Conaway Introduces Legislation to Improve Small Business Website

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Herb Conaway Jr., MD, introduced the SBIR Website Improvement Act, which makes the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) award database on SBIR.gov searchable by research institutions and identifies Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The SBIR program provides funding to small businesses to conduct research and development and the STTR program provides funding to small business to conduct research and development through cooperative research with U.S. institutions.

“To ensure our small businesses can thrive we must ensure the tools they use are. innovative, transparent, and accessible,” said Congressman Conaway Jr., MD. “By improving the SBIR and STTR award database, we’re not only making it easier for small businesses and research institutions to find one another—we’re also shining a light on Minority Serving Institutions and encouraging the kind of diverse partnerships that drive real progress.” 

The SBIR Website Improvement Act will specifically note MSIs in order to encourage partnerships with diverse institutions and collect data on MSI participation in SBIR and STTR projects. Additionally, this bill would require data and search functions for Phase III projects.

Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA) is an original cosponsor of the SBIR Website Improvement Act. 

For a copy of the legislation click here.