NGA Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer

POC: sbir@nga.mil

Soundbite Take-Aways

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer 

(STTR) are government-wide programs established to harness the innovative talents of 

our nation’s small technology companies and non-profit research institutions.

Enacted in 1982, the Small Business Innovation Development Act has helped small 

businesses to compete for federal research and development awards that serve NGA 

needs and have the potential for commercialization in private sector and intelligence 

community markets.

The US Small Business Administration Office of Technology administers the 

SBIR/STTR programs and sets the basic parameters of the programs according to law. 

Through these competitive programs, SBA ensures that the nation's innovative small 

business concerns and non-profit research institutions are a significant part of Federally

funded research and research and development efforts (R/R&D). Eleven federal 

departments participate in the SBIR/STTR programs. NGA falls under the DoD 

SBIR/STTR programs described at: https://rt.cto.mil/rtl-small-business-resources/sbirsttr or at https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil.

Small firms and non-profit research institutions offer flexibility, close contact with 

customers and potential end users, and willingness to engage in high-risk R/R&D 

projects. The programs enable NGA to meet strategic goals, drive future technical 

trends, apply research results to operational needs, insert technology rapidly, and 

provide solutions to improve geospatial intelligence data and analysis, services, and 

integrated systems.

Background

Annually, NGA participates in a joint DoD solicitation that outlines R&D topics reflecting 

agency mission needs. All topics are unclassified. Proposals are evaluated and selected 

based on scientific merit. Funds are set aside for two types of awards. Initial Phase I 

awards test the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and feasibility of a particular 

concept. Phase II awards build upon the success and merits of initial awards to develop 

commercially marketable prototypes. Following completion of phase II, the project 

transitions to Phase III where small companies are expected to obtain funding from the 
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private sector and/or non-SBIR government sources to develop the concept into a 

product for sale in private sector and/or military markets.

Information on NGA SBIR/STTR is available on the Internet at: http://www.nga.mil/sbir. 

The website is a source for NGA research topics, offers program guidance for 

solicitation dates, contract cost and duration, proposal submission, selection and award, 

and provides a listing of previous SBIR/STTR award winners. NGA voluntarily 

participates in the SBIR/STTR programs and is the only member of the Intelligence 

Community to do so. More information about the NGA SBIR/STTR programs is 

available on Intellipedia-U

http://www.intelink.gov/wiki/Small_Business_Innovation_Research

and Intellipedia NGANet

http://www.intelink.ic.gov/wiki/Small_Business_Innovation_Research.

What office within NGA is responsible for Small Business Innovation

Research/Small Business Technology Transfer?

Research’s Program Execution funds and manages SBIR/STTR for NGA. Research 

Program Execution solicits research topics representing agency interests, provides 

guidance for participants, and monitors accepted proposals.

NGA Research R&D Priorities