Successes in the Small Business Innovative Research Program

摘要

The Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program enables small businesses to participate in DoD-sponsored research and development. The program reaches a variety of small businesses from one person working independently to established companies with several hundred employees. Participants like the program and are enthusiastic about continued participation. As a result of the SBIR program, new products and processes are being introduced into the DoD inventory. Many of the products have commercial applications as well. DoD's SBIR program is a congressionally mandated program wherein a small percentage of its R&D awards are set aside exclusively for small businesses. Its objectives are to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, to strength the role of small business in meeting DoD research and development needs, to foster and encourage participation by minority and disadvantaged persons in technological innovation, and to increase the commercial application of DoD-supported research and development results. The projects studied for this report were begun in FY83 and FY84. (kr)