FAST Fix Act of 2021
Bill: S.802 | Sponsor: Sen. Risch, James E. (R-ID)
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
FAST Fix Act of 2021
This bill modifies provisions governing the administration of the Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) program.
Specifically, the bill encourages FAST program grants to be awarded to small businesses in underperforming states by requiring the Small Business Administration (SBA) to prioritize such applicants and authorizing the SBA to provide additional assistance to such applicants. The bill defines underperforming states as being the 18 states that receive the fewest Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer awards.
Additionally, the bill removes the limit on the number of proposals that may be submitted for inclusion in the FAST program to provide services in any one state. The bill also lowers the matching requirements for the bottom tier of FAST recipients, sets limits on the amount of each award, and extends the period for distribution of grants to two years.

To modify the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program of the 
         Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``FAST Fix Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL AND STATE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

    Section 34 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657d) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:
            ``(11) Underperforming state.--The term `underperforming 
        State' means a State participating in the SBIR or STTR program 
        that has been calculated by the Administrator to be one of 18 
        States receiving the fewest SBIR and STTR Phase I awards.'';
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (E)--
                                    (I) in clause (iii), by striking 
                                ``and'' at the end;
                                    (II) in clause (iv), by striking 
                                the period at the end and inserting ``; 
                                and''; and
                                    (III) by adding at the end the 
                                following:
                            ``(v) to prioritize applicants located in 
                        an underperforming State.'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(B)(vi)--
                            (i) in subclause (II), by striking ``and'' 
                        at the end; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(IV) located in an 
                                underperforming State; and'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``Not more than 
                one proposal'' and inserting ``There is no limit on the 
                number of proposals that''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Additional assistance for underperforming states.--
        Upon application by a recipient that is located in an 
        underperforming State, the Administrator may--
                    ``(A) provide additional assistance to the 
                recipient; and
                    ``(B) waive the matching requirements under 
                subsection (e)(2).'';
            (3) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) by inserting ``and STTR'' 
                                before ``first phase'' each place that 
                                term appears;
                                    (II) in clause (i), by striking 
                                ``50'' and inserting ``25'';
                                    (III) in clause (ii), by striking 
                                ``1 dollar'' and inserting ``75 
                                cents''; and
                                    (IV) in clause (iii), by striking 
                                ``75'' and inserting ``50'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``, 
                        beginning with fiscal year 2001'' and inserting 
                        ``and make publicly available on the website of 
                        the Administration, beginning with fiscal year 
                        2022''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) Payment.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
                of an activity carried out by a recipient may be paid 
                by the recipient over the course of the period of the 
                award or cooperative agreement.''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Amount of award.--In carrying out the FAST program 
        under this section--
                    ``(A) the Administrator shall make and enter into 
                awards or cooperative agreements;
                    ``(B) each award or cooperative agreement described 
                in subparagraph (A) shall be for not more than 
                $500,000, which shall be provided over 2 fiscal years; 
                and
                    ``(C) any amounts left unused in the third quarter 
                of the second fiscal year may be retained by the 
                Administrator for future FAST program awards.
            ``(5) Reporting.--Not later than 6 months after receiving 
        an award or entering into a cooperative agreement under this 
        section, a recipient shall report to the Administrator--
                    ``(A) the number of awards made under the SBIR or 
                STTR program;
                    ``(B) the number of applications submitted for the 
                SBIR or STTR program;
                    ``(C) the number of consulting hours spent;
                    ``(D) the number of training events conducted; and
                    ``(E) any issues encountered in the management and 
                application of the FAST program.'';
            (4) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A)--
                                    (I) by striking ``Small Business 
                                Innovation Research Program 
                                Reauthorization Act of 2000'' and 
                                inserting ``FAST Fix Act of 2021''; and
                                    (II) by inserting ``and 
                                Entrepreneurship'' before ``of the 
                                Senate'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iv) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) a description of the process used to ensure 
                that underperforming States are given priority 
                application status under the FAST program.''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
                        ``Annual'' and inserting ``Biennial'';
                            (ii) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by striking ``annual'' and inserting 
                        ``biennial'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (iv) in subparagraph (C), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
                        and
                            (v) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) the proportion of awards provided to and 
                cooperative agreements entered into with 
                underperforming States; and
                    ``(E) a list of the States that were determined by 
                the Administrator to be underperforming States, and a 
                description of any changes in the list compared to 
                previously submitted reports.'';
            (5) in subsection (g)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``2004'' and inserting ``2022''; 
                and
                    (B) by inserting ``and Entrepreneurship'' before 
                ``of the Senate''; and
            (6) in subsection (h)(1), by striking ``$10,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2001 through 2005'' and inserting 
        ``$20,000,000 for every 2 fiscal years between fiscal years 
        2022 through 2026, to be obligated before the end of the second 
        fiscal year''.
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