As ordered reported by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on December 5, 2013
H.R. 2981 would broaden a program that requires certain federal agencies to set aside portions of their research and development programs for small businesses. Specifically, the bill would require each federal agency that participates in the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program to provide grants to eligible higher-education institutions or other research institutions to bring federally funded research and technology projects to market more quickly. The bill would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to include information about the grants, including a list of recipients and their use of the funds, in its public database.
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2981 would cost $6 million over the 2014-2019 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. Pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply to this legislation because it would not affect direct spending or revenues.
H.R. 2981 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
