Awards to small businesses under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program would rise, under a program change proposed recently by the Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA administers the SBIR Program.

For Phase I “proof of concept “awards, SBA proposes an increase in the award caps from $100,000 to $150,000. For Phase II development awards, SBA plans an increase in the cap from $750,000 to $1 million. The agency notes that award sizes have not been adjusted for inflation since 1992, and recommends annual inflation adjustments in the future.
Public comment is invited on these proposed changes, through September 15, 2008.

SBA’s recommendations are generally similar to those of a number of SBIR Program observers including NSBA, the Small Business Technology Council--the technology council of NSBA, the National Academy of Sciences, SBIR “Father” Roland Tibbetts, and the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

To read the full text of the proposed SBIR revision, and get the details about filing a comment with SBA, please Click Here.