INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTIONS.

SEC. 5139. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTIONS. (a) Study.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the SBIR program to assess whether— (1) Federal agencies comply with the data rights protections for SBIR awardees and the technologies of SBIR awardees under section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638); (2) the laws and policy directives intended to clarify the scope of data rights, including in prototypes, mentor-protege relationships, and agreements with Federal laboratories, are sufficient to protect SBIR awardees; and (3) there is an effective grievance tracking process for SBIR awardees who have grievances against a Federal agency regarding data rights and a process for resolving those grievances. (b) Report.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report regarding the study conducted under subsection (a).