S.Amdt. 1986

SA 1986. Mr. KENNEDY (for himself and Ms. Baldwin) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. SBIR AND STTR PILOT PROGRAM FOR UNDERPERFORMING
STATES.

Section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(vv) Department of Defense Pilot Program for
Underperforming States.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this section:
``(A) Department.--The term `Department' means the
Department of Defense.
``(B) Underperforming state.--The term `underperforming
State' means any State participating in the SBIR or STTR
program that is in the bottom 68 percent of all States
historically receiving SBIR or STTR program funding.
``(2) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall
establish a pilot program to provide small business concerns
located in underperforming States an increased level of
assistance under the SBIR and STTR programs of the
Department.
``(3) Activities.--Under the pilot program, the Department,
and any component agency thereof, may--
``(A) in any case in which the Department seeks to make a
Phase II SBIR or STTR award to a small business concern based
on the results of a Phase I award made to the small business
concern by another agency, establish a streamlined transfer
and fast track approval process for that Phase II award;
``(B) provide an additional Phase II SBIR or STTR award to
a small business concern located in an underperforming State
that received a Phase I SBIR or STTR award, subject to an
increase in the allocation percentage;
``(C) establish a program to make Phase 1.5 SBIR or STTR
awards to small business concerns located in underperforming
States in order to provide funding for 12 to 24 months to
continue the development of technology; and
``(D) carry out subparagraph (C) along with other
mentorship programs.
``(4) Duration.--The pilot program established under this
subsection shall terminate 5 years after the date on which
the pilot program is established.
``(5) Report.--The Department shall submit to Congress an
annual report on the status of the pilot program established
under this subsection, including the improvement in funding
under the SBIR and STTR programs of the Department provided
to small business concerns located in underperforming
States.''.

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