II 115th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2419 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 13, 2018 Mr. Coons (for himself and Mr. Gardner ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship A BILL To amend the Small Business Act to improve the technical and business assistance services under the SBIR and STTR programs.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Support Startup Businesses Act of 2018 . 2. Improvements to technical and business assistance (a) In general Section 9(q) of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 638(q) ) is amended— (1) in the subsection heading, by inserting and business after technical ; (2) in paragraph (1)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)— (i) by striking a vendor selected under paragraph (2) and inserting 1 or more vendors selected under paragraph (2)(A) ; (ii) by inserting and business before assistance services ; and (iii) by inserting assistance with product sales, intellectual property protections, market research, market validation, and development of regulatory plans and manufacturing plans, after technologies, ; and (B) in subparagraph (D), by inserting , including intellectual property protections before the period at the end; (3) in paragraph (2)— (A) by striking Each agency may select a vendor to assist small business concerns to meet and inserting the following: (A) In general Each agency may select 1 or more vendors from which small business concerns may obtain assistance in meeting ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (B) Selection by small business concern A small business concern may, by contract or otherwise, select 1 or more vendors to assist the small business concern in meeting the goals listed in paragraph (1). ; (4) in paragraph (3)— (A) by inserting (A) after paragraph (2) each place it appears; (B) by striking $5,000 per year each place it appears and inserting 5 percent of the amount of the award ; (C) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking which shall be in addition to the amount of the recipient's award and inserting which may, as determined appropriate by the head of the Federal agency, be included as part of the recipient's award or be in addition to the amount of the recipient's award ; (D) in subparagraph (C)— (i) by inserting or business after technical ; (ii) by striking the vendor and inserting a vendor ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: Business-related services aimed at improving the commercialization success of a small business concern may be obtained from an entity, such as a public or private organization or an agency of or other entity established or funded by a State that facilitates or accelerates the commercialization of technologies or assists in the creation and growth of private enterprises that are commercializing technology. ; (E) in subparagraph (D)— (i) by inserting or business after technical each place it appears; and (ii) in clause (i), by striking the vendor and inserting 1 or more vendors ; and (F) by adding at the end the following: (E) Multiple award recipients The Administrator shall establish a limit on the amount of technical and business assistance services that may be received or purchased under subparagraph (B) by small business concerns with respect to multiple Phase II SBIR or STTR awards for a fiscal year. ; and (5) by adding at the end the following: (4) Annual reporting (A) In general A small business concern that receives technical or business assistance from a vendor under this subsection during a fiscal year shall submit to the Federal agency contracting with the vendor a description of the technical or business assistance provided. (B) Use of existing reporting mechanism The information required under subparagraph (A) shall be collected by a Federal agency as part of a report required to be submitted by small business concerns engaged in SBIR or STTR projects of the Federal agency for which the requirement was in effect on the date of enactment of this paragraph. . (b) Review Not later than the end of fiscal year 2019, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall submit to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives a report reviewing the efficacy of the provision of technical and business assistance under section 9(q) of the Small Business Act ( 2 U.S.C. 638(q) ), as amended by subsection (a).