The Department of Defense (DoD) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are Congressionally authorized small business set-asides established to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy.
SBIR is a competitive three-phased process to solicit proposals for Research/Research and Development (R/R&D), production, services, or any combination to meet stated agency needs or missions; and to award funding agreements to qualifying Small Business Concerns (SBCs).
STTR is a parallel program to SBIR with the added requirement that SBCs partner with colleges/universities, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) or qualified non-profit research institutions on cooperative R/R&D.
The goal of these programs is to stimulate technological innovation for the DoD to maintain technological superiority and military readiness to deter military operations from U.S adversaries by:
- Increasing private sector commercialization of Federal R&D to increase competition, productivity, and economic growth.
- Stimulating a partnership of ideas and technologies between innovative small businesses and research institutions (STTR).
- A competitive awards-based program, SBIR/STTR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization.
- Including qualified small businesses in the nation’s R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific R&D needs.
Oversight of the DoD SBIR and STTR programs falls under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). The DoD program encompasses participation from 14 DoD Services and Components, with a combined annual budget of nearly $2 billion.
To see a full list of the DoD's Participating Components, visit our About Us page.