FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

SEC. 102. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. (a) Findings.— The Congress finds that— (1) the small business innovation research program established under the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “SBIR” program) has been a successful method of involving small business concerns in Federal research and development; 106 STAT. 4250 (2) the small business innovation research program has been an effective catalyst for the development of technological innovations by small business concerns; (3) small business innovation research program participants have provided high quality research and development in a cost-effective manner; (4) the innovative products and services developed by small business concerns participating in the small business innovation research program have been important to the national defense, as well as to the missions of the other participating Federal agencies; (5) the small business innovation research program has effectively stimulated the commercialization of technology developed through Federal research and development, benefiting both the public and private sectors of the Nation; (6) by encouraging the development and commercialization of technological innovations, the small business innovation research program has created jobs, expanded business opportunities for small firms, stimulated the development of new products and services, and improved the competitiveness of the Nation’s high technology industries; (7) the small business innovation research program has also helped to increase exports from small business concerns; (8) despite the general success of the small business innovation research program, the proportion of Federal research and development tunas received by small business concerns has not increased over the life of the program, but has remained at 3 percent; and (9) although the participating Federal agencies have successfully implemented most aspects of the small business innovation research program, additional outreach efforts are necessary to stimulate increased participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns. (b) Purposes.— The purposes of this title are— (1) to expand and improve the small business innovation research program; (2) to emphasize the program’s goal of increasing private sector commercialization of technology developed through Federal research and development; (3) to increase small business participation in Federal research and development; and (4) to improve the Federal Government’s dissemination of information concerning the small business innovation research program, particularly with regard to program participation by women-owned small business concerns and by socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns.