{"format":1,"id":"119-s-3971","congress":119,"number":"S. 3971","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed Senate","official_title":"A bill to extend the SBIR and STTR programs, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"A bill to extend the SBIR and STTR programs, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act"},{"type":"Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text","title":"Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed Senate","title":"Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act"}],"outcome":"became_law","law_number":"Public Law 119-83","introduced":"2026-03-03","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2026-03-17","vote":{"id":"119-2026-h89","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass","title":"Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act","result":"Passed","yea":345,"nay":41,"present":0,"not_voting":45,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2026/roll089.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"voice","date":"2026-03-03","vote":null,"how":"voice_vote","words":"Passed/agreed to in Senate: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote."}},"president":{"status":"signed","date":"2026-04-13"},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Became Public Law No: 119-83.","date":"2026-04-13"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2026-04-13","stage":"Public Law","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This act reauthorizes through FY2031 and modifies the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, and related pilot programs. (The SBIR and STTR programs are administered by various federal agencies and provide competitive awards for domestic small businesses to conduct research and development projects that have the potential for commercialization.)"},{"k":"p","t":"Specifically, the act expands the requirements for federal agencies administering these programs to evaluate the security risks of the small businesses that apply for awards under the programs. If an agency denies an application for security reasons, the agency must provide the small business with the basis for such determination."},{"k":"p","t":"Further, each agency must set a maximum number of proposals per fiscal year that a small business concern may submit in response to Phase I and Phase II solicitations."},{"k":"p","t":"The act expands the training requirements for agencies' contracting officers and acquisition workforce with respect to Phase III (commercialization of technologies) awards under the SBIR and STTR programs."},{"k":"p","t":"The act also establishes strategic breakthrough allocations for critical technology areas. These are additional Phase II SBIR and STTR awards to small businesses that demonstrate an effective technology and receive matching funds."}],"words":202},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Extends the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and related pilot programs through September 30, 2031, and amends the Small Business Act rules on security review, award types, proposal limits, training and assistance.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 9","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#H3098DB7E890A45969587F0FE74C98E68:~:text=9.%20Extending%20SBIR%20and%20STTR%20authorization"},{"label":"Sec. 10","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id3a00db97ded446d698c25964d9ff00f2:~:text=10.%20Extension%20of%20SBIR%20and%20STTR%20programs"},{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id00caa3908b564b91bce4c0d11c585f13:~:text=2.%20Bolstering%20research%20security%20of%20SBIR%20and"},{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id389f20b2188a49eba1705216a3ddd1e0:~:text=3.%20Phase%20II%20strategic%20breakthrough%20funding"},{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id364c7270ab144216bb1476f6c85b7f65:~:text=4.%20Reducing%20administrative%20burden"}]},"core_areas":["Extension of SBIR and STTR programs and pilot programs to 2031","Security risk review of SBIR and STTR applicants","Strategic breakthrough Phase II awards","Limits on proposals per small business concern","Phase III training and contracting","Technical and business assistance funding","SBIR and STTR award data collection"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Extends the SBIR and STTR programs by replacing September 30, 2025 with September 30, 2031 in section 9(m) of the Small Business Act.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 9","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#H3098DB7E890A45969587F0FE74C98E68:~:text=9.%20Extending%20SBIR%20and%20STTR%20authorization"}},{"text":"Requires agencies to evaluate whether a small business concern presents a security risk, including through connections to entities on listed federal lists, and to notify the concern of a denial determination and its basis where appropriate.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id00caa3908b564b91bce4c0d11c585f13:~:text=2.%20Bolstering%20research%20security%20of%20SBIR%20and"}},{"text":"Allows agencies with a required SBIR expenditure above $100,000,000 to make Phase II strategic breakthrough awards of not more than $30,000,000, which require 100 percent matching funds; the section ends September 30, 2031.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id389f20b2188a49eba1705216a3ddd1e0:~:text=3.%20Phase%20II%20strategic%20breakthrough%20funding"}},{"text":"Requires the SBIR or STTR program director of each agency to set a maximum number of Phase I and Phase II proposals a small business concern may submit per fiscal year, starting in fiscal year 2027, with limited waivers.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id364c7270ab144216bb1476f6c85b7f65:~:text=4.%20Reducing%20administrative%20burden"}},{"text":"Requires the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, with other agencies, to establish training for contracting officers and the acquisition workforce on Phase III awards under the SBIR and STTR programs.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 5","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#ide6a13f8342f640b496945e698022adf9:~:text=5.%20Phase%20III%20award%20education"}},{"text":"Requires agencies to authorize award recipients to use not more than $6,500 per Phase I project and not more than $50,000 per Phase II project for technical and business assistance services.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 7","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id58c6e7adb28e447aaecce7818bf5c6d4:~:text=7.%20Technical%20and%20business%20assistance%20improvements"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr#id389f20b2188a49eba1705216a3ddd1e0:~:text=3.%20Phase%20II%20strategic%20breakthrough%20funding"},"heading":"Phase II strategic breakthrough funding","effect":"Exempts awards of up to $30,000,000 made from a strategic breakthrough allocation from the requirement in paragraph (1) and the waiver requirement in paragraph (4) of subsection (aa). The allocation is defined only for agencies with a required SBIR expenditure above $100,000,000.","amount":"$30,000,000","quote":"The requirement under paragraph (1) and the requirement to receive a waiver from the Administrator under paragraph (4) do not apply to a Federal agency for awards of not more than $30,000,000"}]}],"version":{"type":"Enrolled Bill","date":null,"rule":"enrolled","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text/enr"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-03","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3971/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/119-s-3971.png","v":"5325f8210709","alt":"Votes on Record. S. 3971, 119th Congress: Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act. House: 345 Yea, 41 Nay. Senate: voice vote. Outcome: Became law, 13 Apr 2026."}}