SEC. 3. ASSESSMENT BY THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL.
(a) ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.—The Comptroller Gen-
eral of the United States shall conduct an assessment of the
ongoing implementation of the Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) program and the pilot Small Business
Technology Transfer (STTR) program. The assessment
shall address the following issues with respect to each pro-
gram:
(1) The extent of competition and the quality of
proposals submitted for the award of SBIR and
STTR agreements, and the quality of subsequent per-
formance by the recipients of such awards.
(2) Whether any adverse effects on the research
or research and development programs of any spon-
soring agency are attributable to the agency’s partici-
pation in the SBIR program or the pilot STTR pro-
gram.
(3) Whether any awards by a sponsoring agency
in each fiscal year represent the applicable percent-
ages of such agency’s extramural budget, identifying
any systemic management weaknesses contributing to
such limitation on implementation.
(4) Any management techniques initiated by
sponsoring agencies that attempt to minimize delays
between the successful completion of a Phase I agree-
ment and the award (and commencement of perform-
ance) under a Phase II agreement or ameliorate the
adverse effects of such delays.
(5) The implementation of Phase III by partici-
pating agencies, including awards in support of
Phase III and other techniques adopted by the agen-
cies to foster commercialization.
(6) The extent to which small business partici-
pants in each program, especially recipients of STTR
awards, utilize the results of research undertaken for
Federal agencies by universities, federally funded re-
search and development centers, and other research
institutions, and the extent to which the results were
subsequently developed by such small firms to meet
the needs of Federal, State, and local government or
advanced to use in the commercial marketplace.
(7) Whether the required and structured collabo-
ration between a small business and a research insti-
tution under the pilot STTR program is necessary in
light of the experiences with voluntary collaborations
under the SBIR program.
(8) Any duplication between the SBIR program
and the pilot STTR program.
(9) The extent to which each agency participat-
ing in the SBIR program has complied with the pol-
icy directives to enhance outreach efforts to increase
the participation of socially and economically dis-
advantaged small business concerns and women-
owned small business concerns issued under section
(9)(j)(2)(F) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
638(j)(2)(F)) and the extent to which each agency
participating in the STTR program has made out-
reach efforts to increase the participation of such con-
cerns in the agency’s STTR program.
(10) Any other relevant information as deter-
mined by the Comptroller General.
(b) PERIOD
OF ASSESSMENT.—The assessment re-
quired by subsection (a) shall focus on the implementation
of each program during the period beginning October 1,
1995, and ending September 30, 1999.
(c) REPORT.—
(1) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—The Comptroller
General shall submit a report of the assessment re-
quired by subsection (a) to the Committees on Small
Business of the Senate and House of Representatives
not later than February 1, 2000.
(2) APPENDICES TO REPORT.—The report shall
include—
(A) an appendix summarizing the findings
of previous reports issued by the Comptroller
General with respect to the SBIR program and
the pilot STTR program; and
(B) an appendix listing reports of other as-
sessments of the SBIR program or the pilot
STTR program issued by the Small Business
Administration, any of the sponsoring agencies,
and any other entities determined by the Comp-
troller General to be useful resources to the Con-
gress in evaluating each program for reauthor-
ization.
SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON COMMERCIALIZA-
TION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Small
Business Administration shall convene and supervise an
interagency task force on fostering commercialization of the
results of projects being undertaken by small business con-
cerns through the SBIR program and the pilot STTR pro-
gram.
(b) DUTIES.—The interagency task force shall—
(1) review existing studies and analyses and con-
duct independent assessments, as may be appropriate,
regarding the obstacles faced by small business entre-
preneurs seeking to commercialize results of basic re-
search or research and development undertaken
through Federal funding;
(2) devise recommendations to overcome (or min-
imize the effects of) such obstacles; and
(3) address other matters that the Administrator
determines are appropriate to ensure a comprehensive
analysis and the development of practical rec-
ommendations.
(c) PARTICIPATION.—
(1) TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP.—The interagency
task shall include participation by representatives
of—
(A) the Office of the Chief Counsel for Advo-
cacy of the Small Business Administration;
(B) the 5 Executive agencies having the
greatest dollar value of awards under the SBIR
program in fiscal year 1995;
(C) the Executive agencies participating in
the pilot STTR program in fiscal year 1995;
(D) the Office of Science and Technology
Policy, Executive Office of the President; and
(E) any other Executive agencies invited by
the Administrator.
(2) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—In undertaking its
assessments and fashioning its recommendations, the
interagency task force shall provide opportunities for
consultation with representatives of—
(A) small businesses and other entities that
have participated in the SBIR program or the
pilot STTR program;
(B) organizations representing small busi-
ness concerns;
(C) organizations representing venture cap-
ital sources, especially those focusing on the
needs of small high-technology entrepreneurs;
and
(D) any other public or private entities that
the Administrator determines are appropriate.
(d) SCHEDULE.—
(1) NOTICE AND INITIAL CALL FOR PUBLIC PAR-
TICIPATION.—Not earlier than May 1, 1997, the Ad-
ministrator shall publish in the Federal Register (and
through other means likely to result in broad dissemi-
nation) a notice, which at a minimum, announces the
existence of the interagency task force, identifies the
members of task force, summarizes purposes and ob-
jectives of the task force, requests suggestions and rec-
ommendations from the public regarding the work of
the task force, providing at least 180 days to make a
submission in response to such notice, and announces
any schedule of meetings of the task force or other
public meetings.
(2) ONGOING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—In con-
ducting its assessments and fashioning its rec-
ommendations the task force shall make every reason-
able effort to solicit ideas from the public.
(e) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 1999, the Ad-
ministrator shall submit to the Committees on Small Busi-
ness of the Senate and House of Representatives a report
of the work of the interagency task force, including such
recommendations for legislative or administrative action.
SEC. 5. TECHNICAL CORRECTION.
Section 9(e)(4)(A) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 638(e)(4)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘(B)(ii)’’ and
inserting ‘‘(B)’’.