H.R. 3953 – SBIR/STTR Website Improvement Act

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Updated November 23, 2025 at 11:58 PM UTC

The SBIR/STTR Website Improvement Act changes the Small Business Act so that agencies running SBIR and STTR programs must collect and publicly share more detailed information about the research institutions they subcontract with. The rule applies to all award phases (I‑III) and adds specifics about the type of institution and whether it belongs to certain designated categories. The law also sets a one‑year deadline for the updated data to appear in the agencies’ public databases.

Key Provisions

Federal agencies that run SBIR or STTR programs must gather and publish additional details about any research institution they subcontract to, including the institution’s name, location, and whether it is a higher‑education school, a nonprofit (non‑school), or a federally funded research and development center.
If the subcontracted institution is a school, the agency must also note whether it is a Part B school, Hispanic‑serving, Tribal college/university, Alaska Native‑serving, Native Hawaiian‑serving, Predominantly Black, Asian American and Native Hawaiian‑Pacific Islander‑serving, or a non‑tribal Native American‑serving institution.
The SBIR/STTR reporting database is updated to require this same institution information for Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III awards, and the language is adjusted to include Phase III wherever “Phase I or Phase II” previously appeared.
The Small Business Administration must add the new data to the public database within one year of the law’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Small Business Committee

June 12, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 12, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Small Business Committee

June 12, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 12, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3953

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 12, 2025

Mr. Conaway (for himself and Ms. Simon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend section 9(g) of the Small Business Act to require the Federal agencies with an SBIR or STTR program to collect and make available additional information on recipients of awards under such program, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the SBIR/STTR Website Improvement Act.

2.

Improvements to website relating to the SBIR program or STTR program

(a)

SBIR program

Section 9(g)(8) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(g)(8)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (B), by striking and at the end;

(2)

in subparagraph (C), by adding and at the end; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(D)

for each research institution subcontracted by a recipient of a Phase I, Phase II, or Phase III SBIR award to perform research or research and development with respect to such award—

(i)

the name and location of such research institution;

(ii)

whether such research institution is—

(I)

an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));

(II)

a nonprofit institution (as defined in section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)) other than an institution of higher education; or

(III)

a federally funded research and development center (as identified by the National Scientific Foundation in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation); and

(iii)

for each research institution that is an institution of higher education, whether such research institution is—

(I)

a part B institution (as defined in section 322 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061));

(II)

a Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in section 502 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a));

(III)

a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c));

(IV)

an Alaska Native-serving institution or a Native Hawaiian-serving institution (as defined in section 317(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)));

(V)

a Predominantly Black Institution (as defined in section 371(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)));

(VI)

an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution (as defined in section 371(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 10 1067q(c))); or

(VII)

a Native American-serving nontribal institution (as defined in section 371(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)));

.

(b)

STTR program

Section 9(o)(9) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(o)(9)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (B), by striking and at the end;

(2)

in subparagraph (C), by adding and at the end; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(D)

for each research institution subcontracted by a recipient of a Phase I or Phase II STTR award to perform research or research and development with respect to such award—

(i)

the name and location of such research institution;

(ii)

whether such research institution is—

(I)

an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));

(II)

a nonprofit institution (as defined in section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)) other than an institution of higher education; or

(III)

a federally funded research and development center (as identified by the National Scientific Foundation in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation); and

(iii)

for each research institution that is an institution of higher education, whether such research institution is—

(I)

a part B institution (as defined in section 322 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061));

(II)

a Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in section 502 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a));

(III)

a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c));

(IV)

an Alaska Native-serving institution or a Native Hawaiian-serving institution (as defined in section 317(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)));

(V)

a Predominantly Black Institution (as defined in section 371(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)));

(VI)

an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution (as defined in section 371(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 25 1067q(c))); or

(VII)

a Native American-serving nontribal institution (as defined in section 371(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)));

.

(c)

Database reporting

(1)

In general

Section 9(k) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(k)) is amended—

(A)

by striking Phase I or Phase II SBIR or STTR each place it appears and inserting Phase I, Phase II, or Phase III SBIR or STTR;

(B)

in paragraph (1)(B)—

(i)

in clause (ii), by striking and at the end;

(ii)

in clause (iii), by adding and at the end; and

(iii)

by adding at the end the following new clause:

(iv)

information regarding any research institution subcontracted by such small business concern to perform research or research and development with respect to such award, including—

(I)

the name and location of such research institution;

(II)

whether such research institution is—

(aa)

an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));

(bb)

a nonprofit institution (as defined in section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)) other than an institution of higher education; or

(cc)

a federally funded research and development center (as identified by the National Scientific Foundation in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation); and

(III)

for each research institution that is an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), whether such research institution is an institution described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of section 371(a) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a));

;

(C)

in paragraph (2)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A), by striking Phase I or Phase II of the SBIR program or the STTR and inserting Phase I, Phase II, or Phase III of the SBIR program or the STTR;

(ii)

in subparagraph (F), by striking and at the end;

(iii)

in subparagraph (G)(ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(iv)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(H)

contains information for each research institution subcontracted by a recipient of a Phase I, Phase II, or Phase III STTR or SBIR award to perform research or research and development with respect to such award, including—

(i)

the name and location of such research institution;

(ii)

whether such research institution is—

(I)

an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));

(II)

a nonprofit institution (as defined in section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)) other than an institution of higher education; or

(III)

a federally funded research and development center (as identified by the National Scientific Foundation in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation); and

(iii)

for each research institution that is an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), whether such research institution is an institution described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of section 371(a) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).

; and

(D)

in paragraph (3)(C), by striking Phase I or Phase II award each place it appears and inserting Phase I, Phase II, or Phase III award.

(2)

Database update deadline

Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) or (2) of section 9(k) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(k)), the Administrator shall, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, include—

(A)

in the database described such paragraph (1) the information required under such paragraph, as amended by subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) of this Act; and

(B)

in the database described such paragraph (2) the information required under such paragraph, as amended by subparagraphs (A) and (C) of paragraph (1) of this Act.