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‘‘(A) the Experimental Program to Stimu-
late Competitive Research of the National
Science Foundation, as established under section
113 of the National Science Foundation Author-
ization Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1862g);
‘‘(B) the Defense Experimental Program to
Stimulate Competitive Research of the Depart-
ment of Defense;
‘‘(C) the Experimental Program to Stimu-
late Competitive Research of the Department of
Energy;
‘‘(D) the Experimental Program to Stimu-
late Competitive Research of the Environmental
Protection Agency;
‘‘(E) the Experimental Program to Stimu-
late Competitive Research of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration;
‘‘(F) the Institutional Development Award
Program of the National Institutes of Health;
and
‘‘(G) the National Research Initiative Com-
petitive Grants Program of the Department of
Agriculture.
‘‘(2) 
COORDINATION
REQUIREMENTS.—Each
Federal agency that is subject to subsection (f) and
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that has established a technology development pro-
gram may, in each fiscal year, review for funding
under that technology development program—
‘‘(A) any proposal to provide outreach and
assistance to 1 or more small business concerns
interested in participating in the SBIR pro-
gram, including any proposal to make a grant
or loan to a company to pay a portion or all of
the cost of developing an SBIR proposal, from
an entity, organization, or individual located
in—
‘‘(i) a State that is eligible to partici-
pate in that program; or
‘‘(ii) a State described in paragraph
(3); or
‘‘(B) any proposal for the first phase of the
SBIR program, if the proposal, though meri-
torious, is not funded through the SBIR program
for that fiscal year due to funding restraints,
from a small business concern located in—
‘‘(i) a State that is eligible to partici-
pate in a technology development program;
or
‘‘(ii) a State described in paragraph
(3).
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‘‘(3) ADDITIONALLY ELIGIBLE STATE.—A State
referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii) or (B)(ii) of para-
graph (2) is a State in which the total value of con-
tracts awarded to small business concerns under all
SBIR programs is less than the total value of con-
tracts awarded to small business concerns in a major-
ity of other States, as determined by the Adminis-
trator in biennial fiscal years, beginning with fiscal
year 2000, based on the most recent statistics com-
piled by the Administrator.’’.
SEC. 12. MENTORING NETWORKS.
The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is
amended by inserting after section 34, as added by section
11(b)(2) of this Act, the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 35. MENTORING NETWORKS.
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
‘‘(1) the SBIR and STTR programs create jobs,
increase capacity for technological innovation, and
boost international competitiveness;
‘‘(2) increasing the quantity of applications from
all States to the SBIR and STTR programs would
enhance competition for such awards and the quality
of the completed projects; and
‘‘(3) mentoring is a natural complement to the
FAST program of reaching out to new companies re-
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garding the SBIR and STTR programs as an effec-
tive and low-cost way to improve the likelihood that
such companies will succeed in such programs in de-
veloping and commercializing their research.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION FOR MENTORING NETWORKS.—
The recipient of an award or participant in a cooperative
agreement under section 34 may use a reasonable amount
of such assistance for the establishment of a Mentoring Net-
work under this section.
‘‘(c) CRITERIA FOR MENTORING NETWORKS.—A Men-
toring Network established using assistance under section
34 shall—
‘‘(1) provide business advice and counseling to
high technology small business concerns located in the
State or region served by the Mentoring Network and
identified under section 34(c)(1)(E)(ii) as potential
candidates for the SBIR or STTR programs;
‘‘(2) identify volunteer mentors who—
‘‘(A) are persons associated with a small
business concern that has successfully completed
one or more SBIR or STTR funding agreements;
and
‘‘(B) have agreed to guide small business
concerns through all stages of the SBIR or STTR
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program process, including providing assistance
relating to—
‘‘(i) proposal writing;
‘‘(ii) marketing;
‘‘(iii) Government accounting;
‘‘(iv) Government audits;
‘‘(v) project facilities and equipment;
‘‘(vi) human resources;
‘‘(vii) third phase partners;
‘‘(viii) commercialization;
‘‘(ix) venture capital networking; and
‘‘(x) other matters relevant to the
SBIR and STTR programs;
‘‘(3) have experience working with small business
concerns participating in the SBIR and STTR pro-
grams;
‘‘(4) contribute information to the national data-
base referred to in subsection (d); and
‘‘(5) agree to reimburse volunteer mentors for
out-of-pocket expenses related to service as a mentor
under this section.
‘‘(d) MENTORING
DATABASE.—The Administrator
shall—
‘‘(1) include in the database required by section
9(k)(1), in cooperation with the SBIR, STTR, and
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SEC. 14. RURAL OUTREACH PROGRAM EXTENSION.
(a) EXTENSION
OF TERMINATION DATE.—Section
501(b)(2) of the Small Business Reauthorization Act of
1997 (15 U.S.C. 638 note; 111 Stat. 2622) is amended by
striking ‘‘2001’’ and inserting ‘‘2005’’.
(b) EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—Section 9(s)(2) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 638(s)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘for fiscal year
1998, 1999, 2000, or 2001’’ and inserting ‘‘for each of the
fiscal years 2000 through 2005,’’.
Attest:
Secretary.
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