses to submit competitive proposals.

The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program is a sister program to the SBIR, with virtually the same structure and application process. The most significant difference between the two programs is that, while qualified non-profit research institutions or universities may cooperate in an SBIR project, they must collaborate on STTR projects. Five agencies currently participate in the STTR program.

As you would expect, each federal agency has their own rules for doing things, with different topics for bidding, different competition deadlines, different methods of preparing and accepting proposals, etc. Just because one agency does it one way, don't assume others will do it the same way.  

To learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs, go to http://www.sba.gov/sbir/indexsbir-sttr.html. Included in the helpful information on this site is a link to the SBIR Handbook for Proposal Preparation.