I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5212 
To amend section 9 of the Small Business Act to permit Federal agencies 
to make awards to small business concerns that have received a Phase 
II SBIR or STTR award to provide fellowship opportunities, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 8, 2025 
Ms. SCHOLTEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend section 9 of the Small Business Act to permit 
Federal agencies to make awards to small business con-
cerns that have received a Phase II SBIR or STTR 
award to provide fellowship opportunities, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘SBIR/STTR Innova-
tion Workforce Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. SBIR AND STTR FELLOWSHIPS. 
Section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) FELLOWSHIPS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A Federal agency may 
provide grants or awards, either directly or in 
partnership with a third party, to small busi-
ness concerns that have received SBIR or 
STTR Phase II awards to provide fellowship 
and internship opportunities at the under-
graduate, 
baccalaureate, 
graduate, 
and 
postdoctoral levels in fields that are important 
to such Federal agency. 
‘‘(B) ENHANCED OUTREACH.—Each Fed-
eral agency that makes an award or enters into 
a partnership under subparagraph (A) shall 
provide for enhanced outreach to increase the 
participation of women, socially disadvantaged 
individuals (as described in section 8(a)(5)), 
and economically disadvantaged individuals (as 
described section 8(a)(6)(A)) in the fellowship 
and internship opportunities described under 
subparagraph (A). 
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‘‘(C) 
SUPPORT
ORGANIZATION.—Each 
Federal agency that makes an award or enters 
into a partnership under subparagraph (A) may 
partner with or provide grants or awards to a 
third-party organization to support and facili-
tate the enhanced outreach under subparagraph 
(B) provided that such third-party organization 
is a nonprofit organization with relevant experi-
ence and demonstrated expertise in delivery of 
services described in subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(D) FUNDING.—In carrying out this 
paragraph, a Federal agency may use only the 
following amounts: 
‘‘(i) With respect to a Federal agency 
that uses the authority under subsection 
(mm), the funds authorized under such 
subsection. 
‘‘(ii) With respect a Federal agency 
other than a Federal agency described in 
clause (i), not more than three percent of 
the funds required to be expended under 
paragraph (1).’’; and 
(2) in subsection (n), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) FELLOWSHIPS.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A Federal agency may 
provide grants or awards, either directly or in 
partnership with a third party, to small busi-
ness concerns that have received SBIR or 
STTR Phase II awards to provide fellowship 
and internship opportunities at the under-
graduate, 
baccalaureate, 
graduate, 
and 
postdoctoral levels in fields that are important 
to such Federal agency. 
‘‘(B) ENHANCED OUTREACH.—Each Fed-
eral agency that makes an award or enters into 
a partnership under subparagraph (A) shall 
provide for enhanced outreach to increase the 
participation of women, socially disadvantaged 
individuals (as described in section 8(a)(5)), 
and economically disadvantaged individuals (as 
described section 8(a)(6)(A)) in the fellowship 
and internship opportunities described under 
subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(C) 
SUPPORT
ORGANIZATION.—Each 
Federal agency that makes an award or enters 
into a partnership under subparagraph (A) may 
partner with or provide grants or awards to a 
third-party organization to support and facili-
tate the enhanced outreach under subparagraph 
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(B) provided such third-party organization is a 
nonprofit organization with relevant experience 
and demonstrated expertise in delivery of serv-
ices described in subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(D) FUNDING.—In carrying out this 
paragraph, a Federal agency may use only the 
following amounts: 
‘‘(i) With respect to a Federal agency 
that uses the authority under subsection 
(mm), the funds authorized under such 
subsection. 
‘‘(ii) With respect a Federal agency 
other than a Federal agency described in 
clause (i), not more than three percent of 
the funds required to be expended under 
paragraph (1).’’. 
Æ 
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