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SBIR - The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program was established by Congress in 1982 with a statutory purpose to strengthen the role of innovative Small Business Concerns (SBCs) in Federally-funded research or research and development (R/R&D). Specific program purposes are to: (1) Stimulate technological innovation; (2) use Small Business to meet Federal R/R&D needs; (3) foster and encourage participation by socially and economically disadvantaged SBCs in working in technological innovation; and (4) increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal R/R&D, thereby increasing competition, productivity and economic growth.
STTR - The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program is a sister program to SBIR, established by Congress in 1992 with a similar statutory purpose as SBIR. A major difference in the two programs is that the STTR requires the Small Business to have a research partner consisting of a University, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), or a qualified non-profit research institution. In STTR, the Small Business must be the Prime Contractor and perform at least 40% of the work, with the research partner performing at least 30% of the work. The balance can be done by either party and/or a third party.
The Air Force SBIR/STTR program is managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Our mission is to serve the technology needs of the Air Force warfighter through stimulating technology research by Small Businesses while providing the government with cost-effective technical and scientific solutions to challenging problems. AFRL’s mission is leading the discovery, development, and integration of warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace forces to keep our Air Force the best in the world.
On a schedule coordinated by Department of Defense, the Air Force issues SBIR solicitations, usually one per year, that contain a series of "Technical Topics" that describe the areas of interest and needs of the Air Force. Small Businesses are invited to submit proposals targeted at one or more of the technical topics listed in the solicitation. The STTR program works in the same manner, with only one solicitation per year.
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